Star Wars: The Old Republic

The story of Star Wars the Old Republic takes place 3500 years before the events of the Star Wars Films. The main conflict in the story is between the Sith Empire and the Galactic Republic. The Empire was able to achieve victories during the Great Galactic War and the story of the game revolves around the Republic trying to regain control of those planets lost through this conflict. The story begins as you choose what side of the struggle you want to join either being the Galactic Republic or the Sith Empire. The story of your character takes place over three acts in which you try to level your character to level 50. The most innovative and best aspect of the game is that the story and each quest feature interactive cut scenes where the player is given different dialogue options from fully voiced characters throughout the Star Wars Universe. The fully voiced cut scenes and dialogue options are a unique addition to the MMO genre and help bring context to the arbitrary fetch quests that are still a substantial part of the game. While I did enjoy the dialogue options, I did feel that they lacked the depth found in other BioWare roleplaying series such as Mass Effect and Dragon Age. While the decisions in other BioWare games left a gray moral dilemma when making choices, the light side/dark side choices in this game were often based on what type of character armor you wanted to possess. Depending on what side of the meter you fell on decided the outcome of weather you could equip light side or dark side gear. Usually the choices that you made had little or no outcome to the events you would face in the story.

The graphics and art style of Star Wars the Old Republic take a similar approach to those found in its main competitor World of Warcraft. World of Warcraft, like most of Blizzard’s games take on the approach to being able to run on most PCs in the market, a strategic move in order to maximize their subscriber base. Star Wars the Old Republic is no different as they do not go for the photorealistic graphics that you would find in BioWare’s other Sci-Fi role playing game series Mass Effect. Instead Star Wars the Old Republic goes for a Cartoony art and graphic style that is similar to the animated series from another part of the same universe The Clone Wars. While I prefer the graphics of a game like Mass Effect I can understand the complexities of bringing those types of highly detailed textures and lighting effects while maintaining solid server performance and reduced latency.

The gameplay in Star Wars the Old Republic on the other hand is a mixed bag, in short if you like MMOs you will find everything you are familiar with and more. If you are not a fan of MMOs, I am not sure if there is enough to change your opinion about the genre. For one, the combat in SWTOR is the same as every other MMO on the market. The combat boils down to a hotkey action bar system with cool downs. I found that the combat can repetitive as you basically stare at your action bar while waiting to click on the next skill to become active after its cool down period. I feel like in order for me to become a hardcore MMO player, I will need a combat system similar to a character action game with tactile feedback and combos. The questing system mixed with this combat system does not help as you go on fetch quests to kill certain number of enemies, collect an item, or destroy an object. While I could lump this complaint at almost any other roleplaying game, I feel the MMO genre lends itself to this stale formula as you sometimes spend time in queues waiting for an enemy or object to respawn in order to interact with it. The solo story mission content though, is a better offering with instanced sections where major story plots unfold. Usually only one member of a certain class can progress at a time while in a group and other class missions are instanced and inaccessible from your world unless in a party with that appropriate class. This allows those sections of the game to feel like a cinematic experience you would find in other BioWare series. While I do have gripes with the combat and questing system, I did enjoy the loot and crafting aspects of the game. I always felt while questing or gaining rewards from these quest that I was gaining lots of different gear that I would equip on my character to make them look different and stronger than other characters on my server. The loot factor in any roleplaying game is one of my favorite aspects as it is the carrot on the stick which makes these types of experiences so addictive in the first place. The crafting system consists of six basic skills that you use to construct different weapons, armor, and implants found throughout the game. The BioChem Skill allows your character to create enhancements which boost health, combat abilities, and physical abilities such as speed or agility. ArmStech Skill is used to craft and modify blasters found in the game such as rifles, pistols, assault cannons and sniper rifles. These blasters can then be modified with different barrels, triggers, and scopes. The ArmorMech Skill is used to construct armor for non- Force characters. The Artifice Skill is used to modify light sabers by using color crystals, power crystals, and other augments or supplements that enhance a Force user’s attributes in combat. The SynthWeaving Skill is used to create armor for Jedi Consulars and Sith Inquistors. Lastly, the CyberTech Skill is used to assemble droid armors, grenades, earpieces, underlays and overlays of armors, generators, and electro weapons. Besides loot and crafting system, my other favorite element in the game is the companion system. The game allows the character to acquire up to five companions during their storyline and these companions will assist your during quests and respond your choices during dialogue sections in the game. Like in other BioWare games you can romance your companions allowing for opposite and same sex options at your disposal. Companions can perform gathering and crafting tasks while you are questing or sell your unwanted vendor trash, a great addition found in other roleplaying game like Torchlight. Companions also can take up class roles when going on group quests or mini raids with other party members such as being a tank, DPS, or healer. I loved this aspect as you always could fill a role without having to assemble a team of human characters you found on your server. Based on some of choices during story sections in the game you can gain their or lose their affection. Based on this you can go on companion based missions where you unlock certain gear or items to equip on either you or your companion. I really enjoyed companions as it allowed some aspects of this MMO to be played effectively while soloing.

