Video Game Reviews by Jeb Haught

DEVELOPER: BioWare
PUBLISHER: EA
SYSTEM: Windows 7/Vista/XP
PRICE: $59.99 + monthly fee
ESRB RATING: Teen
REVIEW RATING: 4.0 stars (out of 5)

"World of Warcraft" has reigned as the undisputed king of MMO games for years, so it isn't surprising that the only real contender is basically a "WoW" clone with lasers and light-sabers. As a result, "Star Wars: The Old Republic" doesn't offer much innovation, but it does provide an extremely fun and exciting experience that's relatively free of bugs.

"The Old Republic" takes place a longer time ago in the same far, far-away galaxy as the "Star Wars" movies and focuses on the war between the insidious Empire and the righteous Republic. Four classes are available to fight for each side, and they all offer distinct and different story lines. For example, the Empire Bounty Hunter is out to prove himself by winning the intergalactic competition known as the Great Hunt.

Players also get to choose the race for their characters before they begin their planet-hopping journeys, and each race sports a unique social attribute. While there are many races to choose from, including pure-blood Sith and Rattataki, every single one is humanoid. This means that variety is severely limited because every human-controlled character has the same height and basic shape, just like a supermodel factory!

Four classes may seem like a small amount, but players get to choose one of two advanced classes when they reach level 10. Make sure to choose wisely since this outcome drastically affects your character and cannot be undone. Advanced classes specialize in tanking, healing or DPS, and there are three skill trees for each advanced class. Unfortunately, the skill trees don't have many interesting options, so I hope they'll be overhauled soon.

Combat plays a heavy role in "The Old Republic," and it follows the standard MMO template: Target an enemy, and all attacks automatically hit said enemy without you having to manually aim.

While this system isn't original, I still really enjoy the wide variety of attack options. It's as much fun to blast enemies with force lightening and then finish them off with a light-saber as it is to stun them and then unleash a volley of lasers and rockets!

Bioware has introduced an excellent new feature to MMO games in the form of companions, which are like advanced pets. Players recruit various companions throughout the game and can have one with them at all times. Although players can't choose companion abilities, they can outfit them with new gear and control them in battle. It's incredibly useful to have a healing companion to supplement DPS players in battle, and vice versa.

Companions can also fill slots for group questing as well as conquering Heroic quests and difficult Flashpoint zones. Up to four players and/or companions can team up for these challenging areas that are a true test of skill. Some of the low-level Heroic quests can even be defeated with nothing more than the player's skills coupled with one A.I.-controlled companion. Of course, relying on companions too much can also lead to a quick and frustrating defeat.

Another cool feature is the ability to obtain a starship early in the game. Starships act as the main hub from which players can quick-travel to new planets and even engage in space combat. Several space missions, ranging from escorting to simply blasting enemy vehicles and turrets, are available, and the player's ship can be upgraded with improved weapons, shields and more. Space combat is partially "on rails," meaning that players don't control their ship's acceleration, but they can move up and down as well as side to side in order to dodge laser fire and obstacles.

The force is strong with "Star Wars: The Old Republic" even in its infancy, and I can't wait to see what the future holds for this excellent sci-fi-themed MMO.

REVIEW SCORING SYSTEM

5 stars = Must-Have
4 stars = Very Good
3 stars = Above Average
2 stars = Bargain Bin
1 star = Don't Bother

RATINGS KEY

Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB)
E: Everyone
E10-plus: (Everyone 10 and older)
T: Teen (13 and older)
M: Mature (17 and older)

To find out more about Jeb Haught and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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