Runes of Magic
"Runes of Magic" is one of the highest-quality free-to-play MMORPGs in the world. It plays a lot like a free "WoW," but it has many features "WoW" doesn't like dual classing, player housing, and way better crafting.
In the new Chapter 2 expansion, Elven Prophecy, you can also make elves!
"Runes" is easily one of the top two or three free-to-play MMORPGs in the world. If you don't have an account, you need to make one and try it right now!
SCROLL DOWN TO THE COMMENTS BELOW AND LET US KNOW WHAT YOU THINK OF THIS GAME.
- Pro: Shares many features with the infamous World of Warcraft
- Pro: High budget development
- Pro: Lots of game features
- Pro: Player housing and mounts
- Pro: Arena and Server VS Server PvP
- Genre: Fighting, Action, MMORPG, Fantasy, 3D
- Area: North America / Global
- Official Site: Runes of Magic
- Publisher: Frogster Interactive
- Developer: Runewaker Entertainment
- Platform: Microsoft Windows
Screenshots
Review
It seems that almost every MMORPG released in the past few years (and several other games of the MMO variety too, I might add) has at one point or another been branded as a WoW clone. Personally, I could never agree. Regardless of how similar one specific part of a game may have been to another, never have I found there to be enough factors to officially label it a clone of World of Warcraft.
However, watching others label a game as a WoW clone has never been an issue for me, instead, I take issue with that statement being viewed as a negative. Wouldn't a free-to-play version of World of Warcraft be a good thing? Wouldn't it allow those unable to afford the high-upkeep costs of WoW a chance to join the fun too? Well, yes it would, and Runes of Magic has shown us that it does too.
WoW Clone? Hell yes!
Yep, Runes of Magic is about as close to World of Warcraft as any other MMO has even come before it. They share the same equipment grading system, the same auction house, the same mailbox, skill types (and in some cases, names too), the same instanced style dungeons. Hell, they even look, feel and play almost exactly alike. The only thing they don't seem to share is the price tag and monthly subscription costs. And as I mentioned above, this is a very good thing. It allows those of us that have never played WoW to finally take a peek at what all the fuss was about, those of us that stopped playing WoW to give it another shot for free, and those of us still playing WoW to start all over with a new community, and a hell of a lot of new features too.
Copy, Paste, Upgrade!
The reason I use the term WoW clone so loosely, and also with such enthusiasm, is because Runes of Magic isn't just a WoW clone – instead of a simple copy and paste method, RoM has copied the framework of Blizzards' winning formula, and added their own flair to the design. RoM comes packed with both simple improvements and changes to some of the systems - and some entirely new features and additions too.
Mix and Match
The first of the more noticeable additions players will find throughout the lands of Taboria is in the character creation. Here, players are given the choice of over twenty different face and hairstyles, and can choose from almost any color imaginable. Then, players are able to choose the size of each and every individual body part on their character, and their height too. Coupled with the later ability to choose a Primary and Secondary color for each piece of armor you equip, you should have a hard time finding another player that looks even remotely like you do.
If you should however find another character that resembles yours, RoM has a solution for that too – and it lies in the totally awesome multi-class system. While to begin with players are only able to select one class, upon reaching level 10 they are given the choice of a second – and will have access to certain skills from their arsenal. This however comes at a price - time - as in order to gain access to these skills players must first designate their secondary class as their primary – and begin again from level 1. At present, 6 classes are available (Rogue, Warrior, Knight, Priest, Scout and Mage) - however when you factor in Secondary Classes, you'll find that number to be closer to 30.
Home is where I hang my +6 Sword of Searing Flame
Straying bravely into the land of innovation, RoM offers every player their very own home – and the tools to fully furnish and decorate it too. In addition, each account will share the same house, no matter the character they choose to play with. Inside, players can add trunks and beds, cabinets and wall units – and every other home-like feature one can think of. It's also a great place to keep your crafting supplies, of which you will undoubtedly have plenty.
Crafting in RoM is also unique – but at the same time quite familiar too. While the systems used to craft are very much the same as those found in World of Warcraft – they have added several changes – all of them fantastic. To begin with, each player will have the opportunity to learn every craft – both the Professions required to create, and the gathering skills too. However, not all of them can be fully progressed. Of all the available crafts (Carpentry, Armorsmith, Weaponsmith, Alchemist, Cooking, and Tailoring), players will only be able to advance three of them to their second stage, two of them to the third, and only one to the final, master stage. The gathering skills (Herbailsm, Woodcutting and Mining) however can all be learned and advanced fully.
