Online Game: Kingdom of Loathing

[allen]

A recent discussion with mouser about the need for more games that focus on hillarity over skill brought it to my attention that there has been very little mention here of one of my all time favorite games -- Kingdom of Loathing.

The Kingdom of Loathing is a web based role playing game.  The gameplay is primarily single player, as your character proceeds to acquire equipment, food, booze, and meat (the game's currency) as means to progress on various quests.  In that regard, it's pretty standard as an RPG.  Where it's truly uncommon is its character -- from the character classes to the areas to the enemies, everything is an extremely absurd parody of something. It's funny, irreverent and generally fun.



There are also some multiplayer aspects to it, as you'd expect from an online game.  The economy is purely player driven, most items in the game able to be bought and sold player to player.  It features a chat where players can communicate in real time, clans for players to team together to help one another out and some simple player versus player mechanics.

Whether you just sit back, relax and play it casually or delve deeper into the economy or making faster, more effecient "ascensions", there's plenty to do.  New items are added constantly and new quests and areas are added every now and then as well.  I've been playing KoL for a little over two years now and am still amused enough by it to continue playing for years to come.  If you do sign up, look up "Terrae", that's me!

[app103]

I always thought that site was like a crude Neopets on crack. 

[mouser]

very clever and funny 

[p3lb0x]

I have completed it 1.5 times and thought it was a bit too grindy for my tastes, but I highly recommend that anyone plays through it at least once

[allen]

I have completed it 1.5 times and thought it was a bit too grindy for my tastes, but I highly recommend that anyone plays through it at least once

-p3lb0x (May 17, 2008, 04:40 AM)

Interesting, I sort of feel the opposite about it.  It's a different kind of grind, I guess. I burn out on the long, grueling grinds of most rpgs but you only need a dozen levels to "beat" KoL.  While games that you play a single character to max level tend to stagnate once you reach epic proportions, for me the possibility to new game + in KoL really makes it shine.  Always improving your character, without the drudgery of epic level grinding or the halt of having reached the top.

I'm only on my fifth or sixth ascension, after two years . . . but I tend to just play it at a really casual pace, enjoy softcore leisure play.  What's amazing is the people that ascend every week . . . madness!

[p3lb0x]

What's even more amazing is the people that ascend each day! or every second day

[allen]

Fortunately, ascension has slowed down (a tiny bit) with the advent of NS13 -- the Hardcore awards (and especially oxycore/badmoon) are really enticing, and no one is doing a 1 day oxycore or badmoon run

But yeah. There are some crazy power ascenders . . . but at that point, it really looks more tedius than fun (to me).

If I'm going to be using a computer analytically, I'd rather be coding -- my games are for pure stupid time.

[thebaglady608]

KoL is really awesome as casual games go.  The balance between grinding and moving forward has been tweaked well.  Also, it appeals to a lot of different "gamer instincts".  Whether you like collecting items, beating the crap out of hard monsters, grinding to be the one who got the furthest down into that nasty dungeon, making money/playing the economy, or just sitting back and enjoying the fun gametext, KoL will have elements that appeal.  And there's more than enough stuff in the game to keep it fun for way past one playthrough.  I could easily beat the final boss without having gone through all the interesting (as opposed to tedious, imo) quests that are available.