As a seasoned MMORPG player with over two decades of gaming under my belt, let me tell you about my firsthand experience with Brighter Shores and how it compares to Runescape. Now, don’t get me wrong, I’ve spent countless hours questing, battling, and exploring the lands of Gielinor, but Brighter Shores has managed to carve out its unique identity in the MMORPG realm.
At long last, “Brighter Shores” has hit the shelves, a creation by the esteemed Andrew Gower known for his work on “Runescape”. However, one might wonder, what sets these two games apart?
As a gamer diving into two MMORPGs crafted by the same mastermind, Gower, it’s easy to think, “Well, isn’t this just a fresh take on Runescape?” But hold on to your gaming chair, because these games have more differences than you might initially expect!
In this piece, we’ll discuss the key points that distinguish Brighter Shores from Runescape.
Every Notable Difference Between Brighter Shores and Runescape
Episodic Structure
One major point of debate between Brighter Shores and Runescape lies in the fact that Brighter Shores presents its content in a series-like, or episodic, structure.
In simpler terms, each new area or region you encounter is like a separate chapter or episode within the game. This means that unlike Runescape where the world isn’t as divided, this game has a more segmented structure. Moreover, it’s essential to note that the professions or skills you can choose are connected to these episodes. For instance, in the first episode (Hopeport), only Fisher is available, while Miner is the only option in the third episode (Mine of Mantuban).
For the benefit of those who might be unfamiliar, in Runescape, Professions are essentially equivalent to Skills. They function similarly, and while they have different names, such as ‘Cooking’ in Runescape being referred to as ‘Chef’ in Brighter Shores.
It’s important to point out that even a fundamental combat class like the Guard in Episode 1 is considered a Profession. Additionally, your equipment aligns with your combat Profession, so it doesn’t transfer between Episodes. As a result, you essentially have to begin every Episode anew, without any retained skills or gear.
However, this doesn’t mean that your progress is deleted. There’s a common misconception that your progress gets reset, but that’s not quite what happens. It simply is saved separately for each “Episode”. You can always return to a previous Episode whenever you wish and you’ll have all of your Profession progress. Plus, you get to carry items like consumables and materials between Episodes.
One advantage of this structure is that it allows each section to have its unique character, which in turn helps prevent the game from bombarding newcomers with too many features all at once. This organization should make Brighter Shores feel more inviting for both novice and casual gamers.
Legendary Class System
In contrast to Runescape, where there’s no class system as players progress without restrictions, Brighter Shores employs a more blended approach, often referred to as a hybrid system.
Every episode, you’ll engage in a fundamental combat class, much like professions, which we discussed earlier. But there’s more! You’ll also have the exciting opportunity to select one out of three distinctive Factions: the Cryoknights, Guardians, or Hammermages. Choosing a Faction will grant you a permanent, Legendary Class tied to that group. These Factions and their Legendary Classes are what make your gaming experience truly unique!
At present, these Legendary Classes don’t have much differentiation from each other. For now, they only determine the type of elemental damage you inflict during battles. Yet, the developers assure us that this class system is poised for growth alongside the game’s development. As time progresses, the classes will develop unique characteristics and there may even be additional classes introduced in the future!
For comprehensive information on the three Factions and their respective classes, take a look at which class might suit you best in the game.
Rooms and Grid-Based Exploration
In Brighter Shores, I find myself navigating through a more partitioned way of discovery compared to Runescape. It’s not only about the episodic progression we talked about earlier, but also within the distinct areas you traverse.
Instead of being one vast, open world, each region is made up of several interconnected “chamber” areas. These chambers are not just exits to other chambers without any delay screens, but remain separate entities. This design choice gives the game a classic RPG ambiance that has an endearing quality. As you venture into more chambers, your in-game map will grow and become more detailed!
Beyond just improving the gameplay experience, this feature also contributes significantly to the game’s multiplayer connectivity. By creating separate instances for each room, it ensures that no room becomes excessively populated or unnecessarily empty, thereby maintaining a balanced player count in your gaming environment.
To provide some clarity, the game’s movements are organized on a grid-like structure rather than allowing free roaming. This resembles a Tactical Role-Playing Game more closely, so keep in mind that your character’s movement is somewhat restricted, but it’s an aspect worth mentioning for sure!
No Ticks
For those well-versed in Runescape, it’s essential to know that the game’s network operates on a “tick” system, where server cycles occurred every 0.6 seconds. Consequently, all actions within the game would only transpire at the onset of these ticks rather than responding instantaneously in real-time.
Instead of employing a queuing system like many other elements do, Brighter Shores chooses a real-time response system that initiates actions immediately rather than waiting for the next tick. This design choice makes the game more reactive and responsive, which is typical of most contemporary MMORPGs, so fans of this genre should be familiar with this play style.
Lesser Combat Focus
In my perspective, when compared to Runescape, Brighter Shores currently leans more towards non-combat elements. As the game evolves, this balance might shift, but for now, it’s evident that it offers a distinct experience.
In this game, the combat system is simplified significantly, offering minimal skills for now. Consequently, it plays more like an auto-battler where you primarily worry about using Potions when necessary. Moreover, there’s barely any distinction between character classes at present, making them feel similar to play. Additionally, battles are currently one-on-one encounters, which contributes to the overall simplicity of the gameplay experience.
Essentially, some hardcore MMORPG enthusiasts might find the basic combat too simplistic, which could potentially deter them. On the other hand, this simpler gameplay style could appeal to players looking for a more casual, laid-back gaming experience instead of a challenging hardcore RPG.
Monetization
Last but not least, it’s time to talk about the monetization. It’s a pretty big difference between Brighter Shores and the newest versions of Runescape, after all, especially Runescape 3.
Unlike Runescape, Brighter Shores does not include microtransactions. Instead, it operates on a subscription model known as the Premium Pass. Subscribing to this pass grants access to several features, including player trades and additional Episodes (currently Episodes 3 and 4).
However, you can also play the game for free without spending a dime. Episodes 1 and 2 are currently free, so you only need the Premium Pass if you wish to play Episodes 3 and 4. Considering how the Episodic structure works for this game, though, the game also sidesteps the issue of being pay-to-win. After all, all of your Episodes 3 and 4 combat progress stays exclusively within those Episodes!
It remains uncertain whether the developers will follow through on their promise and maintain this lenient monetization approach. However, they appear determined to steer clear of exploiting the game with excessive monetization tactics, given the intense backlash against microtransactions in Runescape 3 from many players.
To wrap up, that concludes our comparison between Brighter Shores and Runescape. Although Brighter Shores is often considered a spiritual successor, it distinctly carves its own niche, offering numerous unique aspects. Some of these differences have garnered mixed opinions, but they certainly set Brighter Shores apart from its predecessor.
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2024-11-08 12:07