now playing: "Kingdom of Loathing"

Genre(s): Social/MMO

Credits: Asymmetric Publications, 2003-present (open beta)

It's a pretty well-recognized fact, in my completely biased opinion, that the fantasy genre of media (books, movies, and yes, games) has been gradually stagnating since its peak around the turn of the century, when a few people like Peter Jackson, J.K. Rowling, and the Square-Enix folks vitalized the classic tropes of that subject: orcs and ghoulish beasts, wizards and spells, potions and spirits...

Now, I don't have anything against fantasy. And if you are much more immersed in the genre than me, perhaps you'll have a different assessment of its strengths and weaknesses. But it seems to me that we have an awful lot of games about orcs and wizards and potions. The plots change, the title changes, but they all have the same format. MMOs, at least the ones that spew out of game engines by the dozen, appear to be particularly guilty of this unoriginality. (At least in science fiction, you can go all over the spectrum from B-movie aliens in outer space to apocalyptic disasters on modern-day Earth.)

Enter: the Kingdom of Loathing (abbreviated from here on out as KoL).

To be sure, it has a running story, but it's not one you would ever want to write for the New York Times bestseller lists. The NPCs and monsters frequently revel in their cliche personality; or, they are so uniquely inspired in their characterization one wonders why they are delegated to such a lowly role. The game's whole idea of stunning graphics resembles something like an xkcd comic strip. In short, KoL openly mocks not only fantasy tropes, but all our MMO stereotypes and conventions.

As an adventurer in the Kingdom, you select for yourself one of six occupation classes, ranging from Turtle Tamers ("He excels at moving very slowly and winning footraces with smug satisfaction") to Saucerors ("Long engaged in an uneasy truce with the Pastamancers, the guild of Saucerors protects the secrets of the Ancient Brotherhood of Gravymakers"). Each class naturally excels in one of three qualities: Muscle, Mysticality, or Moxie. The local currency consists of meat, a Magical Mystical Hippy Stone draws the line between solo and PvP interactions, and more often than not your inventory resembles a hobo's suitcase with disco balls for weapons and mosquito larvae for pets.

Besides its uncommonality among other fantasy games, KoL also distinguishes itself from typical MMOs by keeping all content entirely free, and ad-free at that. It supports itself on the sale of virtual in-game goods and real-world merchandise, steadily maintained by a highly devoted fan base.

There's no getting around the tutorial/newbie lessons, but at least they treat you like an adult.

Ironically, KoL's over-the-top ridiculousness seems to attract intelligent, articulate players. Much like the forum community on NationStates,  the players respond to the absurdity of their game world by treating it with the utmost and serious respect, not only to in-game events but to other players as well. Not to say that you will never find the occasional jerk who can't type squat, at least in correct English—but from my (cursory) examination of the chat and forum features, you'll find a welcoming and supportive social group almost as soon as you take a chance to formally introduce yourself.

KoL hardly endeavors to revitalize fantasy, MMOs, or even fantasy MMOs, but its downright outrageousness runs a nice commentary on the genre's stagnation while providing a few relaxing laughs. At the very least, it's what most sharply drew my attention to the genre's stagnation in the first place. Which leaves me to wonder: is this sort of fiction really dead as I think it is, or is KoL simply a prophetic warning for things as they are to come...?

Excuse me while I go munch a liver popsicle over this contemplation.

Yep. That would be me.

Friday preview: First- and third-person POVs in the same game create some pretty compelling social discussion.