Review: Runes of Magic II: The Elven Prophecy

I must admit that MMORPGs are not something I particularly go for. I’m put off by the monthly fees, mainly because I simply don’t agree with them. I’ve only played the trial periods of many big named titles that fit into this genre. Don’t get me wrong, the likes of World of Warcraft are pretty good it’s just that they’re not worth £120 a year. So it’s refreshing to be handed an MMORPG that doesn’t cost anything to play, especially when the RPG can hold its own against the big boys.

My 'otel's as clean as an elven arse

This is the latest major update for the game. In the previous version, Chapter I, the player was only able to play as the human race. In Chapter II you can now choose between two races and there are no prizes for guessing which race has been added to the game, yep the Elves. The clue was in the games title for any of you who struggled with the answer. Eight classes are available to choose from. Humans can be Knights, Wizards, Warriors, Scouts, Priests and Rogues. Elves can’t be Priests or Knights, but can be one of the new classes; an Alcaide or Druid. Each class is well-balanced and having played as both a Paladin and a Druid the difference between the two made sure I never felt bored playing a second time around.

Experience is achieved by killing things and completing quests. The main storyline is interesting enough, but I would have preferred more variety in the quests. No matter how detailed the plot line is it always descends into kill this, bring me that. Some nice varied puzzle solving and detective work would not go astray. As your character evolves he or she can upgrade certain special skills and even take a second class to complement the first. Experience isn’t just limited to combat and questing. You can learn various trades from which you can craft items. Gathering herbs can be used to make potions for example. Extracting these materials can be tedious at times; however, it does adds a bit of variety to the game.

Who lives in a house like this? Possibly a Wizard...

Players will be able to purchase houses in the game and unlike many games owning property servers a real purpose. Each house can be used to heal up and get back some energy. They’re also useful for organizing clan meetings as well as a base of operations for adventuring with friends. You can decorate each house by adding furniture and whatnot, but once you’ve decorated one house in a game you’ve decorated them all so there is nothing really new here.

Combat will be very familiar to most gamers? Left click to attack, spells and special abilities in a quick slot and there you have a fool proof combat system. Sure it resembles nearly every other MMORPG out there, but why fix what isn’t broke? Each class will handle differently in combat situations and so tactics will differ each time around. Paladins represent the tanks of the game while Priest and Wizards will attack from deep and play a supporting role. One of the reasons why you will be battling many monsters is to acquire magic runes (Hence the name Runes of Magic) which can be used to create magical objects that can greatly aid your character. The runes can be used to greatly increase attacks or beef up your character defence.

This game looks familiar

For the most part the game’s interface is laid out well and easy to navigate. You can easily see how close you are to levelling up on the bottom of the screen and there’s a chat screen should you wish to chat to other players. Inventories and character information are all stored neatly on the right side of your monitor so you never feel that your screen is clogged with useless information. I do have a few minor quibbles with the game in regard to the camera. In order to rotate the camera to your liking you have to left click, hold and drag. While it doesn’t seem like a monumental task it becomes very annoying after a while. It’s an overcomplicated issue that needs to be addressed.

Graphically the game looks great for freeware. It’s very similar to World of Warcraft (yes the similarities continue) and while it may look a bit dodgy upon closure inspection there aren’t many games that offer this level of detail without paying for it in some way. When creating your character you will have a myriad of graphical options available to you. Hair, skin, height, etc. are all available to customise and if you wish you can spend a while styling your character to your heart’s content. It does ensure that you shouldn’t see a clone of yourself at every turn although you do see a twin on some occasions. The games sounds are decent although nothing special. There is little or no voice acting and the background music is very repetitive at times. When swords and shields do clash and a battle begins you don’t get a sense of epic struggles taking place as the music doesn’t invoke any sense of urgency or danger which ruins the atmosphere.

It has won me over

I can see myself playing Runes of Magic II: The Elven Prophecy for many more hours to come. It’s a hefty 5GB download, but since we are now entering the age of high-speed internet that shouldn’t put too many off. It’s not groundbreaking in any way, but what it does offer is a solid MMORPG that can be just as engaging as the likes of WOW and yet is completely free. This game has quashed the age old myth that free games lack quality.