8 MMOs to play if you like Old School RuneScape

Over a decade after its launch, Old School RuneScape remains one of the biggest MMOs in the world. Jagex’s MMO is great, but sometimes, it’s good to take a break and try something new.

We’re looking at 8 MMOs to play if you like Old School RuneScape. Each title on this list has something to offer that will remind players of OSRS, while remaining great games in their own right.

8. Lost Ark

Much like Old School RuneScape, Lost Ark features a point-and-click movement system, which is pretty rare to find in a modern MMO. That’s largely where the similarities stop, but fans of the genre will undoubtedly have a blast with Lost Ark.

The game’s art style is pretty unique, and it’s got your standard MMO fare with questing, crafting, and endgame raids. Overall though, Lost Ark‘s combat is the star of the show. It’s reminiscent of something like Diablo, where you must chain skills to deal huge damage. These skills are unique depending on your class, offering a ton of replayability to Lost Ark.

7. New World: Aeternum

If the traditional MMO structure is a little stale to you, New World: Aeternum might not change your thoughts much. You know exactly what you’re getting into here if you’ve played games like WoW, but it does it all with such a high production quality that you simply can’t discount it.

The visuals are gorgeous, the combat is free-flowing and engaging, and the main quest is a winner, too. New World: Aeternum also rewards crafting so heavily that its hard to remember any MMO like it. If you put the time in to gather your resources, that’s how you’ll get your endgame gear – no grinding tough bosses and hoping for a random drop here.

6. Palia

If you like the skilling side of Old School RuneScape, then Palia is sure to appeal to your interests. Part life simulator, part MMO, Palia is a cozy game about living off the land in a world alongside your friends.

Fishing, farming, cooking, constructing a home – these gameplay concepts are at the heart of Palia. While RuneScape‘s offerings are more point-and-click and Palia‘s require a more hands-on approach, they’re the same core ideas. If you’re looking for a relaxing MMO, you can do a lot worse than starting a virtual life in Palia.

5. Guild Wars 2

Don’t let Guild Wars 2‘s age fool you. It’s still an MMO well worth trying in 2024, offering plenty of unique experiences you won’t find anywhere else in the genre.

I largely want to hone in on Guild Wars 2‘s Dynamic Events system. It’s such a huge part of the game, replacing the traditional quests you might find in other MMOs. Around the game world, things just… happen. This can be as big as an enormous monster threatening an entire town, for which you’ll need a big group of players to defeat, or it can be as small as a suspicious NPC in a city who leads you to their hidden treasure. Guild Wars 2 is dynamic storytelling at its finest.

4. RuneScape 3

Well, yeah. Obviously. If you’re a fan of Old School RuneScape, there’s a good chance you’ll like RuneScape 3, too. While many series fans are vehemently against the newer game’s modernized combat and aggressive microtransactions, the core gameplay still evokes the classic RuneScape feeling.

The two games have taken different paths, meaning RuneScape 3 has tons of great quests that Old School RuneScape players will have never seen. There are even a few exclusive skills, like Summoning, Divination, Invention, Archaeology, and Necromancy. XP comes much easier in RuneScape 3, too, removing much of the grind aspect of Old School RuneScape skills. Whether that’s a good thing or not is personal preference.

3. Neverwinter

Neverwinter is a classic Dungeons & Dragons MMO, with a huge focus on its engrossing narrative. Sadly, much of the conversation about Neverwinter in recent years has turned to its monetization strategy. It’s a shame, really. As far as MMOs go, few have such an epic main questline, and that deserves to be celebrated.

Many long-time fans of the game have complained about its grind. That word, “grind,” is music to the ears of Old School RuneScape players. They live for the grind. Yearn for it. Yeah, I reckon OSRS players would love Neverwinter.

2. The Elder Scrolls Online

Over 10 years after its launch, The Elder Scrolls Online remains as popular as ever. Its game world of Tamriel evokes serious Old School RuneScape vibes, as do its quests, which are some of the most interesting you’ll find in an MMO.

Elder Scrolls Online‘s world is its biggest strength. Tamriel has so much to see and do, whether that be exploring locations previously seen in the series, grinding levels, or completing Trials, which are ESO‘s 12-player raid dungeons. If you like Old School RuneScape, I feel pretty safe in saying you’ll enjoy this one.

1. Albion Online

It only takes a cursory glance at Albion Online to see why it might appeal to fans of Old School RuneScape. Visually, its graphics style draws an immediate comparison to OSRS, but the similarities aren’t just surface level.

Albion Online is classless, just like Old School RuneScape. This means that your character’s strengths are defined by your actions rather than an arbitrary choice you make at the start of the game. There’s also the player-driven economy, with all items in the game being gathered or created by players. This is perfect for Old School RuneScape Ironman players who don’t mind facing a grind.