Old School Runescape has one of the most recognizable and instantly nostalgic visual styles in all of gaming. Those chunky polygons, smooth textures, and frame-by-frame animations whisper of a simpler, more whimsical time, when PC gaming meant dial-up internet and homebrew forums. Now, one visionary independent game-maker has adapted the classic look of Runescape into an experimental, new, first-person RPG. Partly inspired by FromSoftware, specifically King’s Field and the tough difficulty of later soulslikes, if you want PC classics repackaged into something totally fresh, it’s available now for free.
Old School Runescape keeps the spirit of the beloved RPG game alive and kicking, a wonderful homage to the earlier days of the Jagex classic, and the perfect outlet for some serious nostalgia. But what if you take the look and mood of Runescape, mix it with FromSoftware’s progenitor hit King’s Field, and up the difficulty to soulslike levels? Created as part of a recent game jam, FlyKnight by ‘Wabbaboy’ is one of the coolest independent experiments of the year.
“My goal was to make a King’s Field-inspired first-person game with heavy combat, a slow character, and a focus on stamina management and combat strategy,” Wabbaboy says. “Also I wanted to make it with Runescape graphics because they have soul and seemed fun to reproduce. It’s quite feature complete and will feel like a little piece of a grand, much larger adventure.”
Battles in FlyKnight are heavy and difficult, and you’re only able to sustain a few hits. At the same time, you need to keep an eye on your various vitality and stamina gauges, particularly in the final boss battle. A creative mix of Runescape, King’s Field, and Dark Souls, we’d love to see FlyKnight expanded into a bigger game. You can play it for free right here.
Alternatively, try some of the other best soulslikes, or maybe the greatest indie games on PC.
You can also follow us on Google News for daily PC games news, reviews, and guides, or grab our PCGN deals tracker to net yourself some bargains.