“Star Wars: the Old Republic” is an MMO (Massive Multiplayer Online) game that takes place in the Star Wars universe a couple of hundred years after the “Knights of the Old Republic” story arc. This game has taken all of the things Star Wars fans adore about the franchise and bundled it up into a great game. You have multiple choices in storylines to follow, anywhere from Jedi to Smuggler. 

I started my adventure with the scourge of the galaxy, the Sith. The game begins with an amazing cut scene in which the Sith retake the planet Koribban from the Republic. You will be amazed at the time and effort Lucas Arts took when creating the cut scenes in S.W.T.O.R. They are very detailed and elaborate; the lightsaber fights are on par with the movie scenes that we all know and love. You find yourself watching these cut scenes over and over again just to make sure you caught all the graphic beauty. Gameplay starts with a bang as you land on Korriban as a Sith Adept trying to work your way up in the ranks of the Sith. You have been recognized as an especially gifted student and are now on your way to obtaining your first lightsaber.

The first 10 levels of the game are focused mainly on familiarizing you with the gameplay mechanics as well as introducing you to the level up system. The class you choose will determine who you go to when leveling up and learning new abilities; if you choose Sith, the two choices you initially have are between Sith Inquisitor or Sith Warrior. The Sith Inquisitor is a class that is more focused on using the force to take down your foes and heal your allies, whereas the Sith warrior is a class focused on lightsaber fighting and defense. I chose to follow the force and became a Sith Inquisitor. 

One of the best features of this game is that in addition to picking your initial class at level 10, you are presented with the choice of picking your specialization. The Sith Inquisitor has a choice between the Sith Sorcerer and the Sith Assassin; the Sith Sorcerer focuses on the most deep dark secrets of the Force and gains amazing Dark Side Force abilities. Force lighting and many other Force powers makes this class the ultimate in long range combat and healing. The Sith Assassin focuses on lightsaber fighting, as a bonus the Sith Assassin uses the double-sided lightsaber making it one of the most dangerous melee fighters in the game. 

I would be remiss if I did not mention that Sith and Jedi are not the only two choices you have in this game. I am focusing on the Sith because it is the class I played. On the Sith side you can also play as a Bounty Hunter and Imperial Agent both with their own specialization classes, and on the Republic side you can play as a Smuggler or Trooper. All the classes in this game are balanced and are on equal standing ground when it comes to PVP or Dueling. 

Let’s talk space fighting and space quests. Around level 15 you will be given a spaceship, this will allow you to partake in the space combat system. When you arrive on your ship you’re greeted by some new companions; companions are acquired throughout the game as you complete quests. You control them and they help you succeed in battle. By level 15 you have a couple of choices when it comes to companions and can chose which one will do the best job on quests.

Companions can also help level up your professions. There are many different types of professions, like Cybertech, Biosynthesis, and Scavenging. These are just an added bonus to the game and allow you to craft items to use during gameplay. The fact that you can build your own lightsabers and guns just makes the game that much better. I played to level 20 and I can honestly say that this game is very well rounded and has enough gameplay mechanics to keep you interested and learning as you go along. The storyline is incredibly engaging, the voice acting is on point and the capability to choose whether you would like to be on the light or dark side just adds to the fun.