The MMORPG Runescape is receiving its biggest and perhaps most important expansion yet – Menaphos: The Golden City. For more than 10 years, the gates to the Egyptian city remained closed. Now fans can finally explore it. The expansion completely transforms the style of the MMORPG and makes it more welcoming for casual gamers. Our author Leya had the opportunity to visit the developers in England and take a look around Menaphos. She spoke with lead developer David Osborne about the changes.
Runescape is a classic. Jagex released the MMORPG in 2001 as a free browser game. Since then, Runescape has undergone several transformations and now offers monthly memberships. While the base game remains free, anyone who wants access to all the content has to pay. Many of the current players are long-time fans. In total, the MMORPG boasts 250 million players, with 2 million logging in monthly.
Runescape simply has a certain charm and cult. Some MMO fans may associate it with pure nostalgia.
Now Jagex is completely rebooting its game with its biggest expansion yet and opening the gates to Menaphos, the Golden City.
Runescape: The gates of the Golden City Menaphos are now open
The gates to Menaphos have been opened by Jagex. Menaphos is a city reminiscent of Egypt and has been in the game for 12 years. Fans have long wondered what secrets lie behind the city’s doors. Although Menaphos has been part of Runescape for ages, players have had to stay outside until now.
Those who walk through the great gates find a city bathed in golden light. There are pyramids, Egyptian gods, hanging gardens, palm trees, and camels. Players enter the city as outsiders. Guards block their way, and they must earn the trust of the inhabitants to explore the city in detail. Those who embark on the adventure will uncover the secrets of the city and find its hidden treasures.
With the release of Menaphos, Jagex sets a starting point for many major expansions to come. From now on, expansions will be released every three months that will unlock new, massive areas. These will be available to players at no additional cost.
All that glitters is not gold – A mysterious corruption is rampant
Menaphos shines in a golden glow, the sun is high over the metropolis, and there is a colorful hustle and bustle. However, the city harbors a dark secret that players must uncover. A mysterious corruption is plaguing the golden city and its inhabitants.
The player constantly finds themselves in a battle against the Pharaoh and the corruption. They form a rebellion, exploring the tombs beneath the city and a new berserker dungeon.
The theme of corruption has been woven throughout the story of the MMORPG for over 12 years.
Crondis is one of the desert deities in Runescape. She has the body of a woman and the head of a crocodile. Her task was to guide souls to the afterlife and judge them. Who is allowed into the afterlife, and whose soul will be destroyed? Those souls steeped in wickedness were consumed by Crondis. This has changed the goddess over the years and corrupted her. This transformation lies at the core of the Menaphos story that the player explores.
Lead developer David “Mod” Osborne revealed in an interview that the player is constantly in danger and can even fall victim to a corruption mechanic.
Puzzling instead of killing – Menaphos brings the casual 5-minute dungeon
With Menaphos comes a new type of dungeon where players do not even have to fight. They can enter the tombs beneath the metropolis and must find their way out within 5 minutes.
In those 5 minutes, as much loot as possible is collected. Solo or in a group, players enter the underground, shatter vases, solve small puzzles, and mine gigantic crystals. Only those who get back out within 5 minutes may keep their loot. The ultimate goal is to drive the corruption out from within the city. The catacombs can be entered by mid- and high-level players.
Players no longer wanted weekly updates – Something big had to happen
For many, many years, there were weekly mini-updates in Runescape, and the community has grown tired of them. It would have been possible to build the city gradually. First, they could have created the market, then the large pyramid, and finally the harbor. However, the developers did not want that. Players should immediately have the opportunity to explore the entire city.
Menaphos is the largest city that Runescape has ever seen. It is possible to enter every house, talk to every character, and there are many hidden secrets. Osborne mentioned that players who discover these secrets first will be given a place in the spotlight. They will be mentioned in livestreams or even receive a small place in the ongoing story of Runescape.
In a 2016 survey, players stated that they desired large and significant updates that represent a massive expansion. That’s why Jagex has completely overhauled its system and will now only offer major expansions.
According to Osborne, however, the weekly updates were a good preparation for the massive. Menaphos has been in development since December 2016 and has now been completed and released in June. The team is used to working quickly under high pressure.
“Our players are changing, we had to change too”
Many of the Runescape players have remained loyal to the MMORPG for years. The average player has been around for more than 7 years. Players are getting older and have different needs that Jagex now has to and wants to address.
Time has become a rare commodity, and players often cannot spend 6 hours on a raid anymore. That’s why with Menaphos, players are given options to allocate their time as they wish. There are still extensive dungeons for hours-long raids and boss battles. But there is also the quick 5-minute puzzle dungeon for casual enjoyment.
All these changes likely make Menaphos the most important update in years for Runescape. Jagex has turned Runescape upside down and adapted to modern and slightly older gamers. This has led to a massive expansion and added value to the MMORPG. Nothing has been cut for the sake of saving time.
The Menaphos expansion thus marks a double turning point for Runescape:
- Runescape will in the future focus on major expansions, no longer on mini-updates
- And Runescape will also keep in mind players who want to spend less time in the MMORPG
Indiana Jones atmosphere
Leya says: When Runescape first saw the light of day in 2001, I was 11 years old. At that time, I was still focused on entirely different games and was mainly working on my training to become a Pokémon Master. So I have no nostalgic feelings for Runescape.
At the preview event for Menaphos, I was able to look around the Golden City. At first, I was put off by the outdated graphics, and the interface seemed a bit clunky to me. Nevertheless, I could see a certain charm in Menaphos. I listened to humorous dialogues and was greeted by cheerful music. Everything appears bright and friendly. On the other hand, there is the dark taint of corruption. However, that comes into the background and is more the drive to explore.
After a while, I got the sense of following an Indiana Jones story. Especially in the puzzle catacombs, I expected at any moment to encounter a big rolling stone that would catch me in the next moment. The concept of the 5-minute dungeon worked and encouraged me to try it a few times. Getting faster and better is the incentive here.
Runescape is a game that you probably have to dive deeper into to understand the cult. It is definitely not a game that you start and immediately think you have found the jackpot of MMOs. But those who engage with it will find an imaginative world with a long history, accompanied by British humor.
For anyone who wants to indulge in nostalgia or is simply curious about the classic, here is a link to the official website.
What are your connections to Runescape? Are you one of the long-time fans or is it more of a game of the past for you?
Making MMORPGs more accessible for casual gamers seems to be a trend among developers. Just last week, we reported on the changes in FFXIV. Here too, it had to be realized that players are changing and have less time: Final Fantasy XIV: Zelda is to blame for everything changing with Stormblood.
