Legends of Aria is a free-to-play sandbox MMORPG for PC (Windows) by
Citadel Studios offering a vast, living, persistent open world shaped by its player community. The game was previously known as Shards Online, and draws inspiration from 1997 MMORPG Ultima Online (which is still up and running). Progress your own way and perfect your own class along the way, master the magical art of music, tame mighty beasts to follow your every command, ascend the ranks of a powerful guild, build an economic empire, or put it all on the line and choose the path of the petty thief or the hunted murderer.
Alternative, community run, hosted and modified server versions of the game exist, so if you find this base version too unforgiving, you may want to try Shards of Britannia, which may even be a little more F2P-friendly.

Game Features

▶ Explore a world without limitation: Welcome to Celador, a rich fantasy world filled with expansive deserts, deep forests, rolling fields, ancient ruins, and dangers around every corner. Build, explore, and adventure with your fellow players in a world defined by you. Join forces with a friendly guild, swear allegiance to your town’s militia, or set out on your own personal quest for glory.

▶ Build your character through play: Legends of Aria returns to a true skill-based system so you can build your character your way. There are no levels to grind through – hone your abilities by practicing your choice of over 30 unique skills across more than a dozen disciplines to establish your own place in the world of Celador. In Legends of Aria, you have the freedom to experience the world on your own terms. Live the life of a humble merchant, a role-playing nobleman, a feared conqueror – the possibilities are endless.

▶ Great rewards involve Great risks: Put your skills to the test against ancient gods, great dragons, roaming enemies – and your fellow players. Legends of Aria is a game where players create the content, whether that content starts out as a violent vendetta against an enemy guild or an arduous trek through the perilous wilderness.

▶ A world of laws, and lawbreakers: Legends of Aria features a dynamic Skill Loss System in dealing out capital punishments to those who have fallen foul of the law and rewards those who bring them to justice.

▶ Amass a great fortune on your own terms: Set out on adventures that can put money in your pocket, powerful gear on your back, and rare items that change each season in your inventory. Untold treasures can be found buried deep in treacherous dungeons, guarded by ancient lords in the wild, or in the backpacks of wayward travelers who are trying to safely haul their riches home.

▶ Carve out your place in the world: Citizens of Celador can claim a plot, expand their land, build a home, or run a shop to profit off items they’ve crafted or found during their travels. Use loot found throughout the world in unique ways or craft specialty items to customize your house to stand apart from your neighbors. Becoming a Citizen is as simple as being an active subscriber, purchasing a Starter Pack on our website, or purchasing the Citizen’s Pass DLC here on Steam.

Free-to-Play Model

Legends of Aria is free for the vast majority of its content and has an optional monthly subscription giving extra gameplay options, mostly of cosmetic nature. As an F2P player, you will be allowed ONE house plot (compared to one extra plot per server if you’re subscribed, and to none in the F2P version of UO), ONE character slot (compared to one extra slot per server), Property tax payment (compared to full tax exemption), NO Daily Power Hour Effect (extra skill point during an hour per day), NO Exclusive Premium Rewards (such as mounts, cloaks, spellbooks) and NO Weekly Store Gems (for extra cosmetic options). See fully detailed subscription benefits here: https://www.legendsofaria.com/premium-subscription/