The State of RuneScape 3 in 2022

To game, or not to game “Runescape 3” in 2022, that’s the question…

Is it worth playing or not?

In the history of MMOs, RuneScape is one of the foremost games that has shaped the genre. It started as a point-and-click game, evidenced by the existence of Old School RuneScape, an old software build. As the years went by, RuneScape evolved and followed the trends.

It gained a graphical overhaul, evolution in combat, and many content updates. Players enjoyed earning RS3 gold, leveling up skills, and learning a new combat system.

Over the years, many MMOs came and went, but RuneScape stayed strong. It has been running for over a decade, due in part to the developers’ dedication. That means there’s something about it that players like enough to continue playing it as time passes. Here, we’ll try finding out what that is and if it’s worth trying out in 2022.

RuneScape’s Strong Points

Engaging Stories

With a game as long-lived as this, it’s only natural that RuneScape has an engaging storyline about the world and its inhabitants. It takes the form of quests the players can do at their leisure. Some will be short, others long, and some are even grouped together to form a storyline.

The themes of the quest will also range from humorous to world-threatening, making questing a varied experience. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, and you’ll be gritting your teeth at the villains. The world of Gielinor is vast, and there are many stories to discover.

Tons of Activities to Do

As an open-world sandbox game, the player is free to pick and choose what to do.

They can:

Raise their skill levels

Farm RuneScape gold

Hunt bosses

Follow Treasure Trails

Play minigames

Explore Gielinor

Do quests

Play with friends

And the list goes on.

More than those, there’s a challenge for those who want a challenging experience in the game. It’s called Ironman mode and puts restrictions on trading and more. There are two difficulties, Standard and Hardcore. The only difference between them is that in the Hardcore mode, you only have one ‘life’, and you’ll be booted to Standard mode if you die. You can buy ‘lives’ when you reach some level milestones, but those are for avoiding deaths caused by lag or disconnections.

The main restriction is that Ironman players cannot trade with other people, even the Grand Exchange is disabled. They must gather supplies and gold on their own. Plus, they can’t access specific minigames, pick up dropped RuneScape items, or accept aid from other players. Ironmen are on their own, living through what Gielinor provides. In a real-world comparison, they’re like the Bear Grylls of RuneScape.

Despite having a membership or subscription, free-to-play content is pretty substantial already. It may only be about 30% of total content, but since the paid version is vast, just about a third of it is also enormous. Think about it this way: 30% of a million is 300,000, a huge number already.

Combat Evolution

RuneScape 3 has left its roots and embraced progress. It has a very different combat system than its predecessors, making battles more fluid and enjoyable. It does take some time for players to get used to, but it opens up more opportunities and is a more engaging system.

Boss battles have also evolved and become more challenging. The new system means you’re no longer just standing around making auto attacks. It’s dynamic, and you can try to dodge instead of just surviving attacks.

Still, you could customize your combat system to something you prefer. You can make it into that point-and-click method of Old School RuneScape, the more active style of RS3, and somewhere between those two.

You Can Earn Your Way to the Paid Version

While paying for a subscription is easier, players can enjoy two weeks of membership through Bonds. These Runescape items give players access to paid content. Typically, they’re bought with real money, but there’s an option to sell them on the Grand Exchange. Consequently, players can buy them with RS gold if they’ve farmed enough for it.

With just a bit of hard work, it’s possible to access paid content and still be free-to-play. Isn’t that a fantastic deal?

RuneScape’s Weak Points

Microtransactions

This is a big reason players are hesitant about Runescape. It has many offers and boosters, so you can pay your way to the maximum levels in the game. That’s not playing the game; you just boosted your way through it. Many don’t like that fact, even though it’s easy to not open the game’s cash shop in the first place.

Not Beginner-Friendly

Another thing players don’t like about it is it’s rather tricky to get into as a beginner. Since it’s a sandbox game, aside from a few tutorials, you’re left to your own devices in the game early on. You choose your activities, but as a beginner, you wouldn’t know what to start with.

Some are fortunate to have friends to help them through the start. Others ask around for tips. If you’re the type to keep to yourself, this doesn’t help the game be attractive to you. There are guides, but some specific stuff can only come from experienced players.

The Verdict

From what you’ve read, RuneScape 3 is a game to try out. While it’s not a 100% recommended ‘must play,’ you lose nothing to try it out. If it works for you, you’ve found a game you can enjoy for hours. Otherwise, you can delete your account and leave the game alone. It is, after all, free-to-play with a paywall. Take the free content as a demo to be sure if you will pay (or farm RS3 gold) for the rest of the game.

It is also going strong. Even though OSRS, RS3’s younger sibling using an old build, is more popular, RuneScape 3 is catching up. The game is enjoying higher numbers of concurrent players. They’re not quite the level of its sibling, but slowly, they’re getting there.

Have fun playing RuneScape!

***Sponsored post by playerauctions***

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Tags: Jagex, Mmo, Mmorpg, Old School RuneScape, OSRS, PC games, Retro games, RPG, RuneScape, RuneScape 3