Star Wars the Old Republic features four classes for each faction and two variations on each class that you branch out to at level 10.You can choose to customize your character as either a male or female human or the other species found in the Star Wars Galaxy. Some the species include Chiss, Cyborg, Miraluka, Mirialan. Rattataki, Sith Pureblood, Twi'lek, and Zabrak. Each class has a unique backstory and starting area with two distinct voice actors for the male and female counterparts of each class. The classes from one faction mirror the classes from another. The Republic classes are Smuggler; Gunslinger and Scoundrel, Trooper; Commando and Vanguard, Jedi Knight; Guardian and Sentinel, and Jedi Consular; Sage and Shadow. Their equivalent Empire classes are Bounty Hunter; Powertech and Mercenary, Bounty Hunter; Powertech and Mercenary, Sith Warrior; Juggernaut and Marauder, and Sith Inquisitor; Sorcerer and Assassin. The Jedi Consular and its equivalent the Sith Inquistor are the Force user classes in the game. The Jedi Consular’s two advanced classes are the Jedi Sage and Shadow. The Sith Inquisitor has two advanced classes which are the Sith Assassin and Sith Sorcerer. The Jedi Sage/Sith Sorcer wield a single bladed light saber, have telekinetic and healing abilities. The Jedi Shadow/Sith Assassin wield a double bladed lightsaber and have great defensive abilities allowing them to be a tank. The Jedi Knight and its equivalent the Sith Warrior focus on melee combat and lightsaber skills. The Jedi Knight’s two advanced classes are the Jedi Sentinel and Jedi Guardian. The Sith Warrior’s two advanced classed are the Sith Juggernaut and the Marauder. The Jedi Sentinel/Sith Marauder specialize in dual lightsabers and fill the DPS role. The Jedi Guardian/Sith Juggernaut specialize in one handed light sabers and fill the tank role. The Smuggler and Imperial Agent is the rogue- like class focusing on long ranged and stealth combat. The Smuggler has two advanced classed the Gunslinger and Scoundrel. The Imperial Agent’s two advanced classes are the Operative and Sniper. The Gunslinger/Operative uses two pistols, explosives, advanced tech, and dirty tactics like kicking enemies in the crouch. The Scoundrel/Sniper use long ranged attacks as well as healing. The Trooper and its empire equivalent the Bounty Hunter are your area of effect damage dealing and tank class. The Trooper’s two advanced classes are the Commando and Vanguard. The Bounty Hunter’s two advanced classes are the Powertech and the Mercenary. The Commando/Mercenary is an offensive class that uses Assault Cannons and Rockets to take out multiple enemies. The Vanguard/Powertech is their defensive tank counterparts that use extreme blaster fire and flamethrowers during combat. Another big part of the game around level 18 is when you acquire your ship in order to travel to different planets and embark in space combat missions. Your ship becomes your base of operations and you can upgrade your ship to perform better in the space combat sections. Those looking for an expansive space combat game will be disappointed as the space combat is an on-wheels third person shoot-em up. Another major part of the game is when you acquire a speeder at level 25 which is your mount/vehicle in the game. Speeders are important as it allows you to travel the large expansive world up to 90% faster than on foot. Lastly, it would not be a MMO without raid/group content. These quests come in three forms Heroics, Flashpoints, and Operations. Heroics are quests meant for two to four player groups and award you with experience, credits, and commendations. Flashpoints are story driven four player dungeons. Operations are raids with large team sizes usually 8 to 16 players. The great part about the group content in SWTOR is if you are short a team member or the role your team members need can be filled with companion with extra companions being dismissed when the party limit is reached.

In conclusion, Star Wars the Old Republic does not do anything revolutionary to turn the MMO Genre on its head but the fully voiced cut scenes, dialogue options, and companion systems are welcome additions to this genre. I am personally not a fan of MMOs but these elements do bring enough of a change to warrant the initial $60 and 30 day trail. Whether I return really depends on the amount of games on the market and the additional content that BioWare provides for the $15 a month subscription fee. MMOs are a huge time commitment and I personally would rather pay $264 a year to Gamefly for at least 24 different gaming experiences than $180 for one massive experience.

Score: 85%

Buy: If you are a fan of MMOs and enjoy fully voiced cut scenes, dialogue options, and companion systems. If you don’t like these elements in MMOs continue to play WOW or avoid MMOs all together if you prefer having a life lol!!!!