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“Ugh,” you mutter to yourself as you repeatedly click again and again, just to progress another 100 experience points. The clock ticks on, minutes pass, and... Ah! Finally, you’ve reached your 1,000 point goal. It’s a shame that there are still another 5,000 to go before the next skill level!
That basically sums up the Runescape experience. But for some bizarre reason, I feel like I should elaborate on the game a little more fairly. Runescape was one of the first browser-based MMORPGs, and it really shows. This game was originally formed as an entity known as DeviousMUD in 1998 by UK software company Jagex. Runescape brags the ability of being able to run on low-end machines, but unfortunately, this comes at a price to those of us who are used to seeing much higher-quality graphics. Compared to recently-produced video games, Runescape's visuals are incredibly dated. And the graphics aren't the only low-quality aspect of the game; the sound effects are much like something you would hear in an 80's arcade machine. The clang of your scimitar hitting a guard’s shield or the sizzle of melting ore in the furnace could really use some work. I was expecting something with a little more ‘KA-BLAM!’ to it than a simple 'ting’ during combat. I’ve been playing Runescape for approximently 700 hours, for the last 2 years, so that I can have the opportunity to write a decent review for it. Though, as a an F2P (Free to Play) member, I have lost out on a lot of the content which is available to members only. To become a P2P (Pay to Play) member, you would pay roughly $5 a month. This gives you access to the other 70% of the game which has many more unique features and items to collect. P2P also offers over 60 different quests, while F2P only gives you 18.  Though, I'm not entirely convinced that my $5 would even prove to be worthwhile; it's just too simple. It functions as a point-and-click MMORPG, meaning if you click on a location, your character will go to that spot. In fact, the whole game is played with just your mouse.
The goal, so to speak, of Runescape is to complete the quests that are scattered at random points throughout the world. However, Many players aim to max out their skill levels and rake in as much gold as they can to replace said quests, and therefore, have an alternative goal for the game. That's one of the best aspects in Runescape - you can have your own individual goal, and you don't have to follow the almost non-existent storyline.
To help you through the game, you are provided with a handful of non-combat skills. A couple of these include smithing, which is used to smelt ore into bars that can be hammered into armoury or weapons. Cooking helps you prepare foods that can be used to replenish your health. You can also mine from numerous rocks to obtain various ore.
Additionally, a number of fighting skills are used to determine your character’s general combat level. Beyond your standard attack, defence, and magic stats, there are other abilities like prayer, which can defend you in combat or allow you to hit your opponent with up to 15% more damage, among other things. Range also defines your skill with a crossbow or longbow, which can come in handy in certain situations. The economy of Runescape is a fragile one – the latest update could make prices of some items skyrocket while others plummet. The P2P aspect of Runescape depends entirely on F2P, which creates a dilemma. Jagex wants users to purchase P2P, but if everyone had this, the Runescape economy would collapse due to lack of supply of F2P items such as normal Rune Essence, Yew logs, Lobsters, and Air Runes. The key downside of an F2P world is that you’ll get an awful lot of preteen children playing it, which can destroy the roleplaying structure of the game. The community of Runescape is childish, especially in F2P. It is absolutely filled to the brim of children under the age of 14 who seem to swamp the economy. This is bearable, however, if you turn off your public chat or if can withstand being called a ‘n00b’ every twenty seconds. Jagex provides weekly updates for the game, most of which are only for the P2P players. It sometimes feels as if they're forgetting about F2P players with the lack of additions for the free members. This frustrates the F2P users, but P2P players simply respond, “If you want an update, get P2P.” Many users consider this unfair, but personally, I believe they have a point. I can’t help but feel that F2P is merely a demo for the “full” version of Runescape. There are over five skills that are there to taunt you about what P2P offers. That's not to mention the numerous areas in the F2P world where you can see quite a lot of what P2P gives you, such as the recently-introduced Gnome Glider, in which you can explore the lands of P2P from an aerial perspective. Despite of all of Runescape’s shortcomings, I keep coming back for more. Why, you ask? It’s free, and it's fun if you have some time to kill. Graphics – 3/10 – Really could do with some work, from a modern stance. These graphics are the worst I have seen in any modern game, save for those developed by independent companies. Sounds – 4/10 – Rather ugly sound effects, but can be avoided by simply disabling them. The MIDI music helps add to the atmosphere. Gameplay – 3/10 – Some aspects of the game, including the more boring parts such as skill grinding, could do with some work to make them more interactive and fun. That aside, it feels like a huge accomplishment when you have gone up a level in a skill. I can’t help but feel that F2P is merely a demo for the P2P option. Fanbase – 3/10 – Runescape is full of children. This isn’t always a bad thing, but Runescape seems to attract a mass of immature players.
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