What are the most complex and deep multiplayer games?

[maniacalpha1-1]

Regardless of genre, what are the most complex and deep multiplayer games out there? And regardless of whether it's played one on one, or if 1 out of 64 or 1 out of thousands.

I would for example be tempted to say offhand that World War 2 Online and EVE are among the most complex and deep. Well- WW2 OL certainly deep, dunno about complex, and EVE both. But I also like the idea of RTS or turn based strategy games that you can play campaigns against players, too - like if Rome Total War let you do that. I lost the game CDs years ago but Star Wars Empire At War allowed you to do this I believe - so like that, too. BTW anyone still playing Empire at War that I should get it on Steam?

Anyway feel free either list what you think are the most complex games of any genre, or per genre if you prefer.

Note that the only MMO RPG I ever played long enough to count was Everquest, if anyone's planning to mention an MMO RPG.

 

[Pia]

Starcraft: Brood War is so complex, it took salaried professional players about eight years before (at least in the eyes of a casual observer like me) the strategy in it is no longer really evolving.

No other videogame's depth has been tested as severely, so nothing is proven to be deeper. Obviously, plenty of games have been proven to be shallower.

 

[Martimus]

I would have to agree that Eve is both Complex and Deep.

Elemental and Sins of a Solar Empire are both complex multiplayer games as well.

 

[AyashiKaibutsu]

I would have to agree that Eve is both Complex and Deep.

Elemental and Sins of a Solar Empire are both complex multiplayer games as well.

Eve is complex, but not very deep. Once you learn the vast amount of basics the game ends up being really simple to execute. I always looked at eves learning cliff as more of an upside down U. WoW ends up being a deeper game in the end. There's much more to being good at WoW (both high-end arena and raiding) than Eve.

 

[shingletingle]

Probably Call of Duty Black Ops. The level up system is far different than any previous CoD. You have to earn experience points and pick and choose your unlocks wisely.

 

[digitaldurandal]

I dont think the total war games are that deep

 

[digitaldurandal]

Probably Call of Duty Black Ops. The level up system is far different than any previous CoD. You have to earn experience points and pick and choose your unlocks wisely.

Wow, I never thought about it that way.....

 

[maniacalpha1-1]

I dont think the total war games are that deep

I meant if a total war game allowed you to play a campaign involving one or more other players that could last hours and hours....with everyone possibly building up huge armies etc moving them around the map.

 

[Sulaco]

lol @ some of the answers in this thread. Starcraft? Call of Duty? Really?

If you want deep strategy, you have to look beyond the pop culture stuff. Something like Hearts of Iron 2 or 3, Victoria 2, Rome (NOT Total War), etc.
Also something like the Combat Mission games for tactical strategy.

 

[TheVrolok]

Probably Call of Duty Black Ops. The level up system is far different than any previous CoD. You have to earn experience points and pick and choose your unlocks wisely.

Not trying to be a jerk here, but calling Black Ops "deep" or "complex" is kinda a joke. Kill people, get XP, unlock gun, carry on. - that's about it. When I read the thread title, first thing I thought of was EVE.

 

[ichy]

Ever play The Operational Art of War? THAT was a complex game, although multiplayer was e-mail only.

 

[KaOTiK]

Eve was the first thing that came to mind.

Other games like Sulaco mentioned, Hearts of Iron series and Victoria series are very complex as well.

Also gotta laugh at the Black ops mention, comedy ftw

 

[chalmers]

Probably Call of Duty Black Ops. The level up system is far different than any previous CoD. You have to earn experience points and pick and choose your unlocks wisely.

 

[frozentundra123456]

Not trying to be a jerk here, but calling Black Ops "deep" or "complex" is kinda a joke. Kill people, get XP, unlock gun, carry on. - that's about it. When I read the thread title, first thing I thought of was EVE.

You could call Black Ops "deep".

I spent hours trying to figure out how to make it run without the infernal stuttering, and being disappointed that patch after patch didnt really improve it that much!!!

 

[AyashiKaibutsu]

I meant if a total war game allowed you to play a campaign involving one or more other players that could last hours and hours....with everyone possibly building up huge armies etc moving them around the map.

That wouldn't necessarily make them deep although at least for Rome (the one I played a lot) I think there was quite a bit of depth to it. However, I never did multiplayer so I don't know if it really did since smashing the computer certainly didn't have too much depth.

 

[WhipperSnapper]

I nominate Sins of a Solar Empire, Diplomacy Expansion. There's a lot to learn in this mostly overlooked game, and it has a learning curve, especially if your intent is to play against human opponents. It really shines in 5 on 5. Whereas Starcraft is heavily dependent on APM and your ability to micromanage units, Sins is not a clickfest and is all about strategy, tactics, and making good investment decisions.

Later this year Ironclad and Stardock are planning to release a stand-alone expansion, Rebellion, that will include all of the features of the previous three versions of the game in addition to large amounts of new content. This will add to the complexity.

If you like online multiplayer RTS and wouldn't mind playing an awesome 4x-RTS that is not a clickfest, definitely check out Sins Diplomacy (aka Sins Trinity).

Sins of a Solar Empire: Real Time Strategy, Unrivaled Scale.

 

[Athadeus]

Master of Orion 3, maybe Civ 5? Also, Starcraft Broodwar is not really deep, but is complex, and there is pretty much no skill cap.

 

[QuantumPion]

Master of Orion 3, maybe Civ 5?

I think he meant deep as in nuanced, not deep as in "a pile of shit". :hmm:

 

[ImpulsE69]

Eve would definitely qualify as complex. As someone mentioned, once you get past the learning curve, the execution isn't that difficult, but there is always something new to learn and people are always thinking outside the box for ways to do them.

As for deep...I don't really think any MP game really meets that since deep tends to imply some kind of story. Maybe on the surface Eve and WoW might fit that, but really their back stories and quests are not that deep in the long run, they are more of a simple justification giving you a reason you are doing something. That being said, if you simply apply the human element to it, they practically create their own stories in these "worlds" making them infinitely deep.

 

[Barfo]

You could call Black Ops "deep".

I spent hours trying to figure out how to make it run without the infernal stuttering, and being disappointed that patch after patch didnt really improve it that much!!!

Yeah, most people didn't really get it. The real fun and excitement was to make the game run properly.

 

[MentalIlness]

Id say the Civilization series.

By the way, Have you ever tried to play Devil May Cry 4 on a keyboard ? ROFL