This past weekend, like a great many fanboys, I was lucky
enough to playtest the new Star Wars MMORPG from Bioware…”The Old Republic”
To Level set… I am a extreme fanboy…of episodes IV, V and VI, not so much the unmentionable
ones. I was a day 1 “Star Wars: Galaxies” player back in the day though I fled
the game after the infamous “Update”.
ones. I was a day 1 “Star Wars: Galaxies” player back in the day though I fled
the game after the infamous “Update”.
My dislike for the first three films seemed to be a precursor
for a sublime hatred of this game, set many years before… However….
for a sublime hatred of this game, set many years before… However….
I liked it… Allot… please read the entirety of this review
as it is not a glowing dissertation nor a reverent “they can do no wrong review”…
as it is not a glowing dissertation nor a reverent “they can do no wrong review”…
But I liked the game.
The Positive….
I made and played 3 classes of Charecters, 2 republic, 1
Sith empire, They were The Trooper, The Jedi Guardian and The Bounty Hunter.
They Jedi I only played to level 5 but the Trooper and Bounty Hunter I played
until level 11 and level 9… out of the starting planet.
Sith empire, They were The Trooper, The Jedi Guardian and The Bounty Hunter.
They Jedi I only played to level 5 but the Trooper and Bounty Hunter I played
until level 11 and level 9… out of the starting planet.
Character Selection was pretty standard, however avatar
creation was amazing. Though their didn’t seem to be much in the way of
options, my heroes looked exactly the way I wanted them to, never in a game had
my Avatar fit the image of what I wanted to play. There are a number of races
to choose from after you first pick a faction, then you choose your “career”
and click, off you go.
creation was amazing. Though their didn’t seem to be much in the way of
options, my heroes looked exactly the way I wanted them to, never in a game had
my Avatar fit the image of what I wanted to play. There are a number of races
to choose from after you first pick a faction, then you choose your “career”
and click, off you go.
The opening cinematics for both sides are amazing and really
capture the feel of the game and the genre…in fact the cut scenes in the game
and the voice acting are some of the best I have ever seen in a MMO.
capture the feel of the game and the genre…in fact the cut scenes in the game
and the voice acting are some of the best I have ever seen in a MMO.
The play dynamic worked for me, its not a mouse smashing
kinda game where its who ever left clicks the most wins. You choose your attack
it happens, usually over X number of seconds, then you click the next. Most of
the time my Avatar would correct any LOS issues by auto turning to keep a enemy
in his arc.
kinda game where its who ever left clicks the most wins. You choose your attack
it happens, usually over X number of seconds, then you click the next. Most of
the time my Avatar would correct any LOS issues by auto turning to keep a enemy
in his arc.
Game play in a way is typical of most MMO’s with the
exception of your storyline quests, these are different per class and propel
your hero into the world of SWTOR. There are side quests to do, but they are
more or less exp generators and not as involved as the Storyline quests.
exception of your storyline quests, these are different per class and propel
your hero into the world of SWTOR. There are side quests to do, but they are
more or less exp generators and not as involved as the Storyline quests.
The Main quests were remarkably level appropriate for the
classes I ran…hard but not impossible and took you fluidly from one end of the
starting zone to the other. Travel being aided by Speeder bike taxi’s and the
ability to recall to any binding point in the zone.
starting zone to the other. Travel being aided by Speeder bike taxi’s and the
ability to recall to any binding point in the zone.
The Jedi… Though I can not see the harm of letting a Jedi Character
start with a light saber… in SWTOR you start with a “practice Saber”, a
glorified stick…but the move animation and your characters abilities are kinda
cool. At Level 2 my Jedi was kinda neat looking….his equipment and gear gave
him a very “Guardian like” appearance, but, when I got to the Jedi Temple they
robbed me of my cool vestments and had me running around in what could only be described
as a blouse. I can not wait to see what future quests the Jedi has.
start with a light saber… in SWTOR you start with a “practice Saber”, a
glorified stick…but the move animation and your characters abilities are kinda
cool. At Level 2 my Jedi was kinda neat looking….his equipment and gear gave
him a very “Guardian like” appearance, but, when I got to the Jedi Temple they
robbed me of my cool vestments and had me running around in what could only be described
as a blouse. I can not wait to see what future quests the Jedi has.
The Trooper… The big armored attack guy for the republic was
the class I played the most. I loved the ability progression and the attack animation.
The quests were fun and entertaining… the only issue I had was gear. Even at 11th
level I looked like a guy running around in long johns, while the guy that had
been assigned to me as my underling (all classes get “crew”…I think) looked
super cool. It was great to follow the story as you discovered the Imperial
involvement in the planets war and put a stop to it.
the class I played the most. I loved the ability progression and the attack animation.
The quests were fun and entertaining… the only issue I had was gear. Even at 11th
level I looked like a guy running around in long johns, while the guy that had
been assigned to me as my underling (all classes get “crew”…I think) looked
super cool. It was great to follow the story as you discovered the Imperial
involvement in the planets war and put a stop to it.
The Bounty Hunter…. The best for last… by far my favorite
class I played. From level 1 through Level 9 I looked and was totally Bad Ass.
Your response choices (think ME2 Radial menu) were bad ass and you could back
it up as you sought to gain entrance into the Mandolorian “Great Hunt”. There
was no part of the Bounty hunter quests I did not like…even the Starting Planet
“Hutta” was a great place (Though I think the Trooper starting area was
bigger). By the time I had won my place in the Hunt I was dressed in kick arse
armor and armed with a bundle of kick ass.
class I played. From level 1 through Level 9 I looked and was totally Bad Ass.
Your response choices (think ME2 Radial menu) were bad ass and you could back
it up as you sought to gain entrance into the Mandolorian “Great Hunt”. There
was no part of the Bounty hunter quests I did not like…even the Starting Planet
“Hutta” was a great place (Though I think the Trooper starting area was
bigger). By the time I had won my place in the Hunt I was dressed in kick arse
armor and armed with a bundle of kick ass.
I really did love this game…
The Bad…
The Bad…
I am not going to sugar coat this nor make you wait, in my
opinion the game is 2 months from a great launch, with that said, it is
scheduled to be released in a few weeks. There were a lot of little issues,
Loot lights (when something is lootable a beacon shines up from the body, color
coded to the rarity of the item) not on bodies, bodies disappearing under
ground, Map issues and a odd lag in the using abilities at times could use to
be ironed out.
opinion the game is 2 months from a great launch, with that said, it is
scheduled to be released in a few weeks. There were a lot of little issues,
Loot lights (when something is lootable a beacon shines up from the body, color
coded to the rarity of the item) not on bodies, bodies disappearing under
ground, Map issues and a odd lag in the using abilities at times could use to
be ironed out.
I know the Mantra “unreleased games Don’t make money”
however Day 1 rep says allot for a game as well.
however Day 1 rep says allot for a game as well.
The Traitor Syndrome…. Was it me or was every story line
based on Betrayal?? There has to be some other motivation as well. There is
also a amazing number of complete Jack-wagon NPC’s …. People who, if they didn’t
have a quest icon over their head…and those quests made me more awesome… I
would have gunned down in a Alderanian minute.
based on Betrayal?? There has to be some other motivation as well. There is
also a amazing number of complete Jack-wagon NPC’s …. People who, if they didn’t
have a quest icon over their head…and those quests made me more awesome… I
would have gunned down in a Alderanian minute.
I will close with this…I plan on playing the game.... not that that matters to anyone :o)
1 comment:
I'm glad you like it enough to get to play in your favorite world. I'm still waiting for the day when I can play and enjoy a Middle Earth game of any sort.
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