Summary
Fall andMMOs have a bit of an enduring relationship.Final Fantasy 14,World of Warcraft,Guild Wars 2, and newer entries likeNew WorldandThrone and Libertyall have release dates at the end of summer or autumn, and with most expansions shooting for the same time frame, it’s a special time of year for fans of the genre.
Thankfully, for those who want to push that immersion even further, there are many zones across the MMO game scene that revel in the autumn aesthetic. This list is going to be a collection of zones that really pick up on what makes the season special from beginning to end; whether it’s an abundance of orange leaves or a spooky atmosphere that’s reminiscent of Halloween.
Given that this list isn’t in any particular order, it’s probably best to get this one out of the way. It’s a creepy forest, with the constant drone of wind through the trees. There’s a sprawling graveyard, pumpkins, ghosts, zombies, it’s pretty much got it all. The trees are a sullen blue-green, offset by the orange glow of lanterns and the like.
The zone itself isn’t in autumn, but it definitely draws from many motifsseen in Halloween. On top of the spooky vibes, the zone has some fascinating stories even if there isn’t a through-line quest that goes through the whole zone. The townspeople of Darkshire are interesting, the town itself is beautiful, and it’s a super early-game zone that’s very accessible.
For those looking for the color orange, Grothmar Valley has it in spades. Half savanna, half forest, Grothmar Valley is a gorgeous combination of tall trees, fall leaves, and sprouting wildflowers. If Duskwood is a zone made to be a fantasy take on Halloween, Grothmar Valley is a zone made to emulate your local Oktoberfest.
Probably the biggest standout is the theme of music, with a lot of emphasis on the band Metal Legion, a metal band that plays on a stage called the Blood Stand. It’s a cute mix of realism and fantasy that is quite rare to see, and there aren’t any zones like Grothmar Valley in the genre for that reason. Payers interested in both fall and festival should make their way here if they can!
Brightwood is probably the most recent attempt at a creepy Halloween-inspired zone in apremium MMO, and the modern software behindNew Worldmakes it one of the most visually immersive renditions of the aesthetic. The zone is centered around The Lost, people, and animals whose minds are broken from the cumulative trauma endured while immortal. The zone itself is dark, with a heavy emphasis on toxic greens and blues that give the area an unnatural look.
The enemies that lurk around, unlike the typical Lost models that are just zombies, look like undead witch-hunters and gravetenders. It’s an odd mix of tropes, like if the Salem Witch Trials backfired and turned everyone into undead, only for them to use their ghastly new abilities to hunt unsuspecting victims instead. Its soundtrack is also top-notch.
Everfall is one ofNew World’s earlier zones and borders both possible starting zones. Most players who have taken a look at the game have probably seen this zone, as it was shown off heavily in most of the promotional work, and has a lot of the game’s major visual motifs.
It’s a harvest-themed zone reminiscent of colonial America with small wooden settlements, farm fields, and creeks full of cat-tails. Many of the creatures include United States staples like elk, wolves, hare, bison, and turkey. This, accompanied by the fact that early gameNew Worldis all about chopping trees and picking plants, really sells that harvest fantasy even if you can’t have a farm yourself.
An MMO with as much charm asRunescapedoes not exist, and it is impeccable just how much love and care is packed into its tiny polygons. Draynor Manor oozes so much character that upon entering it feels like you stopped playing an MMO, and started playingAlone in the Dark.
Very few games can create game spaces with the sense of ‘place’ that Draynor Manor exudes, and in a genre with many a desolate plain to fetch-quest in, it’s a shame that there aren’t more zones like this one. If you haven’t paid the Count a visit yet, we implore not only that you do so, but do so knowing as little as possible.
West Weald is a returning zone in the series, having first been introduced inThe Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion. Unlike its previous iteration; however, West Weald inThe Elder Scrolls Onlineis very steeped in autumn oranges. While locked behind DLC, this zone definitely fits the bill for those who want autumn vibes, and more so, those who are particularly interested in elven architecture.
While it isn’t going to be anything akin to Rivendell, as it is the home of the Imperials, it’s really evocative of those quaint ruins Tolkien describes throughoutThe Lord of the Rings. Jagged stones sticking out of the brush covered in vines, and cavernous ruins acting as homes to various monsters, it’s pretty easy to draw parallels between the two, and well worth exploring for fans of the book series (or those with fond memories ofThe Lord of the Rings Online).
Tirisfal Glades is probably the best mixture of typical autumn and Halloween design queues. As a result, it checks pretty much all of the boxes, it’s got orange trees (though quite muted), pumpkins, zombies, skeletons, ghouls, ghosts, and humans to terrify. Being the starting zone for the Undead, playing through Tirisfal glades feels like waking up and strolling right intoThe Nightmare Before Christmas’ Halloween Town, though more violent and grotesque.
There are grotesque experiments to behold, angry humans with pitchforks, giant spiders, the list continues. It balances quirky and comical villain antics with some genuinely thought-provoking and sad stories about what it would be like to be returned back from the grave.
