Old School RuneScape is the gift that keeps on giving for me. The over-decade-old MMO, itself a resurrection of RuneScape’s noughties version, has already seen three new stories drop this year, and the latest has just arrived. As part of the Varlamore saga and the Twilight Emissaries trilogy, Rising Darkness continues the quest to defeat the serpent Hueycoatl.
There’s a valid argument to be made that Old School RuneScape is about as good as MMORPGs get. Few have enjoyed the same longevity and consistency, but Jagex has somehow straddled the line between the old and the new with relative grace. With the three-part tale set in Varlamore, OSRS may well have raised the bar for me once again, especially if the latest update, Rising Darkness, can deliver.
Following on from Children of the Sun and Twilight’s Promise, we venture into Varlamore once more for Rising Darkness, released on Wednesday September 25, 2024. It offers up the next leg of the quest to slay Hueycoatl and find out who’s responsible for the attempts on Servius’ life. The latest boss encounter sees you ascending the Hailstorm Mountains, but you’ll get help from “unexpected allies” along the way. If you complete Rising Darkness, you’ll get a Tome of Earth, a new Dragon Hunter Wand, and the Hueycoatl Hide Armour.
New locations include the island of Aldarin, where you can partake in Herblore activities and upgrade your mixology skillset. You can also take on the Colossal Wyrm Agility Course, which nets you rewards like the Varlamore Graceful Recolour and a new skeleton transmog for your companion.
As always, you’ll need a RuneScape membership to play, which will set you back $59.99 / £44.99 for the year.
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