Runescape Dragonwilds just dropped in early access, but there’s one problem

Jagex's recently announced survival game, Runescape Dragonwilds, is live in early access right now, but playing it comes with a catch.

I love a shadow drop. There was Hi-Fi Rush, then The Finals, and now there’s Jagex’s highly anticipated Runescape Dragonwilds, which adds some survival flair to the MMORPG’s sprawling fantasy universe.  Despite only being revealed earlier this month, it’s live right now in early access, meaning you can step into the next chapter of Gielinor’s ongoing saga as soon as you’ve finished reading this article. There’s one thing that’s worth knowing in advance, however, so don’t abandon me just yet.

You are part of a merry band of misfits that have been shipwrecked in Ashenfall, a realm teeming with exotic fauna, lush green foliage, and some bone-crushing, life-ending dragons. Most of your party are dead, and the few stragglers that remain are busying carving out lives for themselves and trying to stay in one piece. At a glance Runescape Dragonwilds is just another survival game, but that isn’t the case.

When I spoke to Jagex at RuneScape earlier this year, community manager Jake Blunt insisted that Dragonwilds isn’t just “Valheim with party hats,” and he’s right. You can change out your rusty old wood axe for a spectral ‘axetral’ spell which, when thrown, chops down multiple trees as long as they’re in a straight line. You can use your internal mind palace to build the perfect refuge with ease, or zip around using the power of Ashenfall’s mysterious air runes. Not only does all of that hopefully trim down a bit of the grind, it looks really, really cool.

But Ashenfall’s resident wyrms aren’t exactly happy to see you. As they pass overhead the trees shake and their cries reverberate off of the mountains, making you feel very small. You’ll have to face off with these airborne terrors in an attempt to free the land from their corruption, so sharpen your spears and get ready for the fight of your life.

As part of the game’s early-access period, we can expect a brand-new region, Fellhollow, and associated draconic regent, Imaru, alongside various new skills. Perhaps the most exciting thing of all is the hardcore mode, likely inspired by the success of Runescape’s Iron Man mode. While this is just a roadmap (the dates aren’t set in stone) Dragonwilds’ early access is stacked.

Jagex has released Runescape Dragonwilds today, Tuesday April 15, and it’s available for £24.99 / $29.99. You can get it here.

There is a slight catch, however. If you’re looking to play Runescape Dragonwilds online with your friends, you need to link your Steam and Epic Games accounts. You will, therefore, need an Epic account for multiplayer.

“This title uses Epic Account Services Basic Profile to connect players across platforms,” the game’s notification reads. “By pressing ‘continue with Epic Games,’ you accept Epic Account Services Terms and Conditions. You could refuse and enjoy the game solo – it’s still an amazing experience! And, if you change your mind, you can come back to this screen.” We all remember the Helldivers 2 PSN controversy, so I suspect the mandatory linking may dissuade some players.

If you’re excited to dive into Ashenfall, check out our rundown of the best Runescape Dragonwilds settings to make sure you really experience what the world has to offer. Alternatively, if survival isn’t your style, we have a list of the best fantasy games to let you live out your wildest, magic-filled dreams.

You can follow us on Google News for daily PC games news, reviews, and guides. Alternatively, if you’re looking to recruit some fellow adventurers to help you explore the Dragonwilds, why not join our  community Discord server and make some new friends.