Jagex rarely get to flex their muscle using a sterile
OSRS gold. What we understood of Menaphos was confined within the low-res stone walls in its borders - nothing else existed beyond the trollish gates, which players could walk around, but not travel beyond. For the first time, Jagex was working with some of that empty space, producing content for the Menaphos upgrade from scratch rather than building it on top of a town that already existed.
So we must choose the way that it was going to seem and that has been lots of fun during the pre-production phase." The look and tone they settled on is certainly very Runescape, a combination of ancient Egyptian design and lush, cartoonish blobs of color and life more reminiscent of modern-day Marrakesh. A glance of the crucial art tells you all you need to understand: you're getting a desert place; you are getting that Indiana Jones, matinee display vibe; you know there is likely to be more exploration, adventure, romance, and political intrigue.
Visually, it is among the most striking settings in the game, a whole breath of fresh air that's distinct from even the major desert settings such as Al Kharid, Nardah, and
cheap Runescape gold.
It's also among the biggest updates since Jagex switched Runescape from a browser-based game to NXT, the downloadable client that launched in 2016. Menaphos is some thing of a reveal in terms of what is possible with the new client: the Golden City is stunning. Volumetric light and new water effects give Menaphos a utopian texture. However, this is not Al Kharid. As much as NXT has helped decorate existing match areas, it's nothing in comparison to the splendour and opulence Jagex have managed to eke out of Menaphos.
