Whenever I’m interested in learning more about a new MMO on the market or an older one I’ve yet to try there are three YouTube channels I frequent the most to get that information. With how many new games I’ve been playing as of late, I’ve been watching a lot of videos and thought, hey, maybe others would benefit from these channels as well. A quick disclaimer though before getting started; if you’re a kindergarten teacher looking to introduce your class to the world of MMOs well good for you but I wouldn’t recommend playing any of these videos for your class. While the content creators are all very funny, they definitely use language that is not suitable for the kiddos.
The HiveLeader
If you’re looking for a quick overview of an MMO with hilarious commentary, this is where you want to start. The HiveLeader reviews MMOs in about a 5-8 minute video which is perfect if you want the general feel of a game without investing a lot of time into a more thorough video. However don’t let the short video length and focus on humor fool you, there’s a lot to be gleaned about an MMO from these reviews. Of the three listed here, I’ve been watching The HiveLeader the longest and have even gone back and watched through his entire backlog of videos as well. This channel is entertaining to watch whether you care about the games being reviewed or not.
MMO Grinder
If you want a thorough review of a game from someone who has spent more than a couple of hours with the title, I would highly recommend the MMO Grinder. This channel primarily takes a look at free to play games and spends a good 20-40 minutes going over the graphics, sound, gameplay, community, and cash shop of every game featured. Each game reviewed has been played for a couple of weeks by the host and a few of his guildmates so there is plenty of first hand research. The MMO Grinder is probably the number one source I rely on for gathering information before trying a new game.
The Lazy Peon
This is a new one that I only recently discovered however what I like about The Lazy Peon is that you get a very real experience of what your first 5-6 hours of gameplay will feel like but in a condensed 18-25 minute video. Unlike the MMO Grinder, what you’ll find here is video footage and commentary taken during those exploratory hours of gameplay. What I like about this channel is that it gives you a really good sense of what your own experience will be like. If a game’s tutorial is confusing, the optimization is poor, or a feature is bugged you’ll see firsthand how those things affect the new player experience. There’s overlap here with what the other channels offer but it nevertheless stands out as a useful source. Be forewarned though, of the three The Lazy Peon is by far the biggest potty mouth of them all. This channel is definitely not safe for work or around young kids.
Waiting For Rez 