I came to MUDII on the suggestion of a friend who guided in the beginning. I quickly discovered how fun non-graphical games could be. A heck of a lot more social, for starters. Everyone was so friendly and helpful, which is just what you'd expect me to say in a review eh? Well, I'll say it anyway because it's true. Certainly the population isn't as large as it used to be, because of the introduced payment, which isn't much at all. It's more of a token price; I don't think of it as a reduction in the playerbase, but more of a concentration. All of the dedicated and generally 'nice' people stayed and all of the players who were just there for 'mindless killing', who liked to cause problems to people for the fun of it, left.

I think you develop more of a bond for your in-game persona since unlike most MUDs, when you die, you die permanently. This is in no way a negative thing. It does mean that you don't need to reach a ridiculous level like 99 to 'complete the game', but it's a lot more challenging than your normal mud. You can't get through it by simply killing everything in sight, you have to learn about the mud through completing various puzzles, the harder of which are called 'tasks'. Mortals can also cast spells that would normally be considered 'immortal commands' on most MUDs. You have to be constantly aware and realize that the next battle, could be your last.

There are lots of extra features that make it even more realistic, like weather that affects where you can go in the land (parts of it flood, and going to sea during a storm isn't recommomended). The next time you get struck by lightning, put a thought into what you were carrying, it's not a good idea to carry long metal objects around in a storm, either. There are global events, like hearing the roar of a dragon when it's slain or the *crack* of a cannon being fired. Also, you wouldn't give it a second thought when you put your lit torch into your sack of goodies, would you? Honestly? No, wouldn't, oh well, that's a mistake you only make the once, right?! *mutters* That's just another one of the many interesting things to make you think and a tactic you could use against other players.

So, come to MUDII if you want to experience something unique and challenging. I look forward to seeing you there. And remember, don't pick on things bigger than you are, arm yourself, even a stick is better than nothing! Explore the cottage, find it's secrets and beware the rat-infested cellar! Respect the all-knowing wizards and for heaven's sake, bring an umbrella, you can't trust this British weather!