Hello to the community of mmorpg.com, I'm new here. I'm an avid MMORPG lover who always seems to switch constantly to other MMORPGs due to not finding the right one for myself. But then; I've tried World of Warcraft. I've personally liked the game from the time that I had with it's free trial. I thought that World of Warcraft was the right game for me. So not wanting to pay, I start searching for this supposedly "WoW clones" that everyone keeps talking about. So anyways, after doing a bit of web surfing, I kept hearing about a game called 'Runes of Magic' in which they claim it to be "The best free WoW clone ever!" Now I'd like to ask all of you, how true does this game stand to this title? Is it truly the best free WoW clone ever conceived? If it is, then pleae tell me how would you rate it as a whole game from 0 to 10 in terms of music, gameplay, PvP, graphics, replay value, storyline, content and character customization? To be fully honest with you guys, I don't mind if the game fails to achieve a high score when it comes to graphics or game decorations, but having some eye candy to look at is always a plus isn't it? Also, if the game has a cash shop, then how dependant is the game on that cash shop? I'm going to be strictly free, so I'm not going to spend a dime on this game unless I get promotions, offers or whatever. I also think that it might be worthwhile listening to your past experiences of this game and your personal opinions of it. Sorry for having you guys to read a wall of text, but thank you all for reading all of it.

TL;DR Read the sentences in bold and italics.

Ita a good game with lots to do...........and you could have really enjoyable time ....but endgame is cashshop heavy, stil a fun journey and if casual a long journey to endgame without needing cashshop..

Any more suggestions?

as a suggestion you should track down the old ROMCAST Podcast as it was good for info on the game. also they have a Youtube channel that highlights alot of the game too including ROMNATION.

Originally posted by norman728

as a suggestion you should track down the old ROMCAST Podcast as it was good for info on the game. also they have a Youtube channel that highlights alot of the game too including ROMNATION.

 

I want opinions, not information. I already know what the game's like, I just want to know good it really is.

Its a decent game. Its very VERY grindy after level 40, and cash shop intensive at endgame. If you plan on seriously playing endgame be prepared to spend a decent amount of money on it. If you like open world PvP, however, lots of fun is to be had on the PvP server. You'll need some cash there too, so you can keep your eqiups from randomly dropping off of you when being PK'd. Its a lot of fun though if your into that, I sure was >:).

As others have said, it's very cash-shop-intensive at the end....especially in PvP. I did enjoy it for a few weeks, but once I realized that I wasn't going to succeed in PvP without spending $100+, I decided to move elsewhere.

Meh, yet another game that I can't play. Okay then, do any of you guys know any games that are similar, but less cash shop intensive? Or with no cash shop at all?

        I played it to 20 and thought it was an OK game, but I heard so many horror stories about the expense of the end game that I just lost interest and found other games.

Originally posted by Theocritus

        I played it to 20 and thought it was an OK game, but I heard so many horror stories about the expense of the end game that I just lost interest and found other games.

Do you know any other substitutions to it though?

You dont need to pay anything for RoM. You can "buy" diamonds from other players as a "present" (you give them the money, they buy the item from the shop for you). You can climb very high with ease and perhaps its a good game.

But if you have played it like me since open beta 2008 you wont like the game its now very much. It was a very good game at the beginning, now it has many problems, the biggest one is, that the damage in every part of the game is much too high: onehits from bosses against everything except a tank, 15 second-boss-fights with more than 30 different bufffoods/buffs at the same time on one player (while the buffs, you can get from special supporters are weaker then comparable bufffood), onehit-pvp, to be continued.

So in my opinion, Runes of Magiy is now not a good game any more, but perhaps for a new beginner its different.

Greets Niffi

That sounds pretty good, but I'm not that new to MMORGPs either, so I'd probably find it awful just as you did as well. So any other similar games aren't as cash shop dependant?

I think RoM is a good example of pay to win. It has items that are required in the shop for you to do anything later on in the game. While you can earn the gold to buy the diamonds for it, it takes absurd amounts of time to do that, and the game itself doesn't have as much population as it once did.

I didnt mean with beginner someone, who plays his first game, but who plays first time this game. Perhaps the game is good for someone, who doesnt know, how it was before.

Originally posted by Raisen223

Originally posted by Theocritus

        I played it to 20 and thought it was an OK game, but I heard so many horror stories about the expense of the end game that I just lost interest and found other games.

Do you know any other substitutions to it though?

       I've been playing old school games like EQ, DAoC, and Anarchy Online...All 3 have free options and I like the challenge of each.

The reason I mentioned the ROM podcast as it gives a rebuttal to the Cash shop argument that plagues ROM. (But a small investment in the CS is recommended BUT NOT NEEDED as there are Endgame Players who haven't used the cash shop at all) also the Podcast will interview actual players about How they play the game and give advice and OPINONS on what could make the game better.

with Dual and even triple classing replay-ability and customiization is high.

ENDGAME and PVP (haven't reached there myself) is high competitive and adds to the CS argument again. (BUT if you use AH and run a few instances you can get the gear you need to compete) I hear it's fun if you have a good setup I have played in the guild Wrar and had an Awesome time.

it's F2P and if you get a good server (I'm on Govinda) you can usually get a PUG going and lose time as you have fun.

PS if you can find the Retail BOX(Usually at WALMART) it will give you everything you need for one $20 investment. including diamonds, mount cosmetic armor and an upgraded house and furniture and more

Originally posted by norman728

The reason I mentioned the ROM podcast as it gives a rebuttal to the Cash shop argument that plagues ROM. (But a small investment in the CS is recommended BUT NOT NEEDED as there are Endgame Players who haven't used the cash shop at all) also the Podcast will interview actual players about How they play the game and give advice and OPINONS on what could make the game better.

That is a lie.  No Endgame Player exist who haven't used the cash shop at all.  In fact, ALL Endgame Players have EXCESSIVELY used the cash shop.

I assume you me ToSH capable when you say Endgame Players, and not just someone who has managed to quest through half the zones.

Show me ANY Endgame Players without +16 weapons.  Show me ANY Endgame Players without clean stat'ed tier 7 armor.  Show me ANY Endgame Players without tier 8 (or higher) weapon runes, and tier 10 general purpose runes.  etc  You can't.  Even if they spent $0 of their own money, they STILL spent thousands of $$$$ of someone else's money.  Either way, all Endgame Players have used the cash shop, A LOT.

Originally posted by Neiken

Its a decent game. Its very VERY grindy after level 40, and cash shop intensive at endgame. If you plan on seriously playing endgame be prepared to spend a decent amount of money on it. If you like open world PvP, however, lots of fun is to be had on the PvP server. You'll need some cash there too, so you can keep your eqiups from randomly dropping off of you when being PK'd. Its a lot of fun though if your into that, I sure was >:).

 

Yeah, hardly anyone PK's anymore since the changes about a year ago. Whites no longer drop, therefore you hardly have any red players "the ones that drop".

PvP servers are NOT the way to go if you want to play this game, pick a PvE server, much more populated and better economies, once PvP rules changed most people left them for other games.

Btw, the game is very expensive and time consuming,  the most expensive F2P cash shop ever. At one time Runes was a decent game, not so anymore.

If they brought back diamonds in the auction house and the original PvP rules it would be worth playing.