RuneScape is one of the longest running MMORPGs on the market. The game developed by Jagex has a long history, unique content and is one of the most unique MMOs you can play today.
After a break of more than 5 years after obtaining the Max Cape in RuneScape, I thought it was a good time to take a look at Gielinor again. I continue my adventure with a fairly new account. One with lower levels than my then 'Maxed' avatar to find out how the leveling process has changed and how the 20 year old game handles 20 years of content. How does it feel to switch between a 2003 Quest and a 2018 or 2021 Boss or Dungeon in seconds?
A lot has changed in the past 5 to 6 years. If you've been away from the game for any longer, there's a good chance that you won't even recognize many of them anymore. Jagex is constantly updating the game. New content is added. Old content is being removed, such as the Duel Arena in Al Kharid recently. The Duel Arena has been blurred with new content, which is more appropriate for this time and continues one of the current major storylines in the game. Not only in this way does Jagex ensure that the game remains fresh, but also current skills receive new methods of training where necessary, or a complete rework, such as the Mining & Smithing rework. Other skills get more levels, for example Herblore, Farming and Slayer now also go to level 120. In levels 99 to 120, new things are added to encourage players to continue training the skill even after level 99. Since my last time, two completely new skills have also been added; Invention and Archaeology.
Just as quickly. What is Runescape?
I have to admit that the first week I had a bit of trouble finding my way around RuneScape. Everything looks different, there are so many new things. Where the hell do I start? And then I realized it doesn't really matter at all. It's Runescape. Do whatever you want. And what you don't want to do, you don't do. It's that simple (in most cases). It's one of the most diverse MMMOs, as it's not all about picking a class, leveling up to the highest level, and then joining the latest raids and PVP modes. In RuneScape, the route to the end-game is as much fun as the end-game itself. And both parts of the game are so huge that after literally months and years of playing you still haven't seen everything.
Play how you want!
Besides the fact that fighting takes up a large part of the game, you can play almost the entire game without hurting a fly. There are therefore more than enough players who walk this path. Skills training in RuneScape is separate from fighting weak and strong monsters and is a completely unique activity with unique pursuits in its own right. For example, you can go fishing, chopping wood, blacksmithing, cooking, making magic bricks, build your own house, maintain your own farm, do excavations, hunt animals and much, much more. Many of these skills complement each other. This is how you gain raw materials to forge by mining. By chopping wood you can make arches from logs and so on. There is something for everyone in this MMORPG. Due to the extensive economy and the way objects are used, there is always a demand for literally every object in the game. You don't do anything for nothing.
If fighting and skill training aren't enough activities to do, there are also dozens of storylines that span single or consecutive parts in over 232 quests. One of the major current storylines in the game is about the Elder Gods. There is a chronological order that you must follow. There are minor exceptions, but in general you follow a story through a series of sequential quests with subsequent events.
The Journey
In RuneScape, the journey to endgame is just as important as endgame itself. The journey to endgame is therefore not a week or a month long. It takes months, if not years, to really reach the endgame of RuneScape. But do not be sad. Although you would demotivate this with many other MMORPGs, this is different for the MMORPG from Jagex. The endgame is only a small part of the game that consists of the most difficult quests and a number of very strong monsters that you have to defeat alone or in a group. Already at the lowest levels you start with quest stories that only finish in the endgame. And those first quests are just as important, fun and challenging.
Still, the journey to endgame today is shorter than ever before. This gives the modern version of the game the name 'EasyScape' by the Old School players. Training levels to 99 can be done much faster. And that's actually a good thing. Due to the tempo there is on every playlevel, the group of players with high levels is the largest and Jagex can pay the most attention to that. This keeps the game fun for the longest time due to the many new challenges that are released for mid to high-level players.
A new player already has a long way to go. Releasing a lot of content at this low level will only make this road longer, while the mid to high level players probably won't play this low level content unless it's required for a high-level unlock. By getting low players up to level faster, it will eventually become more fun for everyone because of the focus that Jagex can put on high-level content. And I have really noticed that since my return after 5 years. RuneScape 3 is arguably in the best position since 2012.
If you want to play RuneScape, you might as well get some OSRS Gold from RSorder so you can play better.
