Asheron's Call Retrospective

It's been quite some time since we've posted anything in relation to Turbine's original Asheron's Call, so it's good to see that the fantasy MMORPG still lives on and that it's doing well enough to warrant a retrospective piece over at RPGWatch. Here's the lead-up, which details the fact that the game, its expansions, and 15 years' worth of other content is available with a 50-year subscription for only $10:

When the game did keep a good connection, it was an absolute joy to play. I played it during the course of a summer, and I can safely say that I did not see the sun much that year, as countless hours and late nights would be spent exploring the huge world of Dereth, along with thousands of other people. There was such a massive world to explore, and it was all completely fresh and brand new for my friends and I to experience. I made new buddies to explore the world with, and it was a delightful time to be a gamer.

It was true magic.

Others must have thought the same thing, because 15 years later and the game still exists! In fact, it just went "free-to-play", ditching the subscription model for a model that costs a whopping $10 for access to all of the content in the game. Yes, you heard it right. 15 years of content for $10. You get a 50-year subscription to the game with your purchase. No other fees, nothing else to buy. No microtransactions or items to purchase in a cash shop. $10 for everything. Free and clear.

$10 to head back into the wide world of Dereth, for more exploration, more questing and more magical memories to be made.

But the question is - Is the magic still there? It has been 15 years for me, after all, and I'm sure a lot has changed. Let's check it out.