A Familiar Feeling
Questing, as it's called, is once again very much like that found in World of Warcraft – both in style and in quantity. There are currently over 600 quests in RoM, with many more on the horizon, and although they will feel quite familiar to those of you that have player WoW, there are several key differences that you will notice upon completing them. Firstly, the Mini-Map has been used to its fullest advantage – as both enemies and items that can be used in quests are displayed. Secondly, all available quests are shown on the Full Map, saving much time otherwise spent searching for something to do all over the world. Thirdly, an Auto-Run feature has been implemented and can be accessed via either the Full Map or the Quest Log to make traveling less of a Burden. And finally, enemies that are required for active quests will show information in the tool-tip displayed when you hover your mouse over them. Alone, all of these features are nothing out of the ordinary – but combined – they amount to a much more enjoyable playing experience.
Diamonds are Forever
As with all F2P games – and especially so in the case of those with a high-production value such as RoM – a cash shop has been implemented for those of you that wish to spend a little coin to gain the upper hand. In RoM, this is done with the purchase of Diamonds from the main website. Diamonds have many uses throughout the world of Taboria, such as purchasing mounts to increase movement speed or upgrading weapons and armor to give you the the edge in a PvP battle. Just be warned – RoM will frequently tempt you to purchase diamonds with offers that you may sometimes find hard to refuse. Whether or not the Diamond system will have a major effect on game balance yet is still unknown.
Too good to be true?
"Okay, Okay." I hear you say. "That's all well and good, but what about the bad stuff?" Well, as enjoyable as Runes of Magic indeed is, no game is perfect, and this is no exception. At present, much of the game is still poorly translated – with some sections missing translation entirely, and as such appearing in Korean. The language filter implemented has been set to the maximum amount with no option to alter or remove. This frequently results in common words such as 'class' to be filtered out due to the word 'ass' fitting in nicely at the end. Many of the sound effects such as the 'chink' of a mining pick hitting stone or the hoofs of a horse as it gallops by have been left out entirely breaking the immersion quite significantly, and from an overall standpoint there is noticeable lack of polish, one that will be more noticeable still to people that have spent time playing World of Warcraft. With any luck, these issues should be addressed in the very near future.
So… what's the verdict?
As with all games of this size and magnitude, there are many features that have not been covered in this review – like the ability to upgrade weapons and armor with runes that suit your play-style, or the different locations that one can expect when traversing the great land that is Taboria, and the PvP options you may encounter as you do. As much as I would like to, there simply isn't enough time to explain such things here today. But you can easily find the answers to these questions yourself by playing – hence the reason why you are here, reading this now. Is Runes of Magic worth playing?
The bottom line is yes – while Runes of Magic is an obvious clone of the mammoth MMO World of Warcraft – it is also a fantastic F2P MMORPG that includes many of its own unique features. Sure, because of its clone-style development many of you will soon be crying Bloody Mary and waving your arms around like lunatics in your total outrage of the situation. But while you do, know this – the rest of us will be immersed in an all-new free-to-play fantasy adventure that for the most part is unmatched in brilliance by the majority of the F2P MMORPGs out there. And we'll be having having a blast.
To sum this up (in fear that I will never stop rambling), currently Runes of Magic is an easy 4/5 – and in a few months, I have no doubt that it will be a damn near perfect 5/5 that should warrant the time of any soul that calls himself a gamer. After all, it's only been out for a day, and it's already pretty damn good.
Review Cody Hargreaves
November 8, 2009
Review
It's okay... but too much like WOW
littleman, on November 7th 2009 11:22 pm
your game is very good
generation, on November 7th 2009 01:06 am
I am just trying to start playing the game, I reserve my comments pending when I finish my first experience.
Umoru Jafaru, on November 5th 2009 09:18 am
I've played this game since open beta. It's really fun and the community is super helpful to newbies.(I play on PVE server...less drama) My last game was a grinder so I was looking for a change and I was very happy to discover this one. It has TONS of quests and they add new ones very often. If you do the quests you will level up very quickly with hardly any effort. There is just SO MUCH to do in this game...you definitely won't get bored. There are mini games, group instances, pvp arenas where you can accumulate points for special armor, and they have special events all the time. You'll discover something new every day. Also the GM's in this game are the most friendly I've ever seen. They often show up in town and put on a show. Showing off new upcoming changes and items coming to the game. Game support from GM's is a BIG plus in my book.
