...and the Mad God won.

So, today I found this game called Realm of the Mad God on Kongregate. I was bored and looking for a simple game to pass some time while I listened to the Bombcast, but what I found was not simple at all, not in the slightest.

**The Beginnining of The Endening**

Upon first starting up the game, I was thrown into a tutorial that taught me all the basics: WASD to move, click to attack, loot enemies, etc. I was beginning to think this was just your average sort of run-and-gun shooter, but then it gave me the ability to talk. I thought, "That's weird. Why would they let me type whatever I want in this speech bubble to talk? Who would I need to talk to?" Moments later I realized why. I was teleported to a new area that was sandy with patches of grass. I walked around a bit and saw there were hundreds of green dots spread around the minimap. As I walked toward them I realized they were other players and that this seemingly plain shooter was actually much more expansive than I'd thought. I followed one out into the wilderness and and was ambushed by a bunch of gelatinous cubes, I guess you could call them slimes, and was quickly slain. "Well, that was quick," I said. The game backed me out to a screen displaying some information on my character's life, such as how long I played, my class, and my fame earned. I clicked play again and here's where things got crazy.

I thought I would be placed in the same general area as where I died. Making the assumption of checkpoints was my first mistake because when I began the game again, I literally began the entire game again, with the exception of skipping the tutorial. I was not expecting this game to be a rogue-like at all, but since the recent increase of rogue-likes over the years I have become increasingly more interested in them and decided to give it another go.

**The Nexus/ The Artist Formerly Known as Eati**

This time I started the game, not in the wilds as I had before, but in a separate area called, The Nexus. The Nexus, being the safe haven that it is, is where you purchase items, change accessories, travel to worlds and meet with friendlies. You can try to ask people for help, but everyone else has played the game long enough to completely ignore you because you're level one and asking the question everyone (including me) seems to ask: How do you sell/buy stuff? Let me be the first to informulate you guys. As of the current build of the game, you cannot sell items, but you can buy certain ones. Buying items requires FAME, but I will get to that in a bit.

Other than be ignored, there are a few other things you can do in The Nexus. You can, and probably should, change your name with the guard at the spawning entrance of The Nexus. Upon creating a character you are given a name, generated by the game. If you want to be able to teleport, and have people teleport to you, and trade, and basically play the game for realios, MAKE A NAME. Unfortunately, this requires making a Kongregate account (if you are playing on their website), but fortunately, its quite painless and quick. You don't even have to leave the page! But, anyways after all that is done you can start playing.

Another little tip that I didn't realize at first is near the entrance where you change your name, you can also change your character and go into the vault. I'll discuss characters later as well, but the vault is pretty self explanatory. It's simply a place to hold all of your gear. Now, this does not mean you can just go out questing and dump your lootz in a chest, rinse and repeat. No, way, Joseph. It only holds 8 slots, which is the same amount as your inventory. There are a bunch of other chests in that room, but they are only accessible through micro-transactions, I think, as well are some of the items in The Nexus.

**Fishing, Paintball, and Water Aerobics Build Character**

Now, before you get too excited, water aerobics are not in the current build of this game, BUT what is included are 13 different classes to choose from. Each class has its own stats and abilities, but you can't just pick and choose whatever class you want at the beginning, you have to earn them! At the start you must play as a Wizard, but as you play and reach milestones you get the option to chose from a list of more and more characters. Each have their own advantages and disadvantages and all, so far, seem pretty balanced. You'll be playing as your character A LOT so I'd recommend not despising whichever class you choose. Find one you enjoy, and stick with it.

**I Want to Live Forever and I'm Also Gonna Learn How to Fly**

FAME. This concept is important to grasp, if you want this game to have a point. Oryx has created monsters and you wanna kill them. Why? Because you wanna be noticed. That's why you bought a kitty and are pressing the space bar in The Nexus, right? After killing specific types of demons, gods, etc you accrue fame. With fame, comes character unlocks and also spending. It doesn't cost fame to get classes, but to buy items in the shop it does, so spend your fame wisely. It's very difficult to get fame, because it involves you living, which can be tricky in this game since everything wants to kill you. If you do happen to get killed, you do not lose fame and it gets added to your "fame bank" I guess you could call it. But, the higher level you are, the more enemies you get to kill, which means the more famous you will get!

**One is the Loneliest Number, but Twos can be Ones if You Make Them Fancy Enough**

I kind of forgot to mention this game greatly focuses on co-op. You earn so much more experience and kill way harder, with buddies. Just like real life. I don't even know if its possible to kill Oryx, The Mad God, on your own, but the point is you are going to want friends. Luckily, everyone else is very eager to join up and fight so you shouldn't have any trouble creating a posse to ravage the wilderness with.

**Leave Your Glasses in the Tray**

Thank you all for listening to the first installment of "I Fought the Mad God". I hope to post this with all my latest plays, until I don't want to play this game anymore! Today I have another one that should go up a bit later, its getting kind of late now. Anyways, I understand that this blog post was sort of a crappy guide of what I know about the game, but that's just because I want to get GB more interested if I can, and go a bit more in detail with what I find makes this game so incredible. So, thanks again if you even saw this. I hope we can all play together soon!

Here's the Kongregate link:

http://www.kongregate.com/games/Wild_Shadow/realm-of-the-mad-god

And the actual link to the dev's site:

http://www.realmofthemadgod.com/