This week, we’re dusting off the ancient scrolls of MMORPG history with The Realm Online. Often hailed as one of the first publicly playable MMORPGs, The Realm is a true pioneer of the genre. Developed and published by Sierra On-Line, it launched in December 1996, back when “MMORPG” wasn’t even a term yet—they were known as Graphical MUDs or Multi-User Dungeons.

Throughout its long lifespan, The Realm Online has changed hands between multiple publishers and even faced closure in June 2023. But fear not! The game was given a second life by a new publisher, reopening with the Despothe’s Grove server—a free-to-play classic server where you might even be able to dust off your old login credentials. There’s also a new paid server under regular development, promising to retain the original game’s charm while introducing revolutionary updates and new features.

Now, let’s talk about what makes The Realm stand out. First, we have the beautiful hand-drawn 2D graphics, which bring a nostalgic charm to the game. Back in its heyday, it featured a unique turn-based combat system that was particularly convenient for players dealing with dial-up internet connections, allowing for more strategic gameplay. And yes, you can even engage in PvP combat, adding a thrilling competitive edge to the experience.

In its prime, The Realm Online boasted tens of thousands of paid subscribers and was famous for hosting in-game events organized by voluntary staff. Players could participate in various activities and earn Coppers—a special currency used to buy housing decorations.

Join me as we explore this iconic game that paved the way for the MMORPGs we know and love today! I’ll be playing on the classic server to experience the nostalgic feeling that The Realm players cherish and remember.

Alright, adventurers, let’s dive into the heart of The Realm Online—the gameplay. We’ll start with the character creation process, a delightful journey that lets you sculpt your virtual alter ego with surprising depth. You can customize your character’s appearance, slap on a personal title, and weave a bio that gives life to your in-game persona. You also get to choose a race and class, plus decide if you’re going to be a hero or a villain. Your choice even influences whether certain enemies will help or harm you in the open world.

Character Creation

One critical aspect of character creation is assigning your character’s attributes. This part was a real frustration point for many players back in the day. There’s no going back, no reset button—so if you don’t get it right, you could be at a disadvantage compared to other players. Without the aid of online guides, figuring out the optimal setup was a real adventure, and often by the time you did, it was too late to change it. But hey, at least you can show off your rare gear! Your character’s appearance evolves with each new piece of equipment, making rare hats and sashes badges of honor for long-time players.

Early Game Experience

As you step into the game, you’re greeted with a brief introduction. You read a tutorial book and hand it to an NPC to get started. Quests are few and far between, and while I managed to complete a couple, the game isn’t really about questing. Hilariously, most NPCs will turn you down if you offer help. Note to self: remember to drag items to NPCs to complete quests!

Combat and Levelling

Combat and levelling in The Realm is an intriguing mix of turn-based strategy and build optimization. You have the option to charge or attack, though for solo players, the difference might not be immediately noticeable. When things get hairy, you can try to evade early in a fight, but once you’re locked in, escaping becomes a real challenge. Items like food, drinks, potions, and orbs can be lifesavers, offering various benefits such as healing or temporarily immobilizing your enemies.

Spellcasting is a whole other level, requiring you to invest in and learn the various magical arts. These spells can provide powerful effects, including healing, buffs, area-of-effect damage, and crowd control. Your character’s build and gear play a crucial role in combat, with different items offering unique effects that can turn the tide of battle in your favour.

World and Exploration

The Realm is essentially a world of interconnected boxes or cells. You can move north, south, east, and west on the screen unless blocked by walls. Reaching the edge of the screen takes you to the next cell. Towns might consist of 30 cells, each housing a shop or landmark. As an MMO, you’ll encounter other players moving between these boxes in the shared world.

Teleportation between main towns is possible through an NPC who can also teleport you to your house or another player’s house. Exploring beyond town areas leads to various named regions, each suitable for a specific level range with appropriately powered enemies. Typically, the further you venture from a town, the more dangerous the foes you encounter, with chances of discovering secret areas and underground dungeons.