Sunny, on November 1st 2009 04:43 am
this game , i think its full of magic and the grahics wow its awesome
michael, on October 30th 2009 05:06 am
Wow this game looks good! I dislike WOW and think Runescape is way better but I wonder what this one is like :P I'll check it out.
Darkmagic76, on October 25th 2009 12:44 pm
This game is AWESOME! They CONSTANTLY update, lots of fun events and contests, great graphics, and skills. A free version of WoW. HOWEVER, it's not completely free, most of it is about the cash shop, spending real money for things you might need later. The download is quite long, unless you have a professional gaming computer. It lags for bad computers, so you definitely need a good computer for this, and like, no lag. The website is very cool...but I wish this game was more FREE, then we'd all be happy, RIGHT?!
ChocolateZipper, on October 22nd 2009 05:38 pm
I just want to play this game
rohitrastogi, on October 20th 2009 03:35 am
Best f2p ive ever played dont think about it JUST CLICK THE DOWNLOAD BUTTON
CabooseDaMan, on October 19th 2009 11:20 pm
grandpa of all......the games
kalpit, on October 19th 2009 05:22 am
good lovely game
jiajee, on October 19th 2009 02:20 am
i hated the game yuk!!!!!!!!!!!!!! joking.....lovely game...................superb..
ritu, on October 18th 2009 05:41 am
best f2p out there no doubt, it's definitely NOT a click-to-move epic failure like most f2p's. the combat system is perfect, very much unlike most f2p's crappy combat system and character response. also, if you play enough there is NO reason to actually spend money on the game. you can trade gold(which you get from playing) for diamonds(cash shop currency) at a very decent rate.
Eric, on October 11th 2009 08:23 pm
this game is the grandmaster of all.... second to none.
charlesux, on October 7th 2009 02:37 am
lol its a amazing game highly reccomed with the duel class system i started the day the Elve expansion came and have both my classes lvl 20 along with a Guild ( Alpha ) Smacht server and were looking forward to getttin a guild castle :P
Teogeo, on October 4th 2009 09:41 am
You can tell the people that complain about the exp debt and "slow" exp grind never played the original EverQuest. This game is a breeze, and ya'll are just spoiled.
Unloved, on October 3rd 2009 12:20 pm
GOOD OK
David, on October 3rd 2009 10:34 am
soo nice game
Snakey, on September 29th 2009 06:56 pm
我系中国人
zzp, on September 29th 2009 10:15 am
yes very nice game
omkar, on September 29th 2009 07:21 am
Great game, you will most likely atleast buy a 10$ mount from cash shop per character you play though. Chances are if your end game you wouldnt mind spending the extra cash to have amazing gear. Game is as good as WoW minus the pvp, which will eventually change.
Anonguy, on September 28th 2009 01:18 pm
I like this game
Vovici, on September 27th 2009 08:19 am
IT SUCKS...lol joking one of the best games i ever played:D
xmaster, on September 26th 2009 06:28 pm
nice
anu, on September 26th 2009 10:54 am
kind of OK
ken, on September 24th 2009 08:51 pm
grasias
luis15, on September 24th 2009 11:59 am
I like it
James, on September 23rd 2009 02:38 am
this is a really good website in my opinion!!!!
i<3ikuto-kun, on September 22nd 2009 02:55 pm
nice!!!!!!!
mahnoor, on September 17th 2009 04:59 am
i like this website huh
juanpogi, on September 12th 2009 06:13 pm
i love you
luka, on September 12th 2009 12:44 am
Certainly the main purpose of this game (and of most online games) is for the creators to make cash. Graphics are not bad. Sound is ok. System is fine. Dual class doesn't work as well as it should in theory. I was hooked while under test stage, but then drastic changes took place where this system of pay back an incredible amount of XP as penalty when died that made it extremely awful to play; specially when you die as a result of lag and in-game glitches, or evil high level players just deciding to abusively kill you. Have not played in a while but hope it was fixed. There are many much better free MMORPG's out there and if I where to recomend a similar alternative, I would say go for Perfect World because PW is simply much better, even with the horrific, repetitive music. Like someone else said, you can play any music you like on your PC.
