Meridian 59

About

Meridian 59 is a multiplayer open world role playing game with a fantasy theme. It was developed by Andrew and Christopher Kirmse and was released on August 28, 2018. It received positive reviews from players.

Meridian 59 was the first graphical massively multi-player game. Played on the Internet with hundreds of users able to interact in the same world, the game is often considered the start of modern MMO gaming.

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85%

Audience ScoreBased on 275 reviews

gameplay11 positive mentions

graphics6 negative mentions

Meridian 59 is a groundbreaking MMORPG, recognized as one of the first 3D MMOs, with pioneering gameplay and deep player-driven PvP mechanics.
The game features a highly customizable skill-based character progression system without fixed classes, allowing players freedom in build and play style.
It boasts a strong, tight-knit, and helpful community that fosters meaningful social interactions, with active developers and admins running frequent events.

Outdated graphics, clunky UI, and old-school controls present a steep learning curve and accessibility challenges for new or younger players.
The official servers have very low population, making the multiplayer experience less viable and sometimes isolating; broader player bases exist on alternative community-run servers.
The game can be unforgiving and grindy, with harsh death penalties and lack of hand-holding which might deter casual or modern MMO players.

graphics
43 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
12%
74%
14%
The graphics of the game are widely described as outdated and retro, often seen as a barrier for new players accustomed to modern visuals. However, many reviewers emphasize that its charming old-school aesthetics and occasional updates cannot compete with the game's deep, addictive gameplay, strong community, and rich content, which ultimately define its appeal.
- “If you can look past the very old-school graphics and get your first character to the max, I promise the endgame PvP and PvE content will win you over.”
- “The graphics are between Doom 2 and Doom 64 and still hold up today.”
- “Also, the working-OGRE game client completely reworked the graphics engine and it's very impressive compared to what it was.”
- “Visually, this has some fairly mediocre and dated-looking graphics that will understandably be a turn off for a lot of gamers, and it's a big contributor to the failure of the game to attract gamers despite having no up-front cost.”
- “The graphics are crap and the interface is clunky by today's standards, but that is not what makes Meridian 59 special.”
- “The graphics are outdated.”
gameplay
38 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
63%
8%
The gameplay of Meridian 59 is praised for its deep, challenging, and unique mechanics, especially its balanced and creative PvP system that remains unmatched by many modern MMORPGs. Despite its dated graphics and vintage design, it offers a richly rewarding experience with strong community interaction, exploration, and old-school charm that appeals to those patient enough to embrace its retro style. Overall, players highlight that gameplay significantly outweighs visuals, providing enduring fun and a foundational MMORPG experience.
- “Be careful, awesome game, extremely addictive, proves that graphics can't beat gameplay.”
- “It's extremely charming, garish to the point of appealing, extremely satisfying to explore, and despite its age and retention of core gameplay ideas is actually still holding in-game events and adding new content including new areas, enemies, weapons, skills, et cetera.”
- “Easy to learn, deep mechanics with a steeper skill-cap than nearly anything out there; I'll never forget the great times in Meridian.”
- “So this game has plenty of challenge, but again the biggest challenge is finding someone to play with or equally tough is seeing past its dated graphics, mechanics and layout to find the nugget of old-school challenging gameplay.”
- “One that involves old school mechanics which are mostly outdated at this point.”
- “Meridian59 is way too primitive, bare-bones, and devoid of mechanical variety compared to other boomer MMOs like UO or Everquest Classic to be enjoyable.”
story
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
60%
20%
The story in this game emphasizes player discovery and exploration without handholding or quest markers, relying heavily on typed chat interactions with NPCs to progress. While quests mainly involve simple delivery tasks and lack a tracking system, the rich community, PvP, and group activities provide the primary engagement and narrative experience. Overall, the story unfolds through player-driven exploration and social interaction rather than traditional quest mechanics.
- “This game has a great story behind it, many things to explore and has a great community here.”
- “Played it then and still playing it having fun trying to remember all the quests and places.”
- “There are quests to complete and group events to participate in and guilds to join to make new friends and adventure with.”
- “There's no crafting, and questing is fairly useless, featuring almost only delivery quests that give you an NPC's name without their location.”
- “There's no quest tracker, the game will not hold your hand.”
