As the sequel to the Star Wars: Knight of the Old Republic franchise, Star Wars: The Old Republic (SWTOR) was one of the most highly anticipated games of the decade, and it does not disappoint. Though the game play dynamics are par for the genre, the various plots are compelling and superbly crafted, and the graphics are certainly better than its competitors.
SWTOR stands out from other MMOs with a number of unique features, most notably the well-polished class storylines, which play more like a single player RPG than an MMO. Within the class storylines, players recruit and control companions to complete a rich solo experience, which, of course, predictably varies based a player’s behavior. Outside of the storylines, companions can quest with players, acting as healers, tanks, or DPS, but they can also be directed to collect materials for crafting.
The item modification system is also distinctive, whereas, items are composed of parts, and those parts can be replaced as the player progresses through various means, like crafting or questing. This is an important difference from other MMOs, as it means that there are no “ultimate” weapons or armor to be collected from forty-man raids, and individual characters can be personalized to an extent unique to SWTOR.
Like any new MMO, SWTOR has its share of bugs and balance issues. You will see hairstyles poking through hoods and quest objectives may go missing, but these are hardly an issue.
Instead, SWTOR’s class system is perhaps the most underwhelming part of the game. For each faction, either Galactic Republic or the Sith Empire, there are four classes and each class has two specializations. However, the main classes for each faction completely mirror themselves, leading to a very predictable game play dynamic-a trap that many other popular MMOs have fallen into.
On the other hand, SWTOR absolutely shines due to the sheer volume of amazing cut scenes, voice acting, and dialog. However, bells and whistles do not grow on trees, and one would think that additional material and expansion packs will be expensive and time consuming to produce. Has Bioware shot themselves in the foot by setting the bar too high? Or has World of Warcraft finally met its match?