RuneScape might not be like other popular MMORPGs, and it does have flaws, but there are things that make it good too.
Creating an account on RuneScape is easy. You simply access the website, click the new account button, and enter your desired name and password. You then find yourself in Tutorial Island, a tutorial map that will teach you about how to control the game, what you can do in RuneScape, and how to make new friends. Play through this short but useful tutorial, and you're ready to play.
There is a great amount of gameplay in RuneScape, for both free-to-play and subscribing players. As a free player, you have access to more than enough features to enjoy RuneScape for hours on end, such as creating your own weapons and armour, and playing through up to 18 quests. As a paying member, however, you have access to weekly updates, eight new skills to train (adding up to a total of 23), and over a hundred new quests to embark on.
RuneScape is developed in the Java programming language, and is designed to run in a web browser. This limits the games graphical capabilities, so if you are looking for a game with top next-gen graphics, it's not RuneScape. That said, the graphics are good for a web-based MMO adventure game, and Jagex (the team that develops RuneScape) are in the process of updating the graphics and general appearance of the game, such as redesigning towns and weapons. When it comes to graphics, if you enjoy this game because of it's gameplay and the hundreds of things you can do, you won't feel at all let down by the graphics.
The sound in this game has also improved slightly over the last few months, but many of the old sound effects are still used. Think about this; when you are smithing, it'd be great to be able to hear the hammer clashing against a steel sword, but instead, the game uses short, single-tone sound effects, which again don't affect the gameplay, but if you're used to games where the sound is brilliant, you may feel just a little disappointed. Besides sound effects, there is also a wide selection of music in RuneScape, which changes automatically as you explore different parts of the map.
If you haven't yet played, you should consider giving it a try. You don't have to pay anything to play the free version of the game, and if you find you like it, perhaps you could consider upgrading to the members version, which as mentioned above, gives you access to more skills, quests and rare items.