Many MMORPGs, such as World of Warcraft, EVE Online and The Elder Scrolls Online, have a strong player base, even decades after their release. RuneScape, however, has stood the test of time, despite the minuscule dev team behind it. RuneScape turns 20 years old this year, and it doesn't appear to be going anywhere.
The most recent available entry, also called RuneScape 3, is the RuneScape series's third installment. The game was designed by Andrew, Ian, and Paul Gower, who started Jagex Game Studios. Despite most of the brothers leaving, Jagex has continually been running and updating the game and its servers. At first glance, the graphics certainly haven’t aged well compared to modern titles. But let’s remember that this came out all the way back in 2001, and there’s only so much you can do with updates. Despite this lack of style, it more than makes up for in substance. There are 277 quests for players to complete, and virtually all of them have been expertly crafted to make for engaging stories and adventures to enjoy. Even some of these more iconic or important quests are fully voice acted.
Taking place in the world of Gielinor, a medieval fantasy realm divided into different kingdoms, regions, and cities that players can travel through by walking, using certain spells or chartering ships. The combat is point-and-click rather than keyboard-oriented and divided into three categories meant to balance the game: melee, magic and ranged. This system acts similar to a game of rock-paper-scissors in which each has a clear advantage over one while being disadvantaged against the other.
Over the course of 2020, the game saw its largest spike of active players in years. This is not only due to the lockdowns in the wake of COVID-19, but that the game was recently added to Steam back in October. While it’s unknown whether or not a console edition will ever release, Jagex has stated that it aims to have the entire game available across all platforms. In addition, the game is free to play for anyone interested in trying it out. For those who get hooked and want more, there’s a monthly subscription of $11. Compared to most MMOs charging $15 monthly, this is a much cheaper alternative.
The game also features a mode designed to give players the ultimate challenge called Ironman Mode. This mode prevents players from trading with others either directly or through the Grand Exchange, meaning that they must collect their own resources, manufacture all their equipment. Despite this added difficulty, the mode makes quest rewards much more worthwhile.
One of the things that makes RuneScape so unique is that players can play the game without ever getting into combat to level up and acquire loot. Players can engage in activities such as chopping down trees, farming, fishing, mining and more. These goods can be manufactured into specialized items, and they can then be sold to other players thanks to the Grand Exchange, a trading market that simplifies trading between players. These opportunities give players such freedom to role-play how they want, which is not common with most other MMOs. And for players who may find it all a bit overwhelming, an in-game button lets players quickly access the RuneScape Wiki, which contains information on virtually everything in the game.
One of the biggest complaints for gamers is that the early, middle and endgame experiences can be too much of a grind or not properly paced. Much of Runescape's experiences throughout your experiences are very similar; the main difference is the complexity of what you’re doing. In other words, you don’t have to grind and push yourself until you reach the worthwhile parts because the game is worthwhile through.
It’s unknown if a new RuneScape game will ever be released in the future, but it is very likely that this current title will remain a longtime titan among MMORPG games for years to come.