Eurogamer Expo 2011: Most wanted
We highlight the titles that we're excited about come this Christmas
A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away… there was a massively popular and culturally ubiquitous series of sci-fi movies which has gone on to spawn countless sequels, merchandising opportunities and, of course, video games.
The latest of these is Bioware’s Star Wars: The Old Republic. An MMO set 3,000 years before the events of the films, The Old Republic’s scope is massive, detailed and incredibly ambitious. You can choose from eight different classes, including bounty hunters, Sith inquisitors and Jedi knights, as well as a wide variety of species. Each class has its own dedicated storyline and mission structure, complete with full NPC voice acting throughout – the first time this has been attempted in an MMO (although we’ll note that last year’s DC Universe had a fair bit of it).
A large part of the game’s experience hinges on its combat system, which is designed to be fast-paced and cinematic. However, Bioware hasn’t opted for the frantic button-bashing called for by some recent action-MMOs, but instead allows you to trigger attacks that are then quickly and seamlessly integrated into the rest of the action, whether you’re fighting NPCs or other players in PvP mode. The results are immediately gratifying and movement during combat is particularly fluid, although getting true finesse clearly requires rather more practice than we got.
The universe is by necessity both massive and detailed, with an estimate of well over 200 hours for a single-class play-through as well as dozens of planets. Despite the presence of arcing plots for each character class, you’ll have freedom to role play against type, drawing a Jedi character towards the dark side or redeeming your Sith. Other characters will also remember your actions, so cheating the wrong trader could easily cost you your reputation or your hide.
The Old Republic is set to open its servers to the public on 22nd December: just in time for the holidays.