Reviewed by: Ebow
Developer: Sony
Publisher: Sony

Star Wars. Like Marmite, you either love it or you hate it. I love it. And Marmite, in case you're wondering.

This is my first foray into a MMORPG. I'm usually to be found twitching in FPSs online, so this is a complete break from the norm. It's turned out to be a welcome one.

Not entirely sure where to begin with reviewing this - explain how MMORPGs work? List the character classes and skills? Well, I could do all that, but I'll just post a link to the official site where you can get your geeky fill of stats and stuff as required.

Coming from a FPS background, the skills system was the first thing that filled me with dread. OMFG - I need to do what to get a decent gun? But then you discover that getting a decent gun isn't the be-all and end-all of the game, in fact it could actually be a small part of it. The professions available mean the game caters for everyone, with the combat professions meaning fighters can get straight into things, with the cerebral professions catering for those who want to explore the universe and develop their characters.

My Wookie started life as a Scout. This means he has good wilderness skills and can harvest dead beasties for animal resources (gaining Scout XP in the process). Using mission terminals located in towns and cities within the game, players are given deliver or destroy missions, and profession specific mission terminals give each profession missions that are catered to their skills. The interface should be mentioned here, as I'm discovering it is flight sim-esque in it's potential, but FPS-esque in it's delivery. The skills you have are assigned to the F1-12 keys, and with six banks of F1-12 keysets you can have each of your skills available quickly. Along with what appears to be hundreds of emotes and social animations, these 6 banks are required. Scrolling through the banks gives you quick access to what you want to do, and at this point the sigh you had to begin with goes away and you get on with playing the game.

Graphically, it's gorgeous. Points of interest from the movies are in evidence, making the game a virtual tour or the films if you wish. The major cities on the planets are recreated well, with Theed on Naboo being especially lush (see here for pics); Endor being especially foresty (it's a forest moon, after all) and Tatooine being especially sandy. The scale of the planets is intimidating to begin with, but there are waypoint systems and overlay maps that can be used to find your way from A to B, or locate a place within a city.

The gameplay is the draw for me - there's only so often I can go "wooo, pretty" before I start wondering where my money's gone - and SWG has it by the Dewback load.

Wary of the bugfest the forums and community were calling the game before it was released, I was expecting something a lot worse than it actually is. So far, after a month and half of playing, I've only found one bug myself (a mission waypoint was set outside the playable map). I can't demand the developers release a game like this without having scope to change things and make modifications as the 275000 players do things the testers didn't, and I can't be bothered to campaign for their heads on a plate as a result of the patching and the bugs.

Missions are not pages and pages of background with a bottom line of "go to B and get something", which is what killed NWN for me. Yes, I like to feel part of where I'm playing, but pages and pages of background just bore me quickly. It's the downside of being a FPS player, maybe ;)

The biggest general gripe at the start of playing was having to run everywhere - there are no ground vehicles, and you can't mount animals (fnarr fnarr). Yet. As you explore the different missions and the areas surrounding the cities you quickly identify missions that won't take you hours to get to, and this makes the gameplay more fluid. Having crafted things and sold stuff (the game economy is driven by the players, who make weapons, clothes, food items etc etc for everyone else), money starts appearing, meaning other skills can be learned meaning the game plays better. It was a rough start for me, for sure, but only because I'm not used to it. Now I am, it's all good.

Combat is turn based, but uses an "attack stack", where you can add what you want to do next, eg. headshot first, then bodyshot, then get the axe out and start chopping. Terrain and running around can mean targets go out of view, with going prone making shooting more accurate. It's like a paper version of an FPS, to my mind, and far more relaxing and enjoyable than the adrenalin-fest of say Battlefield 1942. With the combat looking as great as it does (colored laser blasts and authentic sounds, trivia fans), the need to bunny hop round the killer bunny you're trying to kill soons become something that you do in other games.

The sense of community within the game is also worthy of mention. You meet people out in the wild, stop everything and just chat. You walk into a cantina to recharge your battle fatigue (this is "healed" by watching or listening to entertainers, a nice touch) and just join in the conversation. Everyone's friendly, maybe because everyone's in the game for the same reason - fans of Star Wars.

I know the above is an overview, but it is intended as a first impression only. I've not touched on the faction element of the game (choices choices - join the Empire or the Rebels?), mainly because I've not done that yet. I've not touched on "pets" such as Rancors, because I haven't done that yet either.

The bottom line, even with the game surface only scratched, is that SWG is worthy of your attention.

Cue cheesy "May the Force be with you!" quote ;)

Presentation	9
Amazing. Excellent view distance and graphic options keeps the game running smoothyl in all environments.
Gameplay	9
There may be a distinct lack of Jedi, but you know you CAN play Star Wars without waving colored swords around and going vwoom vwoom.
Value	6
£60 on import, and $15 per month. The import cost will put a lot of people off until it's released over here, and the subscription may do the same.
Benchmark	0
Not having played any other MMORPGs, how can I assign a Benchmark score?
Score	8
It's a very personal score. I need vehicles and animals you can ride for it to be a 9, and the space expansion and a Millennium Falcon I can fly for it to be a 10. Watch this space, as they say.