Review: RuneScape Dragonwilds
The incredible world of RuneScape returns in triumph.
THE GAME
RuneScape: Dragonwilds is a visual novel developed by Jagex Ltd and distributed by Jagex Ltd, H2 Interactive Co., Ltd., and Graph. In the forgotten continent of Ashenfall, dragons awaken. You are summoned by warriors to help them defeat the Dragon Queen. Without equipment or resources, you must establish and build your base, acquire food and water, and equip yourself to overcome the challenges and quests that appear on your path to the grand final battle. Survive, alone or in a team, and explore the open world as you wish.
MY IMPRESSIONS
RuneScape is a recognized classic brand in the MMORPG genre and in the creation of an incredible magical world. Now, in RuneScape: Dragonwilds, with an open world, survival, and base building, they continue to do a good job in terms of creation, gameplay, and fun, without losing the essence of what RuneScape has always brought to its players. What I would like to highlight first is the freedom the player has. The game doesn't force you to do anything, leaving it up to the player to do what they want at their own pace. I, for example, spent a good amount of time building my first house, even without having unlocked many resources or building options, but I was having a lot of fun building my base, even though the building mode isn't the most dynamic possible. Discovering side quests while exploring the map is also very satisfying, as you never know where you'll find something new to do. Everything is indicated by the map, which helps you not get lost in the world. The game is in Brazilian Portuguese, making it easier for the player to understand the objectives and mechanics of the game. The art style of RuneScape: Dragonwilds is colorful and vivid, making the player feel immersed in a magical world that only a medieval RPG can provide.
The gameplay of RuneScape: Dragonwilds is very fluid, but the interface can be a little confusing at first, although you get used to it over time. Crafting options increase as you level up, discover new materials, or find scrolls that unlock new items. You'll notice that RuneScape: Dragonwilds wants the player to truly explore the world and experience everything the game has to offer, which has always been a characteristic of the series and makes perfect sense for the game's immersion. Your character levels up their skills when performing the activity related to them; for example, to increase agility, you simply have to walk and run around, just as to increase cooking, you must cook. With each level you gain, you acquire improvements or new possibilities within that skill. I think it's really cool, even though it might seem tiring to have to repeat the same activity. The goal isn't to grind everything at once, but to maintain longevity in the game, making the player continue playing and using everything the game has to offer, since they'll be keeping the same character every time they play. The player also doesn't need to worry about being stuck in one playstyle, since what defines how you play is only your equipment. Want to play using magic? Equip a staff and some equipment that improves your magic damage. Changed your mind and want to play attacking physically? Just change your equipment again.
As the game's name suggests, runes are very important. At first, it might seem a bit tedious to have to create runes to cast certain spells, but that's what gives the game its charm. You'll have many magic options, some more utilitarian and others more for combat. And if the central theme of RuneScape: Dragonwilds is dragons, it's only fair that they're incredibly cool. Initially, I was surprised by a dragon flying over my base, making noise and then leaving. I thought that was all, just to establish that dragons were there. However, later, that same dragon started attacking me, firing bursts of poison and raining down poison balls. That's when RuneScape: Dragonwilds won me over. I didn't have the equipment or weapons to face the dragon, but the way it was used as a threat, but without direct confrontation, immersed me in the game. And that's what RuneScape: Dragonwilds aims to do: put the player in a fantasy world and let them be free to explore and make their own way.
ACHIEVEMENTS
The variety of activities in RuneScape: Dragonwilds already indicates how many different things need to be done to complete certain achievements. Many of these are specific interactions, usually with magic, such as conjuring a fireball on a chicken, for example. Quests related to defeating certain bosses and completing missions in specific regions also have achievements to unlock. However, the biggest challenge will be leveling all your basic skills to level 99, as each one unlocks a different achievement. To get 100% of the achievements, you'll have to explore all the game's resources to the fullest, which will take time and a bit of patience, but since RuneScape: Dragonwilds is a game meant to be played for a long time, you'll gradually achieve them all.
CONCLUSION
RuneScape: Dragonwilds is designed to draw you in and make you lose track of time. The freedom the game offers leaves you with many options, and you'll want to do them all. Progression happens at the player's own pace, and they must explore and discover for themselves. And the world is large enough to have plenty to see. I didn't have the opportunity to experience the game in multiplayer mode; my adventure was solo, but I imagine playing with a group of friends is like being in a tabletop RPG session. Base building is addictive; I was planning constructions that wouldn't even be useful, but I wanted to build a small town just for fun. The developers of RuneScape: Dragonwilds seem to listen to their players a lot to make decisions about the game, and I think that's really cool. RuneScape: Dragonwilds has the potential to become as vibrant as the classic RuneScape.
Comments