"Star Wars: the Old Republic" (SWTOR) was released to the general public on December 20th and was met with incredible success and acclaim from both casual and hardcore gamers alike. Notable for its nostalgia and incredible gameplay, this massive multiplayer online role playing game, or MMO for short, takes players back to the days of the original Xbox game, "Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic,"(2003) upon which the newest title is based. Somehow, SWTOR manages to stay true to its roots, while at the same time expanding into a vibrant new universe.
Because SWTOR is an MMO, the game never really grows stale. Requiring a monthly subscription to play, SWTOR allows gamers to interact with other online players and embark on a seemingly unlimited number of adventures. Gamers will always find themselves in new situations, giving the game a fresh feel that lasts no matter how long the game has been on the market — just ask fans of "Everquest" (1999). MMOs are notorious for having difficult releases, when the huge influx of players often reveals bugs and critical software issues that weren't fixed during development. Thankfully, one month into its life as an MMO, SWTOR is doing better than could be expected.
One of SWTOR's best aspects is its gameplay. The game emphasizes choice, allowing the player to side with the Empire or the Rebels and choose among four different classes. These classes include, but are not limited to, Jedi Knight, Smuggler — think Han Solo — and Bounty Hunter — for all those Boba Fett fans. Additionally, skill trees allow each player to choose a specialty like "tanking," healing or dealing massive damage, for example. In short, there is a lot of customization in terms of your character, allowing for more experienced players to alter their class to fit a certain playing style and for newer players to experiment without feeling too committal.
Further complexity comes from the fact that each of the game's eight classes has a specific storyline attached, consistently keeping players on the edge of their seat. The developers clearly thought about the roots of the Star Wars universe, for its many story lines bridge the gap between the game "Knights of the Old Republic 2" (2004) and "Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace" (1999). Star Wars fans will love seeing Jedis wield their lightsabers and hearing the many references to previous Old Republic games, while newer fans will enjoy the interesting plots and fresh humor provided by the fantastic voice actors.
The combat system is one of SWTOR's most successful components. This elegant system feels like a close cousin to that of "World of Warcraft" (2004). Fighting requires players to press a button for every attack they execute, making the combat feel more active than it does in many other MMOs. As the game progresses, this approach divides the men from the boys, as more powerful moves make the beginner's hack and slash method less effective. This divergence in strategy gives SWTOR's gameplay more variety and richness.
The game's companion system is also worth mentioning. After the first section of play, the player gains a companion, allowing for much easier combat and a range of new activities, the most important of which is the ability to make and modify armor and weapons. By gathering or purchasing materials, the companion can craft items you desire. Quests become difficult early in the game if a player does not use his companion effectively, requiring him to cater to the strengths and weaknesses of his companion, and encouraging him to learn the complex ins and outs of the game in the process.
At the moment, SWTOR's graphics are unique and refined, certainly on par with those of World of Warcraft. Though players may face a glitch in the system here and there, these glitches won't impede the gameplay and do not detract from the game overall. Though some quest and graphics issues pop up every once in a while, this is to be expected from an MMO that is so young. The relative lack of software issues and show−stopping bugs is particularly impressive for such a new MMO, which will only become more stable and bug−free with time.
Overall, SWTOR is a fantastic addition to the Star Wars universe. Thanks to its plot, gameplay, and combat system, SWTOR is one of the best Star Wars games to date. With time, any technical issues will most likely be resolved. When they are, SWTOR will truly be a near−perfect game.
