Free MMO Review: Dungeon Runners

It's been FOREVER since I've updated this thing. To be honest, I'm not sure why. I remember having a lot of post ideas for the last while, not sure why I didn't actually write them. So thanks to those who are still here.

Free MMO review time! This time it's Dungeon Runners, a free (sort of) MMORPG by NCSoft.

So if you aren't already familiar with this game, I'll go ahead and fill you in. Dungeon Runners is best described as Diablo with a sense of humour The gameplay consists of running around with large weapons in instanced dungeons, killing large quantities of enemies and collecting their loot. There are of course, quests in the game which send you to a certain dungeon in order to accomplish a task. Most of the quests involve stuff like "Kill X of X" and "Find X" and some others. Nothing special, but the quests are somehow enjoyable however repetitive they may be. Questing is also where you make most of your money.

The game is pretty basic. There's 3 classes, Fighter, Ranger and Mage (no explination nessecary) you can play as. You get quests, enter a dungeon, kill monsters, complete quests, and gain experience/loot/cash along the way. The actual combat is a lot of fun. At times, you will have more than 5 enemies on you, and you'll be hacking and slashing away while hitting space occasionally (to heal using potions). It's refreshing and enjoyable.

The game also has some unique things thrown in. One of the major things is the humour. I found it to be actually pretty hilarious at times. They make fun of themselves at times as well as the fantasy genre and it makes you chuckle while playing. I'm not a huge fan of humour in games but in Dungeon Runners, it's really well done. Without it's wacky overtones, I don't think this game would be as good.

There's these things called "Waypoint Scrolls" which you can use in the middle of a dungeon to summon a portal back to town. These are REALLY helpful, allowing you to sell your loot/restock/spend money and then get right back into the action.

Although the game is free, there's an optional membership for $5 a month which gives you access to member-only items, more bank space and more EXP and Money. If you ask me, it's a really good deal. You can also buy the retail version and get 6 months of game time as well as the Bling Gnome, a little companion dude who follows you about in dungeons and picks up your gold for you. He can also turn your items into cash on the spot through the process of digestion (heh). 

Overall, I really like this game. It's not a deep experience, but it's fun running around smashing enemies with over-exaggerated weapons. Ideal for you and your buddies who just want to have fun and not spend hours grinding and walking back to your main city to sell stuff.

Awesome (it's... awesome!)
Meh (just okay.)
Sucks (horrible. too many flaws to count)

Graphics: Awesome
^Bright and varied. Everything looks polished and easy on the eyes.
- - -
Gameplay: Awesome
^Fun killing stuff and upgrading your character. The quests are really funny and have unique backround stories, which makes up for the otherwise bland objectives.
- - -
Replayability: Awesome
^Quests keep you busy and there are 100 levels to get through (:O) as well as PvP. Did I mention addictive?
- - -
Sound: Awesome
^Good. Voices are funny as hell.
- - -
Originality: Awesome
^Even though the MMO formula is getting pretty stale, this one keeps it fresh by adding in unique features such as the bling gnome and waypoint scrolls (and the low monthly fee!). 

Final Score: Awesome