MMORPGs are constantly being expanded with new updates or major addons. But what were the best MMORPG expansions of all time? We at MeinMMO looked at the ratings on Metacritic and created a ranking from them.
What is this list? This list focuses solely on reviews from Metacritic testers. The focus is on the test result for a single extension, with the extension that has received more reviews winning in the event of a tie. We also only included extensions that received at least 10 reviews.
It is noticeable that in many MMORPGs, the extensions are no longer tested as heavily and intensively as the release version. That’s why extensions to smaller MMORPGs in particular often simply have no rating at Metacritic.
If you are interested in which MMORPG was able to convince the testers right after the release, you will find what you are looking for in this list: The 11 best MMORPGs of all time according to Metacritic – as of 2022.
These are places 11 to 6
5th place: Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers
developer: Square Enix | platform: PC, PS3, PS4 | release date: July 2, 2019 | Rating on Metacritic: 90 | number of reviews: 25
What was special about the expansion? In Shadowbringers, players traveled to another world for the first time, the shattered world of Hydaelyn. There, players must first face the darkness and work together with an enemy.
The expansion again brought new jobs, new playable races and, for the first time, the ability to travel between the servers of a data center.
In addition, Shadowbringers contained most of the dialogue and cutscenes of any expansion of Final Fantasy XIV up to that point. The tragic story and many plot twists also make the content so popular with the players.
What is the best rating on Metacritic? Shadowbringers was able to reach the record of 100 three times. Back then, Screen Rank described it as the “best MMORPG expansion in recent times – maybe even ever”.
The Daily Star said in the review:
Shadowbringers surpasses everything that has come before. The perfect blend of immersive gameplay and a truly memorable story to rival those heralded by fans for decades. It’s time to step out of the shadows and become what Final Fantasy XIV needs to be: the best MMORPG in the world.
What is the worst rating on Metacritic? The extension only got 70 points from Cubed3. As points of criticism they name high grind and slow tempo. For example, it says, “It’s an entertaining but forgettable pastime that’s boring with its hours of retelling and bland “A to B” mission style.”
The second worst rating comes from PCGamesN and is an 80. It states:
While the story isn’t really groundbreaking because it relies too much on genre tropes, it’s still among the best MMOs, as is the new content. Shadowbringers is a great experience that could have been an amazing one.
How do players view the expansion today? Shadowbringers is still very popular with many players. In our pre-Endwalker poll, it came out on top with 57% of the votes.