- “Almost all NPC interaction is done through chat; things like walking up to an NPC with a quest and saying in chat 'quest'.”
music
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
28%
27%
The music in the game is widely praised for its nostalgic, old-school charm and catchy soundtrack that enhances the atmosphere and evokes a sense of fun. While some find it repetitive or occasionally mismatched with locations, many appreciate its retro style and emotional impact, often describing it as a standout feature that complements the gameplay and vintage aesthetics.
- “PvE seems pretty basic and the game is designed around PvP but I'm still having a blast exploring the map and jamming out to the fantastic music.”
- “One thing that stuck out to me, aside from being a charming first-person perspective of this universe and amazing music, was the leveling and magic system.”
- “For real though, after a while playing, this game made me feel like a kid again—not because it's silly or simplistic, but because the mix of great soundtrack, straightforward gameplay, vintage graphics, and passionate community blends beautifully, resulting in a culmination of fun and rewards.”
- “The music, as with all old games, is repetitive and kinda ... meh, but there are many customization options, like turning off the music/sound/etc.”
- “+ endearing soundtrack (though a little repetitive)”
- “Tldr; old school hardcore mmo, retro graphics/music, small dedicated player base.”
grinding
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game features extensive grinding, especially for maxing skills with low stats, appealing to players who enjoy repetitive combat and slow-paced progression. While the grinding can feel tedious and slow initially, many find it addictive and relaxing, supported by a helpful community. Overall, it offers a classic grindy MMORPG experience with rewarding PvP and skill development for dedicated players.
- “Some restrictions for "karma" apply (you can't fling good spells with one hand and evil with the other), and your stats limit how much you can learn, but every purchased skill can be maxed even by a character with only 1 point in the stat behind it (you'll be grinding a lot in that case though).”
- “Also, if you enjoy holding a single button to engage in combat for hours grinding, this is for you.”
- “While the game does require a lot of grinding, the grinding has a very zen quality to it and is more addictive and relaxing than mind-numbingly boring (the way some people feel about mining in Minecraft).”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game’s monetization is praised for its absence of microtransactions, in-game ads, and pay-to-win elements, providing a fair and enjoyable experience without intrusive cash shops.
- “I have played more MMOs than I want to admit, in a journey to find one I actually like (and doesn't have more microtransactions than there are people in Norway) and this one is definitely it.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's atmosphere is praised for being immersive and richly detailed, creating a captivating world despite some dated elements. The soundtrack is notably impressive, though occasionally mismatched with the setting. Overall, players recommend experiencing the game beyond its starting area to truly appreciate its unique historical charm.
- “Immersive and atmospheric, I love the world.”
- “Went into the game not expecting much and with the mindset that this would've been amazing for its time, and to my surprise, it's not bad. Sure, it's janky as you'd expect but not too bad. It's pretty atmospheric; the soundtrack is actually amazing, although the music isn't always appropriate for the location. The level of detail, for the time, is actually decent. I'd recommend playing it, even just for a little while (and leave the starting area) to experience this marvelous piece of history. Maybe grab some friends too if you can convince them to play this relic.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Character development in Meridian 59 is highly customizable, offering extensive player freedom that enhances gameplay depth beyond its graphical presentation.
- “Meridian 59 is one of the most customizable character development games out there and its playability far exceeds its graphics.”
- “Character development is very open.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game evokes strong nostalgic and joyful emotions through its blend of vintage graphics, great soundtrack, and passionate community, making players feel youthful and engaged. However, it also requires emotional resilience to handle a potentially hostile user base due to minimal moderation.
- “For real though, after a while that I've started playing, this game made me feel like a kid again... and not because it's silly, or simplistic (far from it), but because the mix of great soundtrack, straightforward gameplay, vintage graphics, and passionate community blends up beautifully, resulting in a culmination of... well, fun; and rewards...”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is noted as genuinely funny and adds to its enjoyable experience. Despite a smaller player base, the comedic elements stand out and contribute to the game's charm.
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game currently experiences some bugs affecting stability, but it shows promise for improvement in future updates.