KitGuru Games: The Satisfying Mundanity of Runescape Dragonwilds

In 2001, Runescape was first unleashed onto the world, introducing millions to the concept of the MMORPG. It was revolutionary, iconic and 25 years later remains as popular as ever – possibly even moreso. In 2026, Runescape Dragonwilds hit its official 1.0 release, doing what it did so well two decades ago but this time in the form of an open-world survival-crafter. Unlike the OG before it, I don’t think Dragonwilds will change the course of the industry, nor does it represent the peak of its genre. Despite this, both Runescape and Dragonwilds share a core element which allows for a uniquely rewarding experience – that being their ability to make mundane and repetitive grinding both fun and satisfying.

Runescape Dragonwilds is a pretty expansive game, and one which offers a surprising amount of direction for what is ostensibly a survival crafter. Offering a litany of quests; enemies; biomes; dungeons; dragons and the titular ‘runes’, Jagex have crafted a world worth exploring and experiencing.

All that said, with around a half dozen hours into the game so far I have yet to experience any of it. In fact, I haven't even left the tutorial area. I’m far too busy chopping down every tree in sight and mining all the rocks around me – all the while getting that sweet sweet XP. This is where Dragonwilds, and the original Runescape before it, excels.

For those who are unfamiliar, the core pillar of the series is its ability to make any and all actions feel worthwhile. This materialises in its XP and leveling system, in which your character can grow from level 1 to 99 across a baker’s dozen worth of skills, including but not limited to Magic; Fishing; Farming; Construction; Cooking; Attack; Agility and Woodcutting. The latter of those in particular is what hooked me right from the off.

With nary more than a basic axe, I left the opening church and immediately started to chop down trees to my heart’s content. The mechanics themselves are satisfying enough, but what’s kept me chopping is the constant and consistent sense of growth and evolution through a compounding of methodologies.

The varying types of XP and leveling systems in games could be a topic in and of itself, with different titles taking on different gameplay-reward-loops. There are some that opt for a universal XP system in which you are awarded skill points to do with as you please. Others require certain prerequisites in order to unlock skills in certain areas. Some take inspiration from both types while adding their own unique flair.

On a macro level, Runescape’s XP system could be viewed as rather boring, with a majority of each skill’s 99 levels being little more than percentage-based stats boosts. The genius of it however (at least in my opinion) comes in the way these levels are awarded on a micro level.

As is the case with real life itself, every single swing of your axe, every fish you fish and each Redberry you cook adds to your experience, making you slowly but surely better at your craft. This feels satisfying from both a mechanical but also visual perspective, as you witness your woodcutting skill slowly-yet-consistently rise up with each successive swing – motivating you to complete the XP circle for one extra level.

The cycle continues, until, every once in a while, your next level is more than just a 0.3% increase in crit chance. Now you can swing your axe vertically for added efficiency when cutting up your felled tree; a tangible and exciting upgrade which builds upon your previous levels while rewarding your dedication.

This is why I haven’t left the opening area, I’m having far too much fun just running around levelling up my Woodcutting and Agility – and I’m getting pretty good at it. With nothing more than my Stone Logging Axe and a motivation to clear the area surrounding what I have deemed to be ‘my’ lake, I have so far chopped my way up to level 35 with no desire to stop.

I’ll get around to saving the world of Gielinor eventually or whatever, but until then I’ll be double jumping from tree to tree increasing my agility while becoming the ultimate lumber jack. And no, I have no desire to use any runes to speed up the process (not yet anyway) as I remain content with the sense of pride and accomplishment felt with each successive swing.

There is of course a fine line between monotony and satisfaction. Luckily, Runescape Dragonwilds seems to have managed to tow said line excellently. Of the 99 levels available to unlock via woodcutting, just 11 of them offer more than a basic ‘number go up’ enhancement. Despite this, because of the rate at which you level up your skills and the visual stimulation presented while in-between each level, the moment-to-moment satisfaction of progression compounds; meaning that when you do reach a new level the sensations are more than the sum of their parts.

This system is nothing revolutionary. As mentioned, it’s pretty much the exact same levelling mechanic as the OG Runescape from decades ago. Applying it to a survival crafter however has unlocked a new appreciation for this particular style of progression, in my opinion, as it melds perfectly with the genre.

Part of what makes survival crafters enticing are their relative lack of directionality. This can sometimes wind up as a double-edged sword however, with players finding themselves trapped in the loop of survival, unsure of what to do next and whether it will ultimately be worth it.

With Runescape Dragonwilds, this anxiety is all-but-removed, with the knowledge that no matter what you do, no matter which direction you take, no matter how many mechanics you ignore and how you choose to survive, every action is being acknowledged by the game and rewarding you in tow.

I will eventually leave the confines of Ashenfall’s tutorial region to discover what else the game has in store for me. When that day finally comes however, you’ll know it’s me because I’ll be proudly rocking my level 99 Woodcutting cape.

KitGuru says: Have you checked out Runescape Dragonwilds? Which skill are you focusing on first? What type of XP / leveling system do you find the most satisfying / rewarding? Let us know down below.

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