This week, an MMO in the style of the classics left early access. Nostalgic for the so-called glory days, I gave it a go. Shroud of the Avatar: Forsaken Virtues is a fantasy MMO designed by Richard Garriott, creator of 1997’s groundbreaking online role-playing game Ultima Online. It’s a return to Garriott’s “innovative early work,” reads Shroud of the Avatar’s Kickstarter page, which raised nearly $2 million to make the game. Five hours in, Shroud of the Avatar taught me that it’s not a return to MMOs’ glory days I want, which may be as much on me as it is on the game.

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I appreciated how dedicated Shroud of the Avatar was to accessing the retro style of its predecessors. In practice, I felt like I’d played this game before, years ago. Although its story is filled with unique plot points and world-building details, I didn’t feel a desire to continue the game. Shroud of the Avatar felt all too familiar.