The release of Destiny has been one of the most anticipated moments in video game history, and now that it’s finally here, you might be wondering just what all the fuss is about. Well, the easiest way to describe it is to say that it’s more or less an MMORPG; just like games like Old School Runescape, you’ll spend your time questing and exploring, running errands, and battling monsters in order to earn experience and new skills. But since it’s made by the same studio, Bungie, that brought the world Halo, there’s a lot more going on in Destiny than simply leveling up your character.
When RuneScape launched in 2001, it was one of the few massive multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs) available on the market. Since then, the genre has exploded in popularity. In recent years, the Internet gaming community has witnessed the rise of titles like World of Warcraft, Guild Wars, Star Wars: The Old Republic, and Diablo 2. There is a whole ecosystem present around these games today, including different packs and items on sale via different portals like yesgamers, steam, amazon, and so on.
RuneScape wasn’t the first MMORPG, but it was certainly the most influential. The legacy of one is felt in the other, and comparing the two, which are both still relevant to this day, can yield some understanding of the genre.
For those who’ve been living under a rock, RuneScape is a free-to-play massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) developed and published by Jagex, released originally in January 2001. The game has since seen eight additional game updates (expansions in industry parlance) and has been translated into nearly every spoken language. It has an active and dedicated fanbase numbering in the millions, with some players consuming over twenty hours of game-time per week.
As everyone knows, RuneScape is an MMORPG that was released in 2001 and has developed a loyal and dedicated following ever since. The game was revolutionary, introducing a free-to-play business model that many developers are still trying to copy today. Though its popularity has waned over the years, there are still plenty of loyal users who appreciate the game’s classic spirit and minimalistic approach to graphics.
Today it’s not uncommon to find groups of middle-aged friends still getting together to play Runescape or some other old MMO every now and then. However, the hours spent in front of a computer screen these days can be physically and mentally taxing for veteran gamers. But, as gaming blogs such as Armchair Arcade and others have pointed out, that’s where products like CBD have seen a rise. Many gamers have reported that CBD products, such as oils or gummies, can help them manage stress and anxiety, reduce inflammation and pain, and improve focus and concentration. So for MMO players, new and old alike, who often spend long hours in front of a computer screen and want to properly enjoy the game, this has been a great solution.
But while the extensive lore and expansive back story of RuneScape’s world have always been one of the game’s biggest draws, it’s not something that always translated well in-game. Most of what you did was kill monsters, take their loot, grab some coins from the bank, and repeat. That’s why it was such a surprise when Destiny’s story mode was one of the best parts of the game.
Since the release of RuneScape, it has been over a decade, one of the most popular free-to-play online games. Nowadays, it’s hard to find a gamer who has never played it in some aspect and even harder to find someone who hasn’t tried its sequel, Old School RuneScape. The game’s success can be attributed to its hundreds of hours of gameplay, the rise of MMORPGs, and the nostalgia of those who played it in the early days. In fact, it was so popular that developer Jagex has been running the game for more than a decade. But even as it’s showing its age, it’s still one of the most popular MMOs available.
While the game looks like a cross between Halo and World of Warcraft, Destiny is actually an evolution of Halo, where your character’s development isn’t tied to the weapons you choose to wield and the missions you choose to play, but rather to the guns, armor, and gear you collect in a real-time, first-person shooter. In Destiny, players are known as Guardians, and they’re tasked with protecting the last city on Earth from a race of invading aliens called the Fallen.