Warframe has been an incredible force in the MMO community since its release on the PlayStation 4 in 2013. Warframe is a sci-fi massively multiplayer online action game that has incredibly innovative content that spans multiple worlds and even different dimensions.
For over ten years, Warframe has continued to release consistent content that expands on its story, provides a challenge to new and veteran players, and constantly delivers new ways to play and has done so as a free-to-play game with a reputable business model. With a plethora of game modes, activities, weapons, and over fifty character archetypes to choose from, Warframe is one of the top MMOs gamers should try out. Here are some things that Warframe does better than other MMOs that stand out.
8 Expertise In Player Mobility Freedom
Movement is critical in any MMO; the ways that a player can move around in an instanced or open world is vital to their experience. In many MMOs, mobility is outfitted with a mount system, which gives players increased movement speed while riding on specially crafted models that are usually just for show.
Warframe takes this system and fully immerses it into the game with various types of mount systems that are all unique to themselves. Warframe's first movement system is the player's Warframe; Warframes have extreme agility and can flip, spin, and glide through most of the area within the game. For Warframe's more expansive worlds, Archwings, Hoverboards, and even full Star Ships are available to the player.
7 Microtransactions
Microtransactions have become a permanent staple in most games of the current generations, especially those of the free-to-play genre. Warframe has always had microtransactions, but unlike many other games that adopt pay-to-win aspects, Warframe's system can be confidently called a "pay-to-do-better".
Every item in Warframe, from frame to materials, can be obtained in the game normally or bought in the store, with the exception of mods. The currency players use is called Platinum, and what Warframe does that is special is allowing players to openly trade the currency, granting players more control over the economy.
6 Ranged Combat
Warframe has some of the best third-person shooter gameplay in the business and has an enormous roster of weaponry for players to choose from and perfectly craft their arsenal. In addition, each Warframe has a list of abilities like a hail of fireballs or a giant laser of death to turn enemies into dust.
Every weapon, whether it be a plasma shooting shotgun or a head-seeking bow and arrow, has a pristine feel making it a joy to use. Warframe abilities are also uniquely crafted with beautiful effects and do an excellent job of making the player feel powerful.
5 Melee Combat
It is rare for a game, especially on such a large scale, to get both ranged and melee combat right, but Warframe doesn't fall short in the slightest. Players can further craft their ultimate killing machine with an open book's worth of swords, whips, spears, and more. Each melee weapon in Warframe has its own personality and has no problem standing out among weapons in the same class.
Players can be futuristic samurai, space soul reapers wielding a techno-scythe, or valiant warriors with swords and shields. To push the barrier even further, every melee weapon in Warframe has access to special mods called Stance mods, which give additional move sets to each weapon and an even more unique way to play.
4 Filled With Rich Lore and Story
Warframe is a game that rewards the player for diving into the deep end and pushing its content. From the start, players are thrust into a vibrant universe where their power and purpose are unclear. However, the curtain slowly begins to be pulled back with every conquered world the player runs through.
The rabbit hole seems endless as Warframe introduces centuries of history of a cosmic war between intergalactic empires and god-like beings. Warframe does an excellent job of laying out the story through a series of discoveries, intricate story quest lines, and beautiful cut scenes.
3 Takes The Classless Genre To New Heights
One of the most consistent systems present in the majority of MMOs is the class system. To promote different ways to play and entice different types of gamers, MMOs create a roster of classes that provide unique move sets, abilities, and traits.
Warframe subverts this system with a classless take on the genre where players get control of futuristic techno armors called warframes, which are all uniquely tuned with different abilities, strengths, and weaknesses. In addition, each warframe can be outfitted with a number of available mods in the game that can completely change the way it plays and performs in the game, allowing players to choose their role regardless of their choice of character.
2 Player Builds Have True Freedom
One of the crowning achievements of Warframe is the freedom that players are given when deciding how they would like to play the game. While there are endless amounts of weapons and gear that players can obtain to make their experience unique, Warframe also provides a mod system specifically for players warframes to boost their performance and tweak their abilities.
The right selection of mods can turn a support-oriented warframe into an unstoppable force of nature in seconds flat. The possibilities are nearly limitless as all mods can be acquired simply through specific missions, purchased from other players, or with a quick grind through the game's content.
1 The Grind
All veteran players of massively multiplayer online games understand the term "grind". From the moment players finish creating their character, it is a race to the game's end content and rushing to get the best possible gear to create the best possible build. While Warframe does have a grind, it is entirely different from any other MMO on the market.
Warframe promotes both solo and team play and allows most, if not all content to be completed in any fashion. Players will not be scrounging through endless drops of minuscule gear but vital materials, components, and parts that will make their warframe stronger and more capable of taking on more challenging content.
Warframe can be played on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC via Steam.