RuneScape: Best MMORPG Around
Now before you say that you already knew that, hold up. Yes, if you’re reading this it’s very likely that you are already hooked on RuneScape. But sometimes our own passions might get in the way when assessing a situation – after all, love is blind. That’s why we decided to take a closer look at the reasons why RuneScape and especially Old School RuneScape have stood the test of time, when so many had never even rose close to RuneScape when it was at its worst before they vanished into oblivion. Not to speak of RuneScape being around for ripe 17 years! In this blog post we’re going to cover a few pillar aspects of the game, which got us all addicted.
Originality
RuneScape was launched in January the 4th, 2001. Back in the day there already were some established titles of the MMORPG genre, but there weren’t so many games as there are today. Because of that, hearing about new game was really exciting. And those games usually were. The thing is, the small number of big MMORPG was somewhat bad, since your choices were limited, but on the other hand every game was unique. And, of course, RuneScape was no exception. Yes, it had and has that classic “do a quest, save the day, become a hero” trope which is an inseparable element of any role-playing game, it was original nevertheless. You can feel that you’re in a fantasy world with its own
mythology and its own laws of physics (when we’re talking about game mechanics). Of course it didn’t have the best graphics because of technology back in the day and the fact that it was an online game. But there was also no set path to walk. The problem with new MMORPG’s is that often they’re just slightly altered versions of one another. And if a new game with a new kind of mechanic launches (like action combat, for example), you can see a bunch of other new games sprout like weeds which can sometimes appear like plain differently titled copies. Back in the day there was no such thing. That, combined with easy access to the game is what made RuneScape such a huge hit.
Accessibility
No matter how good a game is, there’s no denying the fact that accessibility plays a huge role. RuneScape did well in this area as well: it can be played on any computer (and since the release of OSRS Mobile it can be played basically anywhere) and it also has a free-to-play option. These two factors worked shoulder to shoulder to muster up one of the biggest player bases. Free-to-play option especially. First, it’s always good to test the waters before diving in deeper. Many people are reluctant to try out a new game just because they’ll feel like they’ve wasted money if they didn’t like it in the end. Second, RuneScape’s free-to-play version is a head taller than probably any other version of f2p. Usually, when playing a game as f2p you’re basically playing a demo version of it. And most these demo versions end so quickly, you don’t even feel like you’ve played at all. Or in some cases leveling cap is so low you also don’t get the feel of the game. RuneScape, however, does not limit you to how much time you can spend playing it, be it couple of weeks, months or years. You are limited in your choices, yes, but you the level cap seems to be fair and there’s no time limit. None. Especially good for those underaged peeps whose parents don’t appreciate the benefits of video games. These are the reasons why you shouldn’t assume that no one but bots are online in f2p worlds. In addition to that, once you choose to pay, there’s also no combination of “buy game + 1 month of game time”, which sometimes can also deter people from taking up the game, since this is usually costly and risky commitment if a game fails to entertain you. You buy membership one month, you don’t another. That simple.
Progression system
Progression system is also one of the things that should be appreciated, especially with so many other MMORPG’s around here. In RuneScape you are your own boss. Chop wood for three hours! Fish or cook for another three! Or stay in the Grand Exchange and sell your jokes for 1m RuneScape gold! Well, the last one will not get you far in terms of XP, but hey, that dent in your armor won’t fix itself and certainly not for free. You can mix questing with various money making methods, to PKing in the Wilderness then laying low for a while fletching some more arrows that you’ll shoot into mages’ knees on your next PKing rampage. Or kill bosses with your friends in a raid, then all of you get in an argument and instead of saying something you might regret later, have a chill farming session to cool off, maybe you’ll obtain a master farmer’s outfit while doing that too. Want a loyal pet to follow you? No problem! In other words, RuneScape does not force you into this epic narrative where you must do this, then that, step by step, to dethrone an evil demigod god-king lord of destruction with the power level of over 9000. You do your thing, you do quests and the story will unfold itself without forcing itself unto you or streamlining you into a certain pattern or patterns of leveling. Anything you choose to do is a good option.
These are the reasons why we think RuneScape has been around for so long and will probably be. RuneScape remains true to the MMORPG genre, where it is YOU who chooses your role in the world of Gielinor, it is YOU who decides what and when to do. And this feeling of freedom is what keeps us all interested in the game.