Hugh Rossen, on September 7th 2009 02:49 pm
I think the game sucks...PERIOD! Let me explain..first of all spending 2 hours to pay off a exp debt is retarded! Why not TAKE the exp from us when we die instead of this YOU OWE A EXP DEBT of over 8000 exp....BOREING!!! I see no level progress, so that in return is not worth my time..i may as well be playing something different! Second of all, runes are coll as hell, but haveing to rely on a number of ruins just to transport around is just plain sick. All i can say is i will never pay for the game till alot of crap gets worked out.
Phantomblade, on September 5th 2009 02:08 pm
Some of the game mechanics that people overlook are quite broken, especially if compared to WoW. All skills/spells are possible to be maxed out. Damage of physical abilites follow weapon dps very closely so slow weapons dont win in this game. Some stats scale very poorly even in endgame (wisdom for heals). Questing often leads you to a difficult task that either requires you to form proper parties, or over-level above the quest, or party with some generous level 50 player (which happens often) to accomplish. Professions in general are all terrible even in long run except the ones that produce consumables ie: cooking, alchemy. If you like blowing on cash shop you'll enjoy the game, but otherwise expect alot of minor frustrations to add up (limited time-rental of mounts consuming gold, ridiculous repair costs). Broken economy too as people tend to buy high and sell even higher. Dual-class is a very nice feature but some of the minor things in combinations fail very hard like your secondary class's passives being useless i.e. dual-wield for casters but all wands use main-hand. And dailies get dry very fast; you'll be doing them as long as you live for extra exp and leveling spells/abilities.
asta, on August 28th 2009 11:02 pm
To all the people who thinks this game is Cash Shop based, I beg the differ. I have good gears and I didn't even use diamonds. Using the arcane transmutor you can get unbelievable stats in your gears. Also if you're a grinding type person who likes killing mobs over and over and over, this game ain't for you; go play FlyFF or something. This game is quest based. In my opinion, this game is not so bad and yes it looks a lil' bit like World of Warcraft. By the way, it's so easy to get money in this game.
Ziploc, on August 19th 2009 08:35 pm
Whoever said this is similar to World of Warcraft, I have to say that if that is true, it must only be in the case of mechanics. I cannot say for sure, as the poor graphic and game crashes within the first 5 minutes of play did not lead me to delve too much deeper into this experience. The tutorial was reminiscent of a Disney version of WoW, but without any of the coolness or fun. I strongly advise that if you are looking into this game, you keep on looking. The multiple hours of download and patches are a waste of time. Normally I do not bother leaving comments on games, whether for good or ill. The level of disappointment for this one was too much to let pass however.
Steelwolf, on August 19th 2009 06:18 am
It's very true that they've tailored this game a little TOO much to favor cash buyers. That being said though if I spent my hard earned money I want something that'll pay off! 90% of the F2P MMO's out there want u to spend 20 freakin dollars for something that'll last you 30 days? I don't think so. This game actually rewards you, but that being said THIS game in particular rewards you too well. Oh and for the record this game is SIMILAR to WoW but remember it is NOT WOW!!!!!!!!!!! This is a great game to play if you want to hear people complain about how this game doesn't have something WoW does...
LouieLou, on August 19th 2009 01:23 am
"Whether or not the Diamond system will have a major effect on game balance yet is still unknown" Lies. If you never pay a dime to play this game, you're like a freshly leveled 80 person in WoW trying to run Uludar 25 or do arena. In fact; it's much worse. They have 11000 HP vs your measly 3000 and weapons that do over 3x the damage. In other words; you won't get far playing this game for free (not to mention the people who twink out the Mage/Priest overpowered class [or even Rogue/Scout for stealth kills] to 3x overkill people twice their level [with an instant cast spell, of course] and THEN go on killing sprees in your questing zone, stealing your gear/items just to sell to a vendor and holding the whole town ransom).
Bryan, on August 3rd 2009 05:11 pm
This game is awsome
Forgottin, on August 3rd 2009 04:25 pm
I SOOO AGREE! This game has many of the feature WOW has as well as the graphics seem very similar..
aaazafina, on August 3rd 2009 10:32 am
Each account does not share the same house.
Shane, on July 31st 2009 06:01 am
Amazing GAME
DEADLY, on July 28th 2009 04:42 pm
Aside from noticing a few mistakes,a terrific review that i find more informative and accurate than the other mmorpg sites.