Community and Social Features

It didn’t take long before I interacted with the community in The Realm. The Ivory Moon Café is the go-to spot, and I guarantee that if you log in now, you’ll find President in his usual seat, surrounded by items left by players for new adventurers. The community is small, with only 30-40 players online during peak hours (with more on the new server), but incredibly friendly and welcoming. Everyone knows each other, forming a tight-knit community that feels rare in modern MMOs.

Special shoutout to Blackwizz, who was my guiding light throughout my journey in The Realm. They helped with gear, build tips, hunting areas, and gear enchantments. And it’s not just me they help; any new face is welcomed with open arms, making this community truly special. It brings back fond memories of the early days in Tibia, where we’d spend hours just standing around and chatting.

The main game mechanic of The Realm Online is levelling and progressing your character. On the classic server I played on, the max level is 1000, although on the newer updated server, it’s capped at just 100. To level up, you need to defeat enemies and earn experience points. Each time you level up, your health increases, and you earn build points, which are essential for improving your skills. Skills can be enhanced by looting skill books or purchasing them from shops. Be cautious about spending your build points, as I’m pretty sure there’s no way to reclaim them once used.

I focused on increasing my Mace skill to level 4, then boosting my Crit to level 5 before maxing out Mace at level 5. Afterward, I moved on to Thaumaturge to start learning support spells. You’ll need to increase your skill within a magic type to learn each individual spell, and let me tell you, it’s worth investing build points into Sorcery for the “Go Home” spell.

One of the quirkiest parts of levelling is that it’s faster if you multibox. This involves opening a second client with another account and character, then grouping them together. Have the second character follow your main, and you’ll gain a lot more experience. At higher levels, this becomes especially beneficial. For example, pairing a Warrior with a Wizard allows the Warrior to charge in and pummel enemies while the Wizard sits back, casting spells to immobilize or heal. I was sceptical at first, but I eventually caved and did it to push to level 100 and beyond.

You have to be careful when hunting! At level 66, I found myself battling Bounty Hunters and accidentally engaged one while wearing a Zerserk Helmet. This helmet makes you rush and smash enemies before they can react—great when pulverizing foes, not so great when you accidentally attack a Bounty Hunter with a pet snake. They killed me and stole my prized Mace, leaving me unable to continue until I acquired another weapon. It’s hard to know when enemies are grouped together, try to avoid fighting these as much as possible.

The Realm also features player housing, which is quite impressive given its age. Players can sometimes visit your house and throw items onto your lawn. I once had someone deliver a new mace after mine was stolen by that damn snake. Back in the day, players could use invisibility to sneak into your house while the front door was open and wait for you to unlock your chest, which serves as your bank. If you accidentally left your doors or boxes unlocked, people could walk in and steal from you—hence the addition of the evict button.

It’s not just housing that’s instanced in The Realm. As you wander around, you’ll occasionally stumble upon different dungeons. These are group-based instances where you can team up with others. Some dungeons require level 1000 and a group of six to tackle, providing truly challenging endgame content. Completing dungeons and defeating enemies in various areas can yield new gear and rare items, crucial for strengthening your character. However, I found it concerning that the main endgame content is often completed solo by one person multiboxing six characters due to a lack of trust over loot. Killing enemies provides a shared loot pool that anyone can pick up.

To survive in The Realm, you’ll need to regularly eat and drink. If you don’t, you’ll eventually perish, adding a survival element to the game. There are spells and items to prevent hunger and thirst, which I assume is how the President chap we mentioned earlier manages to stay online 24/7.

The economy in the game seems almost non-existent. Players typically give items to each other which is possible by dragging items onto someone after they have wrote the command /give, but there’s no formal trading system or marketplace. In the past, players used middlemen to facilitate trades. While the economy is lacking, making money isn’t difficult. NPCs buy everything you can pick up, so it’s easy to sell items to them. It’s always nice to pay it forward—players are happy to help and provide items, so when you no longer need gear, leaving it for the next new player is a kind gesture.

The Realm is such an easy and casual game to pick up in 2024, largely due to the availability of the best builds, gear, and information, as well as the helpful community. While much of the game feels simple, there are intricate layers of complexity beneath the surface. From learning weaponsmithing and enchanting gear to mastering complex builds, stats, and combat strategies, The Realm offers depth and detail that can mean the difference between life and death later in the game.

