I love a good fantasy RPG. Be it the dirty streets of Dragon Age: Origins’ Ferelden, or the sprawling emerald plains of World of Warcraft’s Elywnn Forest, there’s nothing quite like immersing yourself in a universe brimming with magic, mayhem, and endless possibility. For many, RuneScape is that universe, which is why it still manages to stand tall amid a slew of competitor MMORPGs 23 years down the line. But we wouldn’t have RuneScape if not for Andrew Gower, its original creator, and he’s back with a brand new point-and-click RPG called Brighter Shores.
This is Adothria, and you are the Hopeport City Guard’s newest recruit. As expected, you’re tasked with saving the world and ridding the realm of all things nasty while simultaneously tending to your citizens needs. Brighter Shores‘ action is episodic, with each new chapter unlocking a new region, various new professions and gear, as well as new story content.
There’s a big focus on professions, which, much like other fantasy RPGs, allow you to hone in on specific crafts such as fishing and woodcutting. While MMORPGs like Final Fantasy 14 require you to level said skills in-game, Brighter Shores allows you to level your professions while idle, meaning you won’t have to commit hours and hours of your time.
Saving time is one of Brighter Shores’ core tenets. As someone who loves World of Warcraft and FF14 but often feels left behind because I can’t dedicate 12 hours anymore (sometimes I miss lockdown), this is a huge selling point for me. You can complete the Brighter Shores narrative in your own time, level your gear naturally, and take a relatively relaxed approach to the entire experience without the panic of being stuck in traffic as the new raid launches (I’m over that one, I promise).
But, if you’re looking for a new forever game, Fen Resources says that the game’s breath of stories, professions, and exploration is more than enough to keep you busy. The team is dedicated to releasing new episodes “for years to come,” and that sounds pretty good to me.
Brighter Shores is available in early access right now. It’s entirely free to play, and you can check it out here.
Note that the game does include a Premium Pass, which unlocks all of the current content, gives you exclusive armor dyes, allows you to change your in-game name at any time, and unlocks player trading when it becomes available. Similar to World of Warcraft, the Bright Shores Premium Pass is sold in monthly increments: 30 days costs $5.99, 90 comes in at $23.99, and an entire year is $74.99.
If you, like me, love all things magical, we’ve got a list of all the best fantasy games right here. Alternatively, if you’re looking for something as massively multiplayer as RuneScape, check out our list of all the best free MMORPGs.
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