Best MMORPG?...besides World of Warcraft?

You could try Wakfu, it's a free-to-play RPG on Steam. What separates it from the pack is that it is a turn-based MMORPG, kinda like the Final Fantasy games, but you control only 1 main character. You have to coordinate and strategize with other players to clear dungeons and raid bosses, which gets tricky at the higher levels. It might get a bit grindy, but I recommend it to fans of Final Fantasy and similar strategy games, should they be bored of spamming the same keys over and over again like in most generic RPGs.
How did I miss that? I am always checking Steam for free-to-play games. And it even had a 20 minute movie. I added it to my Library. Thanks!
 
Are you looking for free games, or paid? Or whichever? Personally I've really enjoyed Elder Scrolls Online, a lot of people super into the lore behind other Elder Scrolls games seemed to have a few issues with it here and there, but I still enjoyed it a lot as a MMORPG. I also saw someone mention Guild Wars, which is pretty fun too. I like that one because of how open the fights are, you can jump in on someone else's "kill" and both get credit which helps add to sense of community (at least for me.) Especially since I hate talking to other people just for a quick group than leaving 5 min. later. I'd recommend Neverwinter if you are looking for a free game, you can pick it up off Steam.
 
We need to stop talking about EVE. You guys are going to make me play that damn thing again and that is the last fucking thing I want to get back into. You are fucking playing it at every moment you are subscribed. Your levels are just based on a timer, and that is only for skills that decide what you can and can't fly/use. Money is kind of the real exp in that game.

We need to stop talking about this.
Nothing but badmouthing the game makes you wanna play it again? Gillman, you miiiight have a slight problem. :p
 
Nothing but badmouthing the game makes you wanna play it again? Gillman, you miiiight have a slight problem. :p

It is even worse because I had a press account there at one point and kept going, "I have to write an article about this!" and then wouldn't because I would keep playing eve... Fuck that game. We need to not bring it up again... DAMNIT!

I always wondered about the Final Fantasy games, but I feel that if I wasn't in at the beginning that I won't feel a real attachment to the game. You know, like coming in on the 3rd season of The Walking Dead, not really knowing what is going on. Would I feel like I was missing something if I didn't go back and play from the beginning? Or is it the kind of game where I could just jump in and start playing the latest release?

You aren't really missing anything. They do a great job of story telling in the game and making you feel important all the while. Hell, the only thing you are "missing" by not having played FFXIV since its launch is "remember when it wasn't a game for almost two years?".

You kind of have to look at that game as only having been out for a year right now. They are always adding stuff, more quests and high end raids, player housing, and randomly job classes, but it never feels like anything you would "miss out on" if you just now jumped in. The community is also pretty good as well. Most boss fights and dungeons are instanced and done entirely in pick up groups so you are all kind of muddling through stuff. I have had one kind of ass, once, and that was just because he wanted me to be better at my job class. In his defense I was fucking up at the time.
 
The games I've been playing receantly are aion, never winter, and lotro.
Never winter is an OK game, but if your hoping for something more d&d your better off playing ddo.
Lotro I just play because the geek in me likes running around in the same world as frodo.
 
I can name two but are sort of hated and loved by the people who play them. Maplestory is a fun game, but it as it goes on more people decide to play by themselves and to hit high dmg you need to invest in Mesos (game currency) which is obtained by defeating monsters and/or selling items. Other one is Mabinogi which is a game that is basically like living life. It has tons of quests and people are friendly in there. I barely know anything else about Mabinogi but I played it for a while and liked it. Its not Pay to win like Maplestory but it is fun if you have friends to play with.