Fantasy-themed game “RuneScape” has been around so long that you’ve no doubt heard about it if you pay any attention to the gaming world.

For many of us, it was our first introduction to an MMORPG — massively multi-player online role playing game.

Being available in a browser, free and undemanding enough to play on something as slow as DSL, it was no wonder it took off like it did.

First introduced by developers Jagex in 2001, “RuneScape” was very much a “The Little Engine That Could” story.

Developing games in a browser had its severe limitations and it showed in the game’s dated 2D graphics and boring, static combat.

It was then in mid-2004 that Jagex updated to an entirely 3D game world, although the MIDI (awful sounding “computer” instruments) soundtrack and combat were still boring as ever.

Truly, one of the only things going for “RuneScape” was its huge variety of 25+ skills, 190+ wonderfully written quests and weekly updates.

It was then in late 2004 that Jagex’s worst enemy arrived — “World of Warcraft.”

It was time for Jagex to play catch-up to the world’s most popular MMORPG, “World of Warcraft.”

It was in 2013 when Jagex evolved “RuneScape” yet again, just as it had in 2004.

The graphics engine had switched from the aging Java to HTML 5 which has the potential to boost the graphics tenfold.

Not only that, but gone is the dreadful sounding MIDI soundtrack and in place are beautiful CD quality recordings performed by the “The Slovak National Orchestra” and fully voice-acted quests.

Combat, one of the worst aspects of “RuneScape,” also was revamped. Standing still and staring at an inventory screen for combat is a thing of the past. In its place is an ability bar which makes combat much more exciting by giving players a swath of dynamic skills. With more than 10 years of content under its belt, constant improvements and updates and easy accessibility, now is as good a time as ever to try “RuneScape.”