This game isn't an MMO, period. It is seriously a multiplayer RPG, in the exact same sense as Diablo 1 or 2, especially since some of the team that made D2 made HGL. It incorporates alot of the slaughter-a-billion-critters-or-get-overwhelmed sense in D2 but from a 3rd-persion or 1st person view. Combat gets somewhat repetitive since you just click and hold and walk around ni circles to kill everything, but it's also a lot of fun to see a big ass demon burst into flames and asplode. The maps are randomly generated like in Diablo but they all look the same tbqh. There's a demo you can try but it doesn't really show you anything about the actual game. Also, the armour looks totally bad ass in this game (higher level anyway)

It seems to me Guild Wars *might* fit the bill. Basically its a linear RPG with some MMO aspects (think D2 with better graphics, less hack'n'slash). Its a fun game that doesnt' really need 100000 hours of gameplay. Level cap is 20 but you get a shit ton of exp from quests. All the quests are also instanced zones outside towns. you grab a group and quests in a town and then head outside with your group and kick ass. PVP is pretty good IMO but its max 8v8 I believe. Decent graphics, they get better with each new expansion (lol) and there's no monthly fee.

I see what you mean now, well I can't think of anything off the top of my head but if you find something lemme know, I'm interested in what you can find

you mean like a seafaring MMO? there's Pirates of the Burning Sea but I never really got into that so i dunno how much roaming you get to do in the ocean =/

Probably because it would be god damn rediculous to make artwork and terrain for an entire planet. However devs could easily take the half-assed road and make it so if you reach one edge of the map, you just appear at the opposite end, but I don't know any games that do this =/

try Hellgate: London or DDO, although HG:L is more of an online RPG than an MMO really... fun though

If you've got like 10 dollars lying around you could always play good ol' Diablo 2, but its an online RPG (made by the same ppl as HG:L)

They're all slain by the death wail of a pre-CU SWG vet