Rift vs Stonehearth
Rift
Rift is one of the world's top 10 most popular MMORPGs even until today. In fact, many would agree that this game can be considered a classic, which will put it on the same level as epic MMORPGs like World of Warcraft, Guild Wars 2, and Runescape.In this game, you'll need to choose a side – either the Guardians or the Defiant – before venturing into the rift-torn world of Telara. The character customization in this game is absolutely brilliant mainly because you can literally mix and match Callings (a.k.a. classes) and the large number of souls (talent trees) to create the perfect “3-soul talent tree” to fit your own play style. Of course, aside from the usual raiding and PvPing, the game even has exciting world- and zone-based Rift events that involve players from the level cap to the newbies, as well as the incredibly fun, sandbox feature - Dimension Building. You'll be truly amazed at the various creative worlds that Rift players have built over the years.
Surprisingly, there isn't as many immersive MMORPGs anymore at this day and age, and at times, we're thankful that games like Rift still exists and is still going strong. If you pride yourself in being a hardcore MMO gamer, then this is definitely one game you mustn't miss out.
Stonehearth
Stonehearth is the game you'll want to play if you enjoy playing Minecraft because you can build your very own city. Although the game is basically a sandbox game like Minecraft, it has a building aspect that's much more similar to Craft the World... except that in Stonehearth, everything's in glorious 3D. In this game, you play as the leader of a small handful of adorable-looking pioneers who are looking for a new place to settle down. There isn't a lot of digging involved in Stonehearth though you still need to get your pioneers to collect resources from the environment or to plant and harvest their own.Like in Craft the World, you'll need to provide shelter for your people and equip them with the necessary equipment so they can fend off attacks during the night. However, when it comes to crafting, Stonehearth has a much more diverse and in-depth crafting system. The building system in this game is also pretty unique though it can be rather restrictive when compared to Minecraft since the most "building" you'll be doing is mainly houses for your villagers. Of course, let's not forget about the game's much better-looking graphics!
In some way, Stonehearth is more of a survival/town-building game than a pure sandbox game like Minecraft. However, it is perfect for players who enjoy having an entire town of minions to order around, and the satisfaction of leading and developing a tribe. For a price tag of $24.99 (on Steam), Stonehearth can be a bit on the costly side, but if this is the sort of game you're into, the game will always be worth the price. You can show your support to the indie developers behind this game as well... so there's that!