Mods for games are almost essential to the video game ecosystem. They keep interesting older games alive much longer than they would otherwise, offer players more options in how they play, and encourage would-be game makers to become modders or even developers themselves. While some mods fix broken mechanics or add quality-of-life features, others add new quests and storylines, andsome mods even alter the genre of the game itself.
However, some mod projects are so ambitious that the end result may as well be its own standalone title. And many of them are. Players with access to certain games (i.e., they already own them) may be delighted to discover that their purchase actually got them a freebie just as good as the game they had set out to buy. The following are examples of games that explicitly used the engine or assets of the original and became their own (free-to-play) titles.
For anyElder Scrollsfans currently looking longing back atOblivion, wishing they could hit up a new game but experience it all afresh (without the encyclopedic knowledge of the Heartlands and its lore still somehow embossed into their brains), there’sNehrim: At Fate’s Edge.Rather than taking place in Tamriel or theElder Scrollsuniverse at all,Nehrimoffers a diverse world, a new story, and heaps of original lore to dig into.
While being of the same size as the Elder Scrolls 4,Nehrim’s world arguably rivalsthe fine work of Bethesda’s artistsas each part was hand-crafted by the modders, giving each place a more distinct feel. The mod also fixes, among other things, what was to many one of the most egregious aspects ofOblivion, the leveling system, instead taking cues fromGothic’s point-buy system.
Some very talented fans of the original seriesGothicseries put together what can scarcely be called a simple “mod” by the name ofChronicles of Myrtana. It’s basically an expansion onGothic 2that gives players access to Archolos, a place mentioned multiple times in the lore but never explored in the games.
For many older gamers, theGothicseries isan easy shortcut to get to Nostalgia Avenue, andChronicles of Myrtanadoesn’t just imitate the beloved eponymous setting and classic RPG feel but absolutely nails them both. Lateral thinking is rewarded during quests. The world is open-ended and feels like it works independently of the player. Additionally, the voice acting was performed by pros, which helps maintain that all-important immersion.
DOTA(Defense of the Ancients) began life as aWarcraft 3mod (inspired by aStarCraftgame mode called “Aeon of Strife,” in which players took control of a single unit rather than groups), taking the community by storm upon release. Valve, known for building on existing games (Team Fortresshas its roots inQuake, and their famous Source engine was heavily based onQuake’s engine), took immediate notice of the crowd draw Kyle Sommer, the mod creator, was pulling with his mod.
DOTArewarded players with high levels of skill and a working knowledge of its deeply refined systemsand basically created a whole game genre overnight. It is still available to play today, although its player base is obviously much smaller than that in the sequel game.
The only problem with theS.T.A.L.K.E.R.games (besides having to type the period after each letter on a keyboard) is that it never feels like there’s never enoughS.T.A.L.K.E.R.to go around. Thankfully, some passionate modders out there feel the same way. While a few total conversion standalone mods for the games exist,Anomalyis one of the standout overhauls. Four chapters of a whole new original story and a sandbox more are more than enough to keep fans engaged.
There’s also a warfare mode that sees the various factions of the Zone fight for supremacy in real-time across the mop. As a word of warning,Anomalyis for those who like to play on Stalker’s “misery” difficulty, so basically, those who thrive off ofbrutal, hardcore challenges in their FPS experiences. One cool feature is the in-game PDA, which will help players navigate the map with complete immersion.
For a game that is 20+ years old,Freelancersure has a dedicated fan base. TakeCrossfire, essentially a fan-made sequel (or, more accurately, sequel / DLC) to the original open-ended system-hopper from 2003, which was released in late 2015. TheCrossfirecampaign can be started without playing the vanilla game, but with the tougher combatants and vast distances between over 160 new planets and stations, it might be good to get a few ship upgrades first.
The mod team behindCrossfirepainstakingly created gorgeous music, ships, and (destructible!) environments for players to explore, not only reminiscent of the base game but a perfect complement to it. As a plus (or perhaps a downside), while even the most die-hardFreelancerfans might have complained about Freelancer’s overly easy dogfights,Crossfireprovidesexceptionally challenging ship-to-ship fights, with fights being a slugfest for the ill-prepared.
Enderal: The Shards ofOrder (and more recently with the expansion,Forgotten Stories) completely converts the snow-dusted landscape ofSkyriminto a tropical open-world masterwork, complete with its own stories, difficulty scales, mechanics, music, and much, much more. There areplenty of examples of games built inSkyrimthat should become their own game(one outstanding mod,The Forgotten City, did eventually become its own game), but none come close to this mod.
Anyone with a copy ofSkyrim(both Legendary and Special Edition) can download and playEnderalfor free and experience the moody and compelling world filled with top-notch voice acting, hand-crafted environments (ruins, jungles, towns), and mad lore that could give evenThe Elder Scrollswriters a run for their septims.
