They say there's no place like home, and this has been true for me when it comes to ShadowGate. I started playing here when I was just a young thing, it was my first MUD, and I've tried many MuDs in-between. Now that I am older, and wiser, I still return to SG.

To me, the only con is that the playerbase has dwindled over the years. This is not great for a mud where roleplay is encouraged.

However, the players that remain are all very friendly and helpful, and it's a welcoming community overall.

Other pros: The world itself is quite lovely. The world is entirely custom, and there's some great descriptive writing, coupled with a striking - but not overwhelming - amount of color.

My personal favorite aspect of ShadowGate is the ability to customize. From character descriptions, to mounts, to magically crafted armor and weapons, everything can be shaped into the character you visualize in your mind. You can even write books and submit them to the local library for everyone to read. You can create potions or craft instruments. A trade for every shade.

There's a great balance between quest-like areas, and grinding grounds, as well as a couple other options for those who prefer neither.

The mud continues to grow under the watch of some incredibly talented and dedicated coders, and after almost 20 years it is still a really fun place to explore and play.