Jagex has come a long way from being known solely for RuneScape. Over the past few years, the British developer has released their own mini-game portal, bought up a few iOS and browser properties, and published their first microtransaction based game, War of Legends. In the coming future, they have plans to release two fully fledged MMOs (Stellar Dawn and Transformers) and the topic of this article: 8Realms.
8Realms is an MMORTS that strives for accessibility. Developed on HTML5, the thought of finding a computer that doesn’t meet the minimum requirements might require installing the game on your toaster, but only if you have a model earlier than 2005. I did have stability issues attempting to play on my iPad, which Jagex has promised will be improved at some point in the future.
Players start out in ancient times with little more than a few burning buildings, a handful of workers, and enough provisions to just about prolong your citizen’s starvation. The multi-hour long tutorial covers anything and everything you might need to know about 8Realms, so by the time you make it to the Classical age, the world doesn’t seem that frightening. Over the course of leveling up, players will take their kingdom through eight ages, taking advantage of new technology and expanding their kingdom into the surrounding areas and beyond.
8Realms is somewhat simplified compared to other MMORTS titles you may have played. Rather than overwhelming the player with a labyrinth of menus and buttons, the most important information is easily accessible either directly on the HUD or one or two clicks away. Resources are easy to keep track of, having only four to manage (three for a good few hours entering the game) and indicators of stock, production rate, and maximum storage clearly visible on the HUD. The difficulty ramps up in an elegant curve as you learn new concepts and mechanics, progressing at a speed where the game doesn’t suddenly shower you with new difficulties, but never slows down as to become insultingly simple.
Combat is a numbers game of building up a massive force and raiding/capturing other territories for their delicious resource-filled centers. Inevitably you will compete against other players for resource positions, leading to rivalries and even the potential for alliances. Alas, an action game 8Realms is not.
The cash shop system in 8Realms is one of the more balanced and less invasive I’ve seen in the genre, and Jagex has committed to ensuring that the game doesn’t devolve into a pay-to-compete system. Most of the items available through the cash shop have negative aspects to consider alongside any benefits they may provide. None of the items last more than a few hours, and virtually any item that speeds up efficiency in one area will reduce efficiency in another, a balance that starts to take a toll when your timers start hitting the 10+ hour range.
Jagex states that 8Realms is best played in short spurts and casually, and I completely expected to play in such a fashion. What I did not expect heading into 8Realms was to actually enjoy the game. In my tenure writing on MMOs, I have played every Evony clone to stumble out of the internet drunk and fumbling for my wallet, and not only is 8Realms not that drunk, it might just be the first game in the genre I came out of thinking “you know, I actually enjoyed myself.”
8Realms doesn’t take itself too seriously as a game with its goofy and immature advertising and animated images. I find myself continuing to log in each day because I want to, rather than a feeling of obligation that has pushed me away from other similar titles. I’m also rather impressed that the total lack of any sound effects in 8Realms had no bearing on my enjoyment of the game once the initial awkwardness wore off.
Oh and Mod Thor is a jerk.
MMO Fallout 