RuneScape: The First 20 Years Review

January 29, 2022 at 7:21pm
By Jason Stettner

I honestly can’t believe it’s already been twenty years of RuneScape. A game I played when I was quite young, revisited slightly when it was revamped and then gave another look when the classic original arrived on mobile. I also hope for a console port someday, that would be majestic. Persoanl connection aside; this is quite a lovely look at the core, development and culture surrounding the magical world of RuneScape.

From behind the scenes art design, to where things are headed in the future and also the fans that keep it going. There’s a little bit of everything here making it a complete celebrate of the iconic free to play MMORPG that has dominated for ever so long. When you first open this journey you’re greeted with a very simple, yet elegant map of the world. It’s come a long way over the years, and while surprising I honestly can’t think of a better initial opening to be greeted with.

It’s just a charming simple map, a huge land. At that point we get opening details, then a foreword from Phil Mansell, CEO of Jagex to really kick start things off. The book is then split into a number of chapters that each fable the overall journey that this game has gone on. From humble beginnings to more complex upgrades and past that the future of where things are headed. It really did; at least for me, cover it all.

This is of course a hard cover large offering that is just stuffed with pages. It’s a hefty, full history of the game and I feel it did practically cover everything it could. The layout of the design is just fantastic with pages filled to the brim with explanatory text and then accompanying images.

You were given both written context and then beautiful art displays. These ranged from in-game screenshots to concept art to the very initial designs that eventually went into the characters and world. From the boss fights, to party hats and each of the unique little elements that make up RuneScape.

It felt like everything was accounted for and I most certainly enjoyed going through it. A certain level of nostalgia, supported by seeing some of the upgrades that I wasn’t even fully present for over the years. It’s really quite fascinating to take in.

The Conclusion

RuneScape: The First 20 Years, an illustrated history that beautifully captures the spirit of the game and celebrates it with deeply detailed pages. This is simply a must have for dedicated fans that want something to mark this important step within the history of the game. It covers all of the key bases, presenting detailed showcases of behind the scenes information. It also dives into elements that connect with the fans, tells the overall story of the game over the twenty years and then finishes with where they’re heading with it.

It was an excellent experience that I thoroughly enjoyed going through. It provided me the right amount of nostalgia, and learning in regards to understanding some aspects from a behind the scenes perspective. It’s a great viewing, and it really was just stuffed with things to learn. Not to mention great imagery and some excellent layouts that were rather enticing to the eyes.

RuneScape: The First 20 Years Book Review
Author: Alex Calvin
ISBN: 9781506721255
Review Copy Provided by Penguin Random House Canada

Rating Overall: 9.2