10 Must-Read Virtual Reality MMORPG Manhwa For Fans Of Sword ...

When it comes to Virtual Reality Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games (or VR MMORPG) manga and anime, one of the most popular and well-known is Sword Art Online (SAO). This manga follows Kirito's story and many other players who must reach the top of the tower and defeat the final boss to escape from the deadly game.

Sword Art Online is a VR MMORPG that contains elements of action, comedy, romance, science fiction and fantasy. It even features dungeons, overly powered heroes, and high-stakes elements. In manhwa, similar yet different from manga, several amazing VR MMORPG comics are a must-read for Sword Art Online fans.

Updated on April 25, 2025, by Robbie Robinson: SAO has done wonders for the isekai genre and the MMORPG genre of anime. While tons of manga and anime are out there to keep SAO fans hooked, sometimes manhwa can offer new tropes and ideas to the genre. Luckily, there is no shortage of awesome VRMMORPG manhwa that will remind fans of Sword Art Online. This list is updated to include five more of the best VRMMORPG manhwa like SAO and to reflect CBR's current publication standards.

15 +99 Reinforced Wooden Stick Proves That the Right Build Can Make Any Piece of Gear Strong

Created by Hongsil and Jipery

Image via Webtoon

It's impossible to play any MMORPG without hearing about meta and builds, which then leads to subsequent gloating and complaints from other players when anyone isn't in compliance. +99 Reinforced Wooden Stick feels like a love letter to every single gamer who has ever "made it work" with crummy loot and eye-brow-raising builds. Kirito in SAO is known for making things work, and so is Ji-u from +99 Reinforced Wooden Stick. As the title implies, readers can guess what weapon Ji-u uses to dominate his enemies.

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After being mocked for his use of terrible gear, Ji-u decides to dish out the ultimate punishment with his max-level stick. The wooden stick is frighteningly powerful, and, finally, Ji-u puts the haters to shame. +99 Reinforced Wooden Stick is a comedy manhwa that is light but highly enjoyable. Ji-u portrays the fun that players have in video games and that every underdog deserves a rise to fame.

14 The Story of Return of the SSS Ranker Eventually Comes Together Masterfully

Created by Hojun, Gald and Rooty House

Image via Hojun, Gald, Rooty House

Return of the SSS Ranker features a hot-headed main character who often resorts to violence and knows his place in the world too well. Rokan is a dominant player in his game, but an unexpected death sends him back to the beginning. Rokan regresses to years earlier before deciding it's time to get some revenge and reclaim his place as the best player. Rokan may have a short fuse, but this series has enough humor to keep him from being too much.

On a surface level, Return of the SSS Ranker doesn't seem to stand out too much from other VRMMORPG manhwa. There's an overpowered main character, leveling systems and betrayals. However, readers who stick with the manhwa will find themselves pleasantly surprised. Very subtly, the author begins weaving an epic tale that comes together with an incredible plot twist. Return of the SSS Ranker requires some patience, but it's worth it. Still, even before the epic twist, the manhwa is mindlessly entertaining.

13 Arcana Fantasy Has Its Characters Trapped Inside a Game

Created by Yoohee and poem

Image via Lezhin

Sword Art Online wouldn't be the same without the unsettling experience of its characters permanently trapped inside a game. While it might sound exciting at first, the actual fear of death becomes a real problem. Arcana Fantasy also uses the premise of its characters getting stuck inside the titular game. However, in this case, it's a mobile game that sucks its users in for good. With countless victims, it's up to Yoon to beat the game and free everyone.

Yoon is the Kirito of this manhwa. Born to game and overpowered in nature, Yoon is the only one capable of making it through the difficult trials and tribulations of Arcana Fantasy. Arcana Fantasy also wastes no time in throwing readers into the gritty world. The action starts as soon as the story does, offering a gripping gateway into this isekai game world.

12 Ultra-Alternate Character Is a Fast-Paced Manhwa Jam-Packed With Action

Created by JIXKSEE

Image via Webtoon

Despite the importance of a healer/support role in any game, healers usually get the short end of the stick in comparison to other roles. Ultra-Alternate Character does just that with its protagonist, Oreum Lee. Oreum is a healer for his team, but his lack of skills in the role subjects him to merciless bullying, which he isn't even safe from in real life. However, Oreum's teammates don't know he has a god-tier second account with an entirely different class.

Ultra-Alter is one of the greatest manhwa recommendations when it comes to the best fight scenes. It's entirely action-packed, and the art style does wonders for the scenes. Ultra-Alter is also a perfect read for any MMORPG nerd because of the detailed and creative classes that truly make the world come to life. And then there's Oreum. Oreum isn't just a standard OP character who brushes aside his traumatic experiences—he feels like a realistic high school boy who struggles with trust and feelings of inadequacy.

11 Hardcore Leveling Warrior Is One of the Best VRMMO Manhwa

Created by Sehoon Kim

Available to read on Webtoon, Hardcore Leveling Warrior has quickly risen through the ranks as a must-read virtual reality MMORPG manhwa. Flashy designs and excellent bursts of color are only the tip of the iceberg. This manhwa has excellent pacing and, better yet, amazing characters. Generic MMORPG manhwa typically forgo character development to emphasize fight scenes and cluttered worlds, but HCLW gives plenty of character growth while also providing those beloved fights and an immersive world.

