RuneScape has been around for quite some time at this point: 25 years, to be exact. Not only is that most of my life, but it also means I’ve been playing it for most of my life, on and off, of course, just like everyone else. Despite its age, there haven’t been too many enormous changes to the core formula. Old School RuneScape brought back the version many of us grew up with, while RuneScape itself evolved into a more modern experience, complete with daily tasks, a wealth of quests, and plenty of additional content. Now, though, we have RuneScape: Dragonwilds, which takes the familiar world and ideas of RuneScape in an entirely new direction.

Suddenly, dragon!

So, let’s start with what longtime fans will recognise in Dragonwilds. Familiar characters such as the Wise Old Man and Doric return to help you explore these new lands, while skills including Agility, Crafting, and Woodcutting make a comeback as well. Just like before, you level them up simply by performing their respective activities.

There are also Books of Knowledge, similar to the Temple Trekking rewards in Old School RuneScape, which grant XP towards specific skills. These are usually earned as quest rewards or discovered inside chests. And yes, quests return too. Almost immediately, you’ll recognise familiar names such as The Restless Ghost and Dragon Slayer, although their Dragonwilds incarnations feature a few more steps than you might remember.

Honestly, an absolute nuisance.

One of the most interesting parts of Dragonwilds is getting to see some of these familiar enemies in full detail. That includes kebbits, which you’ll encounter almost immediately, as well as a green dragon that seems determined to be an absolute menace whenever it gets the chance.

I’m not joking about that, either. I was casually wandering around when, all of a sudden, I found myself standing in a pool of poison because apparently a dragon thought that would be funny. I did not. On the bright side, friendly fire exists, so the attack also cleared out a bunch of goblins for me. Can’t complain too much about that!

You wanna go, bro!?

So, let’s talk about what’s actually new. Dragonwilds isn’t another MMO, but rather a survival game with a world you can share with up to three other players. You can create multiple characters, with their items and progression carrying over between worlds. So, if you can’t be bothered creating a world of your own and would rather jump into someone else’s, that’s completely viable.

The main downside is that fatigue is another stat you need to keep track of, meaning you’ll eventually want to build a house with a bed or bedroll. Technically, you can just wander into someone else’s house and sleep there, since all you really need is a roof over your head, but I don’t live that nomad life… yet. You’ll also need to manage food and water. Both deplete more slowly near your home, but once you head out adventuring, they can disappear surprisingly quickly.

All the skills you love, now handled just a little differently.

Just like in other survival games, everything you use in Dragonwilds can eventually break. That includes your tools, weapons, armour, and even your wand after enough spellcasting. Thankfully, repairing equipment isn’t difficult, although you will need a crafting bench to do so. Those can be built pretty much anywhere, so as long as you pay even a little attention to your equipment’s condition, durability shouldn’t become too much of a nuisance while you’re out exploring.

Speaking of exploring, dungeons are optional side activities you can stumble across while wandering the world. They’re packed with enemies such as constructs, plenty of chests to loot, and, of course, a boss waiting at the end. It wouldn’t be much of a dungeon without one, right? As you progress, these dungeons become particularly important, as they provide the higher level resources needed to craft better weapons, armour, and tools.

While I believe the music is new for Dragonwilds, it feels very reminiscent of both Old School RuneScape and RuneScape. The battle themes are intense, the overworld music is appropriately calming, and the title theme is suitably epic. It all fits perfectly with the game and the series it belongs to. The various animal sounds are distinct as well. The only thing really missing is voice acting, but it’s not like Old School RuneScape has that either. Besides, hearing some of these characters speak without someone like TehNoobShow voicing them might have felt a little strange anyway.

Fishing is always the first skill for new players, but it takes longer to get started here.

In conclusion, RuneScape: Dragonwilds is a ton of fun. Survival games usually aren’t my thing, but Dragonwilds manages to feel familiar while also being simple enough for someone like me who isn’t overly familiar with the genre. Being able to create a world for you and your friends is great, while the option to join other players online and carry your character progression between worlds makes everything feel much less restrictive. The roadmap looks incredible, and I can’t wait to see how the game continues to grow. As it stands, though, this is everything I wanted Dragonwilds to be and then some.

RuneScape: Dragonwilds is available now on Nintendo Switch 2, PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series S|X.

Reviewed on Nintendo Switch 2.

A copy of RuneScape: Dragonwilds was provided by the publisher.