Before I start reviewing RuneScape: Dragonwilds, I need to make an important preface. RuneScape: Dragonwilds I’m a fairly diverse streamer, appreciating many video game genres and enjoying hopping between them. Unfortunately, however, as with all things, I lack a particular skill in my repertoire: apart from sports games, I’m completely hopeless with survival games where crafting is a central and essential part of the experience. After playing a few of these, I’ve realised I have three main issues: I’m completely disorganised, I lack patience, and I can’t prioritise tasks. You understand, then, how these three elements combined can create one thing: a disaster.

But this time, something has triggered.

I admit that when I was offered the chance to try RuneScape: Dragonwilds, I was a bit worried, but I told myself: 'Right, why not? This could be my moment to really get into this kind of game.' And yes, it worked. Warning: it wasn’t easy, and at certain points it was extremely frustrating, but I managed.

And now, let’s get started!

Twenty years of RuneScape, now in survival mode

Before diving into RuneScape: Dragonwilds, I think it’s appropriate to take a small step back and explore a bit of RuneScape’s origins. Born in 2001 by the British studio Jagex, the game presents itself as an MMORPG with a fantasy vibe that, over the years, has managed to build a very large and particularly devoted community.

The main feature of RuneScape, which is also one of the reasons it is so beloved, is the freedom it grants the player. Each player can choose how to live their own adventure, at their own pace and rhythm.Players can explore the world, focus on gathering resources and crafting, or dive straight into missions, facing enemies and developing their combat skills.

The core of RuneScape: Dragonwilds is precisely this universe, now well-established after more than two decades of history, that Jagex has decided to reinterpret by introducing survival mechanics typical of the genre.. Moreover, for the first time, the game enters the console world. Indeed, after twelve months of exclusive early access on PCPC RuneScape: Dragonwilds is now available since last September also on PlayStation 5 PlayStation 5 Xbox Series andXbox Series X.

Alone in the wilds of Ashenfall

In this case, the story is set in Gielinor, the historic world of RuneScape, specifically in the mysterious and forgotten continent of Ashenfall. Its enigmatic lands are reached by an expedition of explorers, who are separated during the journey due to an attack. The protagonist, finding himself completely alone, is forced to rely solely on himself to survive. The reason Ashenfall is considered particularly dangerous is due to the presence of dragons that dominate the entire continent, legendary creatures and extremely aggressive towards other species.

Before being launched into the game world, we can customise our character using a rather basic editor, but one that nonetheless offers a decent range of personalisations. Before being launched into the game world, we can customise our character using a rather basic editor, but one that nonetheless offers a decent range of personalisations.After choosing the appearance of our alter ego, the adventure officially begins, and the initial objective is simple: survive. Survive.Not only from the enemies that occupy these lands, but also in the most basic sense of the word, by fulfilling needs such as eating, drinking and sleeping.

As a player like me, entirely new to the survival genre, I admit that at first it was quite difficult to manage this aspect. Not because my character kept running out of supplies (in fact, he never ran out of food or water), but precisely because it created a constant sense of worry about having to keep an eye on this too. the constant worry of having to keep an eye on this too.The start, therefore, was quite impactful, but after a few hours of gameplay I learned to manage it, and I must say that the experience improved noticeably.

The beginning, however, is this: you start out dressed in clothes only, with no weapons and no food, and begin to explore. The initial pace is very slow, you start gathering materials like wood and stones, mining minerals and looking for something to cook over a fire and eat. And don't forget the shelter! Though initially quite rudimentary, it will be essential for restoring your strength by sleeping in the bed and for building your first workbenches, which require being indoors and not out in the open.

The building system is very fun, though at first it can feel long and repetitive. To build structures, we must collect resources, and our initial tools are underpowered; for this reason, early hours can be described as a constant back-and-forth between the Ashenfall forests and our makeshift shelter, moving around enormous amounts of material. continuo andirivieni tra i boschi di Ashenfall e il nostro giaciglio, movimentando davvero tanti materiali.

Don't think this is a quiet countryside stroll, because, surprise, it's not at all. Ashenfall, in fact, is teeming with creatures, some common and harmless like chickens, cows and deer, others decidedly less keen to meet strangers. During my material gathering sessions, I've often encountered rats who seemed annoyed by my presence, but especially goblins who were clearly angry, constantly interrupting my activities. have constantly interrupted my activities.

The weather isn’t always on our side, as indeed storms and sudden showers can make activities difficult, forcing us to retreat to our sleeping bag to shelter, and, inevitably, interrupt what we were doingThe important thing is therefore stay alert at all times and avoid being caught unpreparedbut as time goes on, you get used to what surrounds you, the weather, and the creatures of Ashenfall, making the game much smoother and more enjoyable.

