-Quote me the sith code!
-OK, well... See, there's the Dark Side:)
First of all - Star Wars the Old Republic in my favorite MMORPG. Usually I don't play much, but if I do - nothing else matters.
And nothing else matters...
I have a specific criterions according to which I can like or dislike a game, they may not match with yours:) So everything I'll write in this review is IMHO.
I really am a fan of Star Wars movies, that's why I decided to give this game a try a few years ago. I played a few months and then I didn't enter untill december 2016, when the last update came in sight. I will make another review to tell about it (and it'll contain spoilers, so if you don't want to know them - be carefull:), and today I'll talk only about the classic massive of SWtOR.
The first thing to say here - I won't say a word about jedi's storylines. I played only as a sith (well, I tryed to do it as a jedi, but I got bored pretty soon). It was the moment then my padawan character noticed two other padawand kissing in the forest, and it was a choice: to tell about it to jedi masters (+to your Light Side) or not to tell about it (+to your Dark Side). If you'll open your characters characteristics youll see, that there's an option to "show Dark Side corruption" (doesn't matter if you are a jedi or sith). Well, till the level 30 I had a spooky jedi with red eyes. Than I just quit playing for the Republic and tryed Empire characters. Sith philosophy in the game is much closer to my own, not cause I love to kill people, but cause I can't live without emotions:). So this review will be dedicated only to the dark side.
In the movie Master Yoda says this:
"Always two, there are. No more. No less. A Master and an apprentice."
SURPRISE! No. OK, in the game there also "two they are", but there are many such couples. Jedi's padawans begin their gameplay in the Jedi Temple, where they are taught by the whole jedis, the sith also start their way in the academy, but they're responsible only to their own master, not other force-users. There are two force-using classes in sith storylines: Sith Warrior (tank/dd) and Sith Inquisitor(dd/heal). I'm a fan of the first class, but can say a few words about both.
I tryed to play for a Inquisitor only once, and it was about till level 30-35, don't really remember. The reazon I didn't particulary like it - the storyline itself in kind of offensive. And a bit stupid (here I'm talking about that body shifting story, which looks like a soap opera to me). If to compare the game storylines with the characters of the film, Warrior will be kind of Darth Maul and Vader, and Inquisitor is kind of Darth Sidious. Even if to go quickly threw main abilities - an Inquisitor has a huge variety of lightings. That's the only great thing about him, huh:) You almost never get a chance to decide if you'll kill your opposer or will keep him alive, and the most annoying thing - your first companion doesn't speak english. Warrior also has one that doesn't, but not as a first and main companion, who can give additional quests.
Here I have to admit that one of the major things in the game for me and the reason why I love it is it's dialog system. And when I have to read the translation of alien speach it makes me a bit bored. Game has a lot of beautifully voiced dialogs, a lot of ways to behave in a conversation, and reading the subtitles kind of neutralize the effect of presence. Sure, during the game you meet some random aliens who also doesn't speak english (especially in the 'Rase of Hutt' quest lines), but you really do speak a lot with your first companion and it's a bit annoying when you have to read instead of listening.
Companions of the sith Warrior are amazing. The first one is Vette, your master gives her to you as a slave with a shocking colar. Here I tryed both ways: released her when the first possibility came out and in another story keeped it as long as possible. I found out that it's much more fun to have her as a friend, it opens you the way to a few interesting quests. Her phrases are varied and she often speaks some fun stuff, while the first Inquisitor's companion just often promises to eat you one day. Yep, nice stuff. As I said:) But let me be more consistent.
I played threw the sith warrior story for almost three times (yep, I like it that much). If to talk about the specializations I play as a juggernaut (I just don't like the word marauder and what's behing it, and there only two choises aviable), the immortal line. So, it's a classic tank, heavy armored. I have a companion as a heal, and it's classic again, cause for sure you know that such a couple can live. And live. And live. Slowly sometimes, but alive. This MMORPG I prefer to play alone, enjoying the process of exploring therritory and enjoying the dialogs, so play as a tank was a best choise for me.
-It' s not an another crazy idea in that sithy head of yours?
I already said that the dialogs are great and perfect, but I want to say one more word about particulary this class storyline. It has a sence of humor:) And if in Inquisitor line it's a cruel and creepy humor in Warrior'l line it's really great. Or may be it's just me, but well, people are different, so different humor for everyone:)
When the game only appeared it was nessesary to take almost all of the quests to make your level fit to the location. Now, since two more extensions arrived you can take only storyline quests, and your level will grow really fast. I can devide all missions to four parts: storyline quests (you can't abadon them, you have to take them anyway), location quests (story of a particular planet, similar for all classes), heroic missions (2+, 4+, need a group to go through them. But sometimes not:)) and exploration quests (also similar, often "kill 20 blah-blah-blah"). Ah, and a flashpoints, of course. Can be passed in a group, but since I'm a single player I usually just prefer to have an additional droid with me (aviable when you enter flashpoint as a single player, in most of them, but not all of them). In my last playing session I took every quest I could find. And you know - it's fun, really.
During the first part of game you'll have four more companions (not counting Vette, I mean). There will be Malavai Quinn as a second one, Jaesa Willsaam (ex jedi padawan, ha-ha), Lieutenant Pierce (nice guy, I whish there'd be more possibilities to interact with him) and a Broonmark creaturem the one who doesn't speak english so I never really listened to him. Ah, and a 2V-R8 droid, better leave him on your ship. Good thing about him is that he's always ready to perform foot massage:)
Romance for female character is possible only with Malavai Quinn. I'd prefere Pierce. But there's nothing you can do about it, and one day...
-Would you marry me?
Imagine a sith. Now imagine a married one. Creepy, isn't it? Well, since I played this story threw almost for three times in one of them I agreed. Don't know if there's such possibility for a male character, but again, it looks creepy for a female one. Especially getting letters from Quinn, where he days that he's really worried about having a force-sensetive child. Seriously, better keep him on the ship and take someone else. I usually take Vette:)
Now I came to a thought that I have to try a male warrior and see, how different it is:)
One more thing. May be it's just me, but the first time I played I accidently missed the epilogue missions. Don't do that, they're brilliant! And there's a really huge piece of game there and a logical prologue to the second part. So don't be like me, use your ship mission terminal before you jump to the second part of the game. You will not be able to go back once you agreed to play the second part:)
On the Empire's side there are two more story lines avalible: Imperial Agent and a Bounty Hunter. I tryed the first one, but got bored till level 5 (not that much, heh?). Don't know, may be it's just my interest to play as a force-user. By the way, another thing sith warrior has and inquisitor doesn't is a force choke ability. How cool is that?:) Yep, sometimes I whish I had this in real life. To force choke my neighbours. When they use the drill. On Sunday. At 8 a.m.
I think it's all thoughts I whished to share by now, in a few days I'll also write a review about the second part of the game, and again it will be only my thoughts, not a classic game description at all. But if you want one it can be easily found on swtor.wikia.com. I would be happy to know about your gaming experience if you had one, it would be really interesting to share.
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