Jeremy s., on July 23rd 2009 05:40 pm
I have just started to play this game, after looking for an alternative to WoW. (Yes I am one of the sad WoW millons) I must admit I was in awe of the graphics and game style. It tends to be a bit slow in a couple of places, but overall I am very impresed, and wha is more it is free. It has nice game play, and an array of features that I am already familiar with. I definatly would recommend this game to others, if like me you like Mmo's but can't keep up with the subscriptions then have a look at this!
Aiders, on July 18th 2009 02:21 pm
Fantastic game,Similar enough to WoW so there's is about 0 learning curve and different enough to keep it interesting
Anonymous, on July 8th 2009 08:09 pm
How much it takes till de registration email is sent? I am waiting for about 20 minutes and still no reply?
ovidiu, on June 25th 2009 01:39 am
I want to join your email list.
Pat Hansen, on June 10th 2009 09:40 am
I am busy in my work now a day but i want to somthig new
Munir, on June 10th 2009 06:54 am
great
sakib, on June 4th 2009 03:45 pm
Great game! quite immense both in terms of area, content and game functions. I would recommend it.
wilde, on June 3rd 2009 04:12 pm
Con: Likeness to World of Warcraft may deter some players... true Con: Translation Errors... not any more Con: Limited Key Mapping.... wtf Con: Sensitive Language Filter.. you can turn it off and it has been fixed should of got a better review
zebay , on May 28th 2009 11:12 am
This game sucks! It did not start sucking until it came out of open beta. That is when the Frogster team started making horrifying changes that destroyed the game completely for me. Here is major faults about this game(ACTUAL FACTS) 1.) The Auction House is Corrupted/is the economy. 2.) You can have some of the best equipment in the game, and still get owned.. 3.) You have to grind to the extreme to get anywhere, or have a guild full of high levels that are willing to help you. 4.) You can only add custom stats to your equipment, with a blank fusion stone, that you have to buy from the item shop. 5.) The Frogster Team makes unauthorized game changing changes to the items, and runes,(Not to mention spells and other crap) that people spend their money on and did not refund any of the money and or diamonds. This game is pathetic, if you ignore my message, and play this game, you will regret it! I promise you.
BLuNTZ, on May 27th 2009 02:05 am
in this game levelling is a very boring. very bad game :(
KeriaN, on May 20th 2009 01:37 am
MEMO NICE
Johny, on May 8th 2009 08:45 pm
who cares if its like wow wows a brilliant game so if its like that it must be on a par......
pinchy212, on April 29th 2009 09:12 pm
This game is only about Cash Shop, if you got money you will be taken to instances etc. If you dont want to use CS it isnt the best game for u
Basser, on April 17th 2009 03:02 pm
Hot Games
Wizard101
"Wizard101" is a casual MMORPG that resembles Harry Potter meets Yu Gi Oh.
Dragonica Online
"Dragonica Online" is a 3D sidescrolling action-MMORPG.
Secret of the Solstice
"Secret of the Solstice" is a new MMORPG with an old-school look.
Wind Slayer
"WindSlayer" is a 2D sidescrolling MMO similar to "Maple Story."
Mir2
An old-school action MMORPG, and one of the most popular of all time in Asia.
Top 10 MMO Games
Runes of Magic
"Runes of Magic" is one of the top two or three f2p MMORPGs in the world.
Atlantica Online
Atlantica is the best free MMORPG. Explore, fight in locations around the world
Dragonica Online
"Dragonica Online" is a 3D sidescrolling action-MMORPG.
Mir2
An old-school action MMORPG, and one of the most popular of all time in Asia.
Gates of Andaron
"Gates of Andaron" is a fantasy MMORPG with unique faction vs faction warfare.
Twelve Sky 2
”Twelve Sky 2” is a popular free-to-play martial arts MMORPG.
Dark Orbit
"Dark Orbit" is a browser based space MMO, and one of the best.
Last Chaos
"Last Chaos" has some of the best graphics in the free-to-play MMORPG market.
Free Realms
”Free Realms” is a f2p MMO from SOE with tons of things to do.
Soul of the Ultimate Nation
"Soul of the Ultimate Nation" is a fast-paced free MMO with an awesome story.
I love this game, however I wish they put a forum spot up for it. Anyone play on Osha server, than is level 50+? I would like help, am a 54 mage, trying to find a good staff. Thanks! Name is Tophman in game.
Chris, on November 8th 2009 05:28 pm