Practice makes perfect

A large part of the RuneScape: Dragonwilds experience revolves, without a doubt, around the progressionOur character has at its disposal various skills that can be improved simply by practicing them, for example magic, combat, mining, and so on. These skills are independent of one another and each follows its own growth path, based on how much it is used: this brings us back to what we said at the beginning, namely that the game offers the player complete freedom to specialise in whatever they prefer based on their preferred playstyle. can choose to specialise in what based on your preferred playstyle.

Moreover, practising skills goes beyond just raising level, but also unlocks new useful elements to help progress through the adventure, such as spells and recipes for more elaborate dishes. These recipes, in fact, aren't just for quelling hunger, but can also provide useful effects that boost our character's protection.These recipes, in fact, aren't just for quelling hunger, but can also provide useful effects that boost our character's protection.

Guns in hand and eyes open!

Regarding the combat system, RuneScape: Dragonwildsoffers a great challenge and, above all, a massive arsenal of weapons. I was pleasantly surprised by the sheer number of weapons available, ranging from swords, hammers, bows, longbows, and even shortbows, magic staffs and spells.Regardless of your play style, you can be sure Dragonwilds has a weapon designed specifically for you.

At first I relied on short swords and daggers (light weapons, in short) to strike enemies quickly and with rapid attacks. Overall, the combat system isn't bad, as you can parry with the right timing in addition to attacking, though sometimes I found the whole thing a bit confusing and imprecise. I’ve had trouble directing my attacks accurately at enemies who seemed to move without clear logic. Also, the extremely rapid depletion of stamina doesn’t help much: especially due to this, fights become fragmented and force the player to constantly pause to regain breath, risking being hit more easily by enemies.

After giving a shot at one-handed weapons, I jumped headfirst into long- and short-range bows. And lads, what a blast! I really had a blast tracking down deer, following them, ambushing them, and shooting from afar without getting noticed. I recommend it!

One piece of advice I feel comfortable sharing is to explore as much as possible , not only to discover new locations and dungeons, but also to get to know Ashenfall and its inhabitants better. During my deer-hunting session, perched atop a hill, I stumbled across a chest brimming with abundant resources and, nearby, found a discarded sheet of paper detailing a snippet of the area's history. After that discovery, I paid closer attention to my surroundings, delving deeper and pausing to observe the landscape in search of something useful, and I can say I've been frequently rewarded by my curiosityD can say I've been frequently rewarded by my curiosity.

Nice to look at... but mostly to listen to

In RuneScape: Dragonwilds, exploration is another fundamental element of the experience, even though the world wasn’t built in the most refined way. The game world, in fact, appears rather uninspired and the environments are all a bit too similar to each other, aspects that, over time, may lead to a certain monotony during exploration. In this regard, the title strongly resembles classic online role-playing games, where environmental design is often relegated to second place compared to everything else. Likewise the graphics are quite simplistic and basic, but I believe this gives the game that particular touch which allows it to be recognisable and, above all, memorable.

The game's interface is fairly intuitive, though I struggled a bit getting used to the layout of the keys dedicated to different actions, like opening the map, entering creation mode, and so on. This is because the game offers a genuinely wide range of possibilities and, as a result, the interface needs to fit a large number of commands into a relatively small space. Nevertheless, after a bit of practice you get used to it and navigating through the various functions becomes much easier.

The strong point, however, and I can say it with absolute certainty, is the soundtrack, accompanied by a overall audio treatment truly well-craftedI really appreciated the sounds tied to gathering various materials — it might sound odd, but I find these details very important: the sound of stone being collected, the rustle of trees being uprooted and branches being gathered. As for the overall soundtrack, it evokes that solemn, historical atmosphere typical of fantasy games. solemnity and historicity typical of fantasy games set in a fantasy context. The animal and enemy vocalisations are also very realistic and blend seamlessly into the environment.

Unity makes strength

RuneScape: Dragonwilds can be played calmly in single-player mode, using the Creative mode to fully express your building creativity, without being constantly interrupted by enemies or other external factors. The game also offers the option to tackle the main adventure in multiplayer with friends... Creative mode to fully express your building creativity, without being constantly interrupted by enemies or other external factors. The game also offers the option to tackle the main adventure in multiplayer with friends... or with other players who create their own worlds accessible to others. The title supports crossplay, allowing you to compete in matches even with players on a different platform from ours.

The multiplayer in RuneScape: Dragonwilds is certainly very useful, especially as you progress through the campaign, when enemies start to become more hostile and material gathering begins to become truly too repetitive and lengthy. Playing online with other players is therefore not merely an added form of entertainment, but can also prove essential for progressing through the game more quickly and avoiding extremely long, identical sessions of material gathering.

Survival mission: completed!

It's time to sum up. What can I say about RuneScape: Dragonwilds? Well, it’s managed to do something I didn’t expect: win me over to a genre I thought I was completely uninterested in. The game isn’t without flaws, especially regarding some ambiguity in the combat system and the variety of environments, but the balanced progression, the freedom granted to the player, and the opportunity to build and explore have gradually won me over. In short, perhaps this time survival has found the right person. After all, I’ve survived!