The Realms of Despair is a large, active, and exciting MUD for people experienced with the format and those who are not.

With an informative pre-authorization area that explains the basic fundamentals of the game, a well-detailed body of helpfiles, and an experienced and friendly Newbie Council, it's hard to get lost in the trappings of what proves to be a very complex game.

The game is built of numerous communities and groups of players. Among these are the standard guild- and clan-type organizations, for peaceful (mob killing) and deadly (player killing) characters, respectively. There are also bands (For the recently introduced Barbarian class), orders (more restrictive groups with special requisites) and sects (for those who wish to strike out and form a group on their own, at their own expense).

Roleplaying is optional, and there are a number of very talented roleplayers on the MUD. Mobile killing (or 'running') tends to be exciting, especially with some of the more recently introduced runs which have more dynamic programs.

Area construction is variable, with some areas being incredibly well-written and literally loaded with intriguing quests, and others written to a poorer standard and/or featuring items which are virtually impossible to find without guidance.

The non-avatar (level 1-49) game has improved drastically in recent years, with the introduction of many new, low-level exclusive areas that feature a number of quests, mazes, and other aspects which will become familiar to the player in the post-leveling game.

The code is flexible, and changes with minor improvements on a regular basis, while major ones are introduced gradually. That said, the most recent update of the code has provided a number of intriguing new features, for builders and players alike.

All in all, a solid MUD for anybody, and easily one of the most addictive on the 'net.