RuneScape - Why I'll Never Fully Leave Gielinor

RuneScape launched in January 2001 and has gone through several iterations since then. We had RuneScape Classic, then (and still ongoing) Old School RuneScape, and now just RuneScape (RuneScape 3). So why, oh why, when there are so many other online games with gorgeous 3D graphics, am I still playing RuneScape 3?

To start, I actually love the graphical style of RuneScape. It's vibrant and colorful, and some areas are downright beautiful. Between the color choices and placement of decorations, I've felt more immersed in some areas in Gielinor than I have in Guild Wars 2 or Final Fantasy XIV. It’s a hot take, for sure, as I’m sure most modern players hate it. But with new armor sets coming out with higher textures and brand-new areas with updated assets, I only see the graphics getting better.

The music in RuneScape is also melodic candy. It seeps into the crevices of your gaming headset and refuses to let you go until you annoy every friend you have with parody videos of Sea Shanty 2. RuneScape has a jukebox function that lets you play any song that you've unlocked in the game through questing or events, and it is absolutely one of my favorite features. I would kill for a jukebox in World of Warcraft without using addons. The music in RuneScape is just so deliciously addictive, with tons of poppy midis, seasonal favorites, or nostalgic originals like «Harmony», «Sea Shanty 2», or «Fanfare». I even had «Harmony» set as my ringtone for years.

Aside from music and graphics, what really keeps me rooted in Gielinor is the writing. I don't PvP, and I skill pretty casually, but I love completing quests more than anything in RuneScape. Some quests are super short and fun, while others, like Draynor Manor, are long, lore-rich, with intricate puzzles that don't hold your hand. And RuneScape is always self-aware in their writing. You'll find tons of meta quests just for fun and lengthy, emotional arcs that introduce and move forward characters. In the past couple of years the