RuneScape creator returns with brand-new RPG you can play free now

The original creator of RuneScape has just released a brand new, free-to-play game on Steam - and in classic RuneScape fashion, you could easily run this thing on a PC with specs equivalent to a toaster.

Brighter Shores is a “point-and-click style RPG” from developer Fen Research, a studio that was founded back in 2010 by Andrew Gower; lead developer and co-founder of Jagex, who developed the original version of RuneScape back in 2001.

You only need to take one look at the trailer on the Steam page for Brighter Shores to see the RuneScape influences at play, but some users have clearly come away from the experience disappointed with how much it differs (based on the “Mixed” review score on Steam).

Take a look at the game in action below.

It seems the main issue that players aren’t too fond of is the progression system, as levelling your skills is only possible in very specific areas. It also sounds like there are some re-grinding aspects at play here, as you’ll have to “attune” your gear in new areas - which essentially means that you’ll go into new encounters with none of your levelled gear.

I thought the most interesting review was this one from a user named Huknar, who stated, “There are four areas currently, each area having a bunch of skills you can train there and only there. This means you wont be woodcutting around Hopeport, and you wont be fishing in Hopeforest.”

“For the RuneScape players,” they continued, “it's a bit like only being able to fish in Catherby and nowhere else in the game, or only woodcutting in Lumbridge Swamp. It's artificial and robs the game of interplay between skills and areas which makes for fun game design.”

That being said, the recommended specs are reminiscent of the original RuneScape experience.

To play Brighter Shores, you’ll only need a PC with a “Intel i3 or AMD equivalent” processor, “DirectX 11 capable graphics with at least 2GB RAM” equivalent graphics card and 8 GB of RAM. Pretty sure the Nintendo Alarmo could run this game.

Negative reviews aside, Brighter Shores is a free early-access title, so I highly suggest just giving it a go if you like the look of it. If you enjoy what’s on offer now, then you’re sure to love what the developers have in store for players once the full release of the game comes out.