The Hardcore Leveling Warrior himself is named Ethan Gong, or Gong Wonho. Having a rough start to life, Ethan submerges himself into video gaming. However, a fall from grace sees him going from being the top-ranked player to the bottom. Readers witness Ethan's climb to the top once again as he encounters enemies, friends and growing obstacles. Hardcore Leveling Warrior is a must-read Webtoon for anyone seeking a thrilling adventure.

10 The Legendary Moonlight Sculptor Gives a Unique Skill To Its MC

Created by Nam Heesung

Image via Nam Heesung

The Legendary Moonlight Sculptor is an adventure, fantasy, and action manhwa with a unique focus on the creative arts. Hyun Lee has dropped out of high school and struggles to help his family as much as possible, but it's never enough. However, while his status in real life isn't grand, his VR character, Weed, has become an infamous player in the world of the Continent of Magic. As Lee says goodbye to that game and enters into the MMORPG, Royal Road, he leans into his artistic side.

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With the help of the NPCs, Hyun Lee focuses on his craft and levels up his skills in order to save his family from poverty. This familiar yet epic premise makes it a great segue into manhwa. Something that will always make an isekai or MMORPG story more exciting is when the main character is more than just an over-powered fighter. Lee might be an exceptional fighter, but it's his art skills that shine the most. Sadly, The Legendary Moonlight Sculptor is a manhwa that has been discontinued. On the bright side, the light novels that the manhwa are based off of are just as great, if not better, than the manhwa adaptation.

9 Overgeared Is a Fantasy Manhwa About a Blacksmith

Created by Saenal Park and Team Argo

Image via Tapas

From the creators Team Argo and Saenal Park, Overgeared is an epic action and adventure MMORPG manhwa. Shin Youngwoo, or Grid as he’s known, is pretty unlucky and a very low-level player in a popular game called Satisfy—that is, until Shin finds an object known as Pagma’s Successor. As a skilled blacksmith, Shin can craft legendary weapons. He uses his abilities to gain fame and to grow richer. However, his existence, and that of Pagma’s Successor, causes a rift in the game and many want Shin gone.

Overgeared is a great example of a VRMMORPG manhwa that has similar vibes to the successful Sword Art Online. The pacing of this manhwa is a bit on the slower side as it starts out, but readers can still expect great fight scenes and a solid VR plot. It's also an excellent read for any fan of the blacksmith trade. The mingling of the skill with items found is done well and should please even those who have spent hours smithing in Skyrim.

8 The Gourmet Gamer Is an Enchanting Cooking Story

Created by In Key-Young and Studio Weiib

Image via Tappytoon

The Gourmet Gamer is a fantasy and comedy manhwa filled with food. As anime titles like Delicious In Dungeon bring more fans to the cooking side of the fantasy genre, there are actually tons of exceptional manhwa that follow similar beats, such as The Gourmet Gamer. Full of mouth-watering panels and deep moments about loss, this manhwa is the perfect read for a quiet, peaceful night.

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Yi Rim’s life revolved around food - as a chef, it was everything—so, when he lost his ability to smell and taste, his life as a chef was over. When Yi Rim discovers a game called Real, he recovers some of his taste and smell. What’s more, in this game, he can cook. Soon, Yi Rim begins a whole new life as Rice, an in-game chef and monster hunter. Rice learns to recover his passion and love for life in an incredible manner.

7 The Ranker’s Return Remake Puts Some More Pep In the Story

Created by Bi-ram Yeong, Sanchaek Lee and Junho Park

Image via Bi-ram Yeoung, Sanchaek Lee and Junho Park

Ranker’s Return (2021) is a fantasy and action VR manhwa that retells the story of the Ranker's Return light novels and original longstrip adaptation. While many readers found the original manhwa to be somewhat lackluster, the series ended up being dropped. Thus, the Ranker's Return remake has revitalized the story with better character expressions, cleaner fights and a faster dive into the plot. That being said, this manhwa is great for both new and old fans alike.

When the incredible VR game Arena was released, MeleeGod was the strongest ranked player up until he deleted his account and left the game. Several years later, after his military conscription, MeleeGod rejoins the world of Arena once more. Hoping he'll be able to save his bankrupt family after they're stabbed in the back by people they trusted, MeleeGod aims to become the god he once was.

6 I’m Destined For Greatness Is a Great Manhwa For Bingeing

Created by Geulsseuneungigye and Youn-Kyo Seo

Image via Geulsseuneungigye and Youn-Kyo Seo

I’m Destined For Greatness is a fantasy, comedy, and action manhwa where readers have a love-hate relationship with the main character. Taehyun Kim has an ordinary and relatively boring life in the real world. However, in-game, he thrives on challenges. The result is essentially a sort of twist on the overpowered isekai protagonist trope. This leads Taehyun Kim to choose the hardest role of blacksmith, although he’d prefer to be unemployed.

So, the game manhwa sees Taehyun Kim begin his journey of becoming the best player in the game, although he becomes something quite unexpected—the God of Luck. Taehyun's personality isn't for everyone as he relies on scamming his way through things, but there's plenty of humor to make up for it. I'm Destined For Greatness is a manhwa that shouldn't be taken too seriously. It's enjoyable enough for a good binge session and will satisfy fans of more off-kilter fantasy stories.