While I agree with most, that the graphics are poor, I believe they are ignoring that they are highly sophisticated for their requirements (64 Mb RAM 300MHz).
Beyond that, macro problems have become the main thing that turns people off of Runescape, taking profit away from honest players; however Jagex continues to improve their anti-bot software, and the reports have banned a vast majority of botters (which make the only bot market in the 3rd world).
The game, with 23 skills, adds something that I think is missing from many other MMORPGs; a non-warrior class. You can successfully become a miner and smither; you can mix powerful potions that give great benefits; you can cut down the wood needed for your bows, and build a home that rivals castles (with dungeons that can hoast dozens of creatures!).
The economy is vastly diverse, and is easily a microcasim of real world economics today. (which I am greatly familiar with being a merchant of Obsidian Weaponry and Armoured Capes). Items drop in price as they are new, are dictated in price more by their supply (difficulty to obtain) and demand (the use of the item).
However, the best thing of the game is the consistant updates. Each week or two they add new content to the game. To give a flavour of what they have added just this month:
- Revamped skill sound system
- A new high-level dungeon was added. The large multi-leveled dungeon added 6 new (very) high leveled creatures
- Many barbaric additions to skills (fishing with your hands, lighting fires with bows rather than tinderboxes, new potion mixes, a one handed Hasta (spear).
- Revamped graphics of foul (many varities of birds)
- A slew of smaller suggested updates
Once you get past the slow repetitive low levels, with very little to do, you start opening up hundreds of new items/abilities. RS is definatly worth playing if you like games that are more than just hack and slash.