Shadowbound

Shadowbound is a browser-based MMORPG by R2Games. It has a casual touch, meaning most of the game can be played through automatically.

Players choose a male or female character, having picked their character class from the holy trinity of RPGs—Mage, Warrior, Hunter (Archer)—and enter the colorful world of Shadow bound. Players can hire mercenaries and later on can be accompanied by powerful guardians. PvP opens at level 31, featuring 3v3 and 8v8 arenas with... automatic combat. Players supplement their Battle Rating – the main measure of success – with gear and talismans, the acquisition of which is quite fun. There are many things to do ‘on the side’ as well: players engage in trivia games, and if not successful they’re turned into an alpaca; the social aspects are well-developed; and overall there’s just a lot to do in Shadowbound. The interface can get cluttered at times, but on the flip side there’s a button to remove player models from the screen.

Shadowbound features solid performance throughout, and if not for titles like Wartune, it could be seen as the game that reaches closest to the Platonic ideal of the genre. The casual gamer will find nothing particularly unique in Shadowbound, but nothing particularly disappointing as well.