Realm of the Mad God Message Board

With so many moving parts to learn and a seemingly infinite breadth of options to explore, diving into any new MMO is a major investment of time and energy. It's exhausting, really, which is why I appreciate a game like the free-to-play Realm of the Mad God. This fantasy-themed, co-operative bullet ...

Somewhere along the line, cooperative MMO bullet hell shooter Realm of the Mad God became a real thing. I was looking the other way when it happened, perhaps getting a haircut that required my head to be pointing in exactly the opposite direction, otherwise I’d have noticed and not had to rewrite this opening paragraph where I’d previously claimed it was being released now. So, yeah: Wild Shadow‘s magnificently silly bullet-hell based MMO is now out on Steam, rather than just being released for the first time. Alec has written so many words on the game that I’ll refer anyone looking for actual details to those. Or if you prefer video, I have that below via another cynical Brit. It’s good, it’s free, it’s frighteningly compulsive and the Steam version ties into the web-version, so you can continue progress from one to the other.(more…)

Today in our ongoing series of chats with (almost) all the PC/Mac-based Independent Games Festival 2012 finalists, it’s my personal nemesis, the micro-MMO/twin-stick shooter Realm of the Mad God – nominated for the Technical Excellence prize. Here, Wild Shadow Studios chat about their and its origins and future, getting away from boring MMO combat, and the most important question of all.(more…)

Recently, a videogame almost destroyed my life, my mind and the possibility of my ever sleeping again. That game was free browser MMO/roguelike/twin-stick shooter Realm of the Mad God, and despite it being a malevolent presence that should be really eradicated from all existence in order to protect the innocent, it’s also fast on its way to being my favourite game of the year so far. (Yeah, I know it was released in 2010, but shut up you dreadful bore). Thus, it was only right that I tracked down its creators and demanded an explanation.

Here, Wild Shadow Studios’ Rob Shillingsburg talks about breaking MMOs’ rules, why they brought in microtransactions, how players have shaped the game – and his top four tips for surviving the Mad God’s realm.(more…)

All this, and for what?

Nooooooooooooooooooooooo…

Continuing a diary of attempts to best free indie MMO Realm of the Mad God

Day two? No, you must be mistaken. There was never any day two, and thus no need to write about it. And if you ever hear that there was a day two, or anything about how many heroes tragically met their end within mere minutes as a result of a reckless player trying to rush their way to the top as quickly as possible, you’ve heard wrong.

(Please don’t tell anyone what I did.)

Day two? No, no. This is day three, sunshine. A day of glittering achievement and untold adventure. This day, surely, will be a good day.

Today, I will not be weedy archer or a cowardly rogue or frail magician: I shall be a warrior. Strong and robust, built for survival. This is his song.(more…)

The plan: a document of ultimate triumph in Realm of the Mad God. Culminating, no doubt, in a climactic mano-a-mano encounter with the titular Mad God himself, Oryx.

I have plan. I will execute it. I will document it. I shall not waver. It will be flawless. I will be legendary.

The reality: a pathetic non-saga of greed and failure.(more…)

Sometimes, a game comes along that’s the absolute last bloody thing you need right now. There are many things I need right now: time, a haircut, lunch, the extension of about 48 deadlines, someone to do my shopping for me, a cat that can empty its own litter tray, a keyboard that doesn’t give me an RSI, a teleporter, and even more time.

There is but one thing I don’t need right now: a horribly compulsive action-RPG MMO that tickles just about every lizard-part of my brain. I want I want I want I want. I want to level up, I want a better bow, I want to get to the bigger monsters, I want to show that cocking Mad God Oryx just who’s boss. (The boss is me. Or at least it will be. One day. Soon. Yes, Oryx. Soon.)

It’s everything I hate about action RPGs. It’s everything I love about action RPGs. It’s everything I hate about browser games. It’s everything I… oh, you get the picture.(more…)

Put on your robe and wizard hat for this gameplay!

Heal your ad-hoc group and win the battle!