Old School RuneScape is a nostalgic trip back to the roots of MMORPGs. The simplicity of the gameplay combined with the depth of its skill system makes it incredibly addictive. The open world is vast, and the community is active, with plenty of ways to interact with others. While the graphics may feel outdated to some, the game’s charm and emphasis on player-driven content more than make up for it. A great choice for anyone who loves classic RPGs or just wants a laid-back gaming experience! :))

Use RuneLite launcher instead. Makes the game look and run better.

the first half hour of gameplay is spent trying to setup your account then coming to terms with the fact that if you're f2p you get a 10th of the game while constantly being reminded of what you can't access

10/10 truly a modern experience for a relic of a game

OSRS is a classic mmo rpg that you might remember from your childhood. The game can be repetitive, but grinding to build your character is a decent way to waste some time. I recommend trying it out at least, since it’s free to play.

I give this game a 6/10 on the goldy review scale.

RuneScape is rich with content that keeps players engaged. From intricate questlines filled with humor and challenges to skill mastery that feels rewarding, there’s always something new to discover. The game respects players’ time by allowing them to progress at their own speed without the pressure of daily logins or seasonal events.

I had written another review on this game a few days ago, and after taking a moment to really take in the game - I sort of realized that I didn't do it the justice that it deserved. See, this version of RuneScape was at the height of my adolescence years back in 2007/2008, and so a lot of my memories playing online with my friends are forever immortalized in this game. I remember daydreaming about what I'd do next on the game at school, rush straight to the computer, and get lost in it. It was my escape back then.

I used to think that what made this game so great was the game itself. You know, the wacky quests, the rush to get 99 in a skill, the "FashionScape", and so on. What took me nearly 20 years later to realize was that it was the people that made the game so amazing. You'd run into someone randomly, you'd click and vibe, and next thing you know, you're all running your own adventure together, scheming, planning to create the greatest clan in the whole game, and always talking about what skill we'll get to 99 first.

I returned to this game recently thinking I'd come back and enjoy it as I did back when I was a kid all those years ago - and I did enjoy a large part of it. I really enjoyed being able to do the old quests again, hearing the same melodies, leveling up my character as much as I could in a short span. Seeing the community so vibrant and active after almost two decades was so refreshing to see too. The game is still alive and thriving!

But, what struck me the hardest was seeing my empty friends list. I'd go in and add the usernames of the people I remembered playing with and while I know the 2007 version of RuneScape eventually morphed into RS3 and what RuneScape is now, I had just hoped that some of my old friends were still on there. But, none of them were. I'd walk around Varrock, Falador, Lumbridge, Draynor Manor, and just reminisce on the stuff my old friends and I used to do. Here's where so-and-so did this - here's where so-and-so did that. We were all just having fun and I never thought that those fun times would one day be over forever.

With that in mind, I set out to accomplish one thing and one thing only: finish all the Steam achievements for this game. I figured that, if nothing else, I owed it to myself to at least play the game from start to finish on the achievements - one more time - for old times' sake. With every achievement I completed, I was reminded of another memory, remembering when I did it the first time back in 2007, and found myself in this twisting motion where I wanted so hard to stay and invest in the game again, but kept telling myself that my time has come and gone and that the magic of what made this game so special to me was long gone.

While I was fishing for the tuna achievement, I saw so many other players chatting at the fishing spots. One old time '07 veteran was giving out 1m in gold just because he could afford to. He said that others had done it for him when he was a newb, so he was paying it forward. Then, in the middle of grinding my combat level for the slayer quests, I had three players randomly give me gold and/or advice on what to do next or do better. I was blown away by this because I didn't remember '07 RuneScape being like this for me.

Of course, being an online multiplayer, it came with its bad apples too. But, nobody was really outright rude or anything. There was this one instance a few days ago where, in World 301, a whole gang of gold-armored players were ganging up on people with boxing gloves. It was hilarious! They were mouthing off at everybody that stood near them, but it came off so comical - as though they were cartoon characters. Some things just never changed.

Then, on my last stretch to completing Dragon Slayer and completing the achievements, I ran into another player who was just so outwardly kind. They were trying to level up their thieving while I was leveling up my combat level at the Varrock Palace and while they pickpocketed, I accidentally killed their mark and I apologized and we ended up having a great chat from there. I told them that I was planning on leaving the game after the achievements, albeit a stupid reason, and told them the game just wasn't the same anymore without my old friends.

And, then they hit me with the hardest truth.

"Well, why don't you just make new friends then?"

I honestly hadn't thought about that. They had almost convinced me that I could stay, play the game again, and enjoy it the same way that I did in 2007. But, despite looking the same, the game had still changed, the players had changed, and I had changed too. The N7 Reaper that enjoyed it in 2007 wasn't the same that played it just now to relive the past. I think that was the truth I needed to accept so that I could finally move on from this game.

The road to completing Dragon Slayer was probably the most emotional one for me. I was redoing all the old quests and going through the same motions I did all those years ago to defeat Elvarg. It was a fitting last quest to do before it was all over.

I spent the last half hour of the game sitting in Lumbridge, watching the other players level up. They were chatting about the game, about themselves, about what skills they were going to level up next, and I saw friendships start to form in real time from just saying hi to each other.

And just like that, it came full circle for me.

So, I write this review... well... I guess more of a heartfelt letter... to this game in honor of the players who made it worth playing for me so many years ago:

• MrGuru45 - Thanks for being the only friend from school that played this with me man. Wish we had stayed in touch.
  
• Retech9691 and his whole clan - I appreciate you helping me understand the game better and sorry for having left the clan without ever saying goodbye, Retech.
  
• 99Str_Nub - My jokester friend who always got me into trouble. Thanks for the laughs, man. I wonder if you ever got to 99 Strength.
  
• Dedly_Wisper - The only friend from that era that I periodically stayed in touch with. Thanks for having always been kind and a joy to talk to!
  
• Joey G80 - One of the most chillest RS players I ever had the chance to hang with. Don't ever let him trick you to fighting him at Duel Arena, though.
  
• Redhottyler - The last words I ever said to this guy was that I'd see him the next day at Varrock square. Sorry I missed ya, man.
  
• Shortsk8r92 - The guy who introduced me to RuneScape. I appreciate you, man. Hope you're doing alright, wherever you are now.

"I wish there was a way to know you were in the good old days before you actually left them."

Despite it all, after playing it again, I can still strongly recommend this game almost two decades after I had played it at its peak. Bear in mind, it's not for everyone. If point-and-click type of games aren't your thing, then this probably won't be either. If the graphics aren't up to your speed, maybe the newer version of the game is to your liking. But, what I can say is that Old School RuneScape still has a thriving online community with a decent amount of players who just want to keep the game alive and well, even after all these years.

The faces may have changed, but the places and the spirit of the game were still very much there for me. It was almost literally a trip down memory lane for me and I'd even venture to say that the community was a lot more helpful than it was for me in those years.

Not a fan of the membership price hikes, though. And what is up with RuneScape bonds?! What happened to making your gold the hard earned way?

Anyway, that's it. I'm signing off of RuneScape for the last time.
Thanks.

it has a raccoon in it so that's pretty cool <3

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this game is nothing more than a steaming pile of horse s***, they ban you for nothing and literally actively defend botters and have jmods who actively participate in RWT. see the random tbow spawning in the wilderness.

This game gave me a covid-19