EverQuest II

It's still fun all these years on. The only difference being now my machine can finally run it on full graphics which is amazing really how far ahead of its time it really was.

For the free2play section there's one server which is always medium/full so its fairly active. Most of the playerbase is now at cap but you can hire mercs so you can solo/duo a lot of the dungeons (haven't found one i can't yet). I have a feeling the mercs are way overpowered to compensate for solo play to be honest.

If you pay to sub, there are always fresh start servers or classic servers launching where the world is in various states, those are always popular for a time and a lot better to group up when levelling.

For me though i am happy mostly soloing the free2play. Doing old dungeons, getting stuff for my house to decorate and having ridiculous adventures with BigDave (my Ogre) who apparently spends the majority of his time just collecting butterflies for his collection rather than smashing skulls which was the original idea.

It really is worth a shot, I mean it's mostly free what's to lose? Microtransactions are in but its mostly level skips and cosmetic stuff so it doesnt feel horrendous, it's just there to either use or ignore.

I will always come back to this game at various times of the year until it finally gets shutdown. It's a good comfort game, give it a shot!

It is my second favorite MMORPG of all times following Star Wars: Galaxies from the same original publisher. This game was never as popular as World of Warcraft, but it was better from the very beginning.

So have played this game off and on since its release.
It really depends on what you are looking for on if I would recommend this game to others.
For me, I really enjoy all of the different quests that I can work on as I level up(solo with a mercenary).
I also enjoy relaxingly harvesting materials and coming back to make a few spell upgrades, or some furniture for my house!
End game/group or raid play: I have no idea! If your into this you will need to read other reviews for the game. I grouped a lot wayyy back in the day, but havnt done any meaniful grouping outside of public quests in a long time(or when I catch an old buddy on we will do some duoing).
Solo Play: I thoroughly enjoy going back to old dungeons or zones I havn't played in years and working through them for fun. I have been able to solo most characters I have picked up playing with a mercenary. The only class I have gone pure crafting and abadoned soloing had been my old defiler. Fun class but the soloing speed is so darn slow I find it laborous.
I also have no idea on player population on Maj'Dul server(all my original toons are on this server, so always play here) but when I ask a question in general chat on game changes or advice I always get a meaningful response and everyone seems nice, which is refreshing!
If your looking for something to fiddle with that is deep with quests and character development, you may enjoy older EQ2, I have been :)

In its hayday, EQ2 was a great game, and amazingly, still is. I found it to be a great way to socialize with people who had similar interests and enjoyed gaming as much if not more than I did. Be careful, though! It might just take over your life and ruin your marriage and some of your friendships as well. That said, with moderation, it is a great way to spend time with like-minded people and have fun doing things you like to do.

As long as you don't subscribe to their -- now -- VERY predatory monetization and get put-off by the -- now -- PTW aspects, there's A LOT to enjoy here... if you just relax and play it at your own terms.

I always loved EQ2, but dropped out of it after awhile. Now with the Origins server, I am enjoying it the same way I did when I was younger. I missed those days all the time, and now I feel like I have it back, in full. It's awesome.

It's an old favorite... Play it. It's great. You don't even have to grind fast the way most people do.
Just play the game. Listen to the dialogue. Have an adventure.