Before diving into The Realm Online, I expected to play for just a couple of hours and be done with it, assuming there wouldn’t be any players online. To my surprise, there was an active chat with players discussing the game, builds, information, and where to find shops and craft gear. I was genuinely surprised to see such activity. While the community isn’t large, it’s incredibly welcoming and comfortable to join, which is a big factor in the enjoyment of the game.

Reflecting on this game now has opened my eyes to the level of tech available in the late ’90s. Seeing features like instanced dungeons and player housing were the two biggest surprises. I did not expect a game created so long ago to have the technical capabilities or the connection speed and infrastructure to perform these kinds of tasks. The game runs smoothly with no lag, which is impressive.

What’s really cool is seeing how many elements in this MMORPG have become fundamental parts of virtually every game released since. The only disappointment with The Realm Online is that it hasn’t been fully maintained. Although it might mostly appeal to an older, nostalgic audience, it deserves much more love and attention due to its place in MMORPG history.

When it comes to graphics and sound, The Realm Online is definitely showing its age. However, the fact that all content is hand-drawn is impressive in its own right. The sounds can become somewhat annoying after a while, but the dynamic soundscapes that change as you move through different areas and biomes add a nice touch. The world-building showcases diverse landscapes, including forests, deserts, towns, and dungeons. Each region is designed to offer unique challenges and experiences suited to specific character levels, which adds depth to exploration.

The game’s mechanics are generally straightforward, but things become much more detailed and strategic as you progress into harder content and face more difficult enemies. The controls are simple, involving mostly point-and-click movements, and most actions require you to click on-screen prompts. For new players, the game is easy to pick up, thanks in large part to its helpful and friendly community.

Regarding story and lore, The Realm doesn’t have an overly detailed narrative. Instead, you’ll find numerous books and NPC dialogues that provide insights into the world. You can ask NPCs what they think of their town or inquire about rumours, but these interactions remain largely static. The game is set in a mythical world filled with magic, mythical creatures, and medieval elements. Its lore is built around classic fantasy tropes, where your main quest is to defeat monsters, align as good or evil and discover treasures. As one of the earliest MMORPGs, the game has historical significance in the development of online multiplayer games. Its lore is less about a specific narrative and more about its place in the evolution of online gaming.

Much of the game’s culture is shaped by its players, who form a close-knit community. The social aspect is a core part of the game, with players often engaging in cooperative activities, chatting, and helping each other. Joining in on a couple of instanced dungeons was a fantastic experience, showcasing how combat functions differently in a six-person group.

Due to its history and unique features, The Realm was a trendsetter for the entire MMORPG genre, pioneering many elements that became staples in later MMOs. The game’s innovation, ability to build lifelong memories, and continued operation today must be considered. My rating for this game is 67 out of 100 on my MMORPG rating scale. This scale considers ten key factors but also accounts for when the game was created, benchmarking it as I would have if I had played it in the ’90s, rather than comparing it to modern MMOs.

At its core, The Realm Online has an undeniable charm that makes it a genuinely enjoyable experience. Improving your gear, leveling up, gaining build points to enhance your skills, exploring new zones, defeating new enemies, and tackling more challenging content and dungeons—all contribute to a progressive gameplay loop that feels rewarding. You’re constantly growing and improving, complemented by a community that genuinely loves and cares for the game.

The Realm wouldn’t be the same without its players and the memories they bring. This is a game that I genuinely see myself continuing to play in the future. After grinding to level 200, I’m just 20% of the way to the max level. While the game may appear visibly dated and simple on the surface, it’s much more complex and detailed behind the scenes than it initially seems. With nearly three decades of existence, most of what needs to be known in The Realm is already known, and the community is more than happy to share their knowledge to help you progress more efficiently.

If you love MMORPGs and want to experience the nostalgia and community dynamics that you simply don’t find in modern-day MMORPGs, and see where it all began, I highly recommend picking up and playing The Realm Online. This game is iconic and a real piece of MMORPG genre history, and it’s still fun to play even in 2024.

I would love to hear your memories of The Realm Online, and for those who have never played it, what are your thoughts on this innovative piece of MMORPG history? We’ll be back next week with another nostalgic trip through MMORPG history.

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