RuneScape is a browser MMORPG that’s been around since 2001. Jagex, the developer and publisher announced that both versions of RuneScape would be coming to Android and iOS in 2018.
Old School RuneScape (OSRS) is a concurrently running version of RuneScape based on the game’s 2007 source code. Though now it has some additional features from later builds in the game. The mobile version of it will officially release on both Android and iOS on October 30th. The main version of RuneScape, also known as RuneScape 3 is planning to come to mobile sometime after Old School’s launch.
What’s RuneScape?
RuneScape is a game where you create your own character and go off into the world. You can take on various quests with humorous dialogue, grind woodcutting and firemaking, play minigames and so on. Paying members get access to a lot more quests, a much larger area of the map, more skills and other features. Free to play, especially in OSRS isn’t the best way to go. However, it’s a good way to see if you’d actually like the game enough to want to pay for a membership without having to be on some kind of trial period. Being up until now a browser based game you also don’t need to pay for the game itself.
No School Like The Old School
I’m more familiar with Old School RuneScape as it is based on the version I used to play. A few years ago I started playing OSRS only a couple of days before they made it free to play. However, that allowed me to experience all the member only things I never got to as an adolescent. I found it a great game to play while I was studying as I could grind my defense while fighting monks. I can’t say it’s much of a social game, I did make one friend last time I was playing it but most people in this version keep to themselves outside of the Grand Exchange.
Recently I found that OSRS was available as a beta on the Google Play store. Opening up the game and hearing the log-in screen music on my phone felt really special. I know that this version of the game really isn’t going to be tough on most smart phones, but the novelty of it is amazing to me.
Touch and Click
I don’t really play mobile games because they hurt my hands more than normal games. Which is why I’m glad that the mobile versions of RuneScape will have cross-platform play. You can use the account you have on the computer and play it out and about on your phone (as long as you have a internet connection).
While I was a little lost, having not played in my account for so long. I can say that the controls on mobile felt almost exactly the same as the browser game. The only differences being I had to turn the camera around more often and dialogue showed on the top left instead of the bottom of the screen.
Overall
I’m sure anyone who hasn’t played RuneScape at all probably won’t get the appeal of Old School RuneScape. I do hope that when the main version of RuneScape comes out on mobile a lot more people with give it a try. I look forward to getting back into it and occasionally grinding some skills when I’m stuck somewhere. You can find more information about it here.