Star Wars: The Old Republic, A Review and MDA Analysis (PC)
Star Wars: The Old Republic is an MMORPG game made by Bioware and Electronic Arts. MMOs have always been a popular form of gaming, as they are heavily cooperative, challenging, and often have complex mechanics that add to the difficulty of completing tasks. The Old Republic is an unofficial sequel to the Knights of the Old Republic series, which centers around a Jedi/Sith named Revan. Whereas the original games were single-player, SWTOR brings countless thousands of players into the adventure. We will discuss how the mechanics of such a game add to its playability.
The primary aesthetics of SWTOR are fantasy, narrative, and fellowship. There are other aspects to it, of course, but these are the most essential. The fantasy choice is obvious, as we are in a realm that is very science fiction in nature, with elements of fantasy as well (i.e. magic/The Force). While some of the original ideas in Star Wars were made a reality (much technology relies on the innovation of science fiction), there are still technologies and concepts that are years away from being discovered, if ever. We have spacecraft, but none that work quite as well, or are on the scale of as say, a Star Destroyer. The Force is a very cool idea, but as of yet there is no proof of anyone being able to use telekinetic abilities, or channel lightning from their fingertips. The dynamics we can see in the fantasy aspect are the visuals of wondrous landscapes, strange beasts, and alien life that are not of our world, combat using blasters (laser weapons) and lightsabers (energy swords), and visuals of technologies that surpass anything based in our current reality. The mechanics of this are heavily based on the dialogue and combat system, which translates text from alien languages, and combat icons that use fantastic abilities that do not exist in the real world.
The next aesthetic is narrative, because, as in all things Star Wars, there is a battle between two opposing ideologies: the Jedi, and the Sith. What is fascinating about this game is that both factions are playable, and each faction has four different types of characters they can choose from, each with its own unique story. Yes, you read that correctly. Not only are there two different factions, but you can play four entirely different games for each one. Storytelling on that scale is practically unheard of, as is the ability to choose how each story ends up. Since it has RPG elements, each story has its own unique choices as well, and one can choose to make light and dark side decisions as well. The dialogue system needs to be brought up again for the dynamics, as one can choose one of three dialogue options in every response during a conversation and can choose a light, dark, or neutral option when prompted. These responses change the outcomes of the story, sometimes only a little, and sometimes drastically. The visuals, including the cutscenes, which have professional cinematography, also add to the narrative and one’s immersion in the story and game world. The mechanics would be the way said dialogue system works, along with the consequences of the story being realized through the complex variables present in the game system.
Finally, we have fellowship. Because the game runs entirely on a multiplayer server, like all MMOs, it is reliant on people playing together to achieve goals in the game. While the story missions can be completed alone, there are difficult areas, missions, instances (group missions), and raids (large group missions) that must be played with others to achieve. Combat against other players (PvP) requires a large number of people to play as well. This game, along with others of its kind, is all about working together and fighting each other. There is a great deal of player interaction. The dynamics would be party formation and the visuals of seeing other real players on your screen. The game makes you very aware that there are other people playing, and there is a real-player chat box in the corner of the screen, that is meant to be helpful for people to find groups and work together, but often becomes a victim of trolling. The mechanics would be the list that appears of your group members, and their current health and stats. This shows you that you are in a group with one or more players, and helps you better interact with them.
In conclusion, SWTOR is an extremely layered MMORPG that contains many positive aesthetic experiences, which all combine to create a unique and immersive experience. There are high elements of fantasy, narrative, and fellowship, and they subtly affect the way we interact and experience the game. The aforementioned dynamics and mechanics of the game explain the ways in which the developers successfully evoke said aesthetic experiences.
The primary aesthetics of SWTOR are fantasy, narrative, and fellowship. There are other aspects to it, of course, but these are the most essential. The fantasy choice is obvious, as we are in a realm that is very science fiction in nature, with elements of fantasy as well (i.e. magic/The Force). While some of the original ideas in Star Wars were made a reality (much technology relies on the innovation of science fiction), there are still technologies and concepts that are years away from being discovered, if ever. We have spacecraft, but none that work quite as well, or are on the scale of as say, a Star Destroyer. The Force is a very cool idea, but as of yet there is no proof of anyone being able to use telekinetic abilities, or channel lightning from their fingertips. The dynamics we can see in the fantasy aspect are the visuals of wondrous landscapes, strange beasts, and alien life that are not of our world, combat using blasters (laser weapons) and lightsabers (energy swords), and visuals of technologies that surpass anything based in our current reality. The mechanics of this are heavily based on the dialogue and combat system, which translates text from alien languages, and combat icons that use fantastic abilities that do not exist in the real world.
The next aesthetic is narrative, because, as in all things Star Wars, there is a battle between two opposing ideologies: the Jedi, and the Sith. What is fascinating about this game is that both factions are playable, and each faction has four different types of characters they can choose from, each with its own unique story. Yes, you read that correctly. Not only are there two different factions, but you can play four entirely different games for each one. Storytelling on that scale is practically unheard of, as is the ability to choose how each story ends up. Since it has RPG elements, each story has its own unique choices as well, and one can choose to make light and dark side decisions as well. The dialogue system needs to be brought up again for the dynamics, as one can choose one of three dialogue options in every response during a conversation and can choose a light, dark, or neutral option when prompted. These responses change the outcomes of the story, sometimes only a little, and sometimes drastically. The visuals, including the cutscenes, which have professional cinematography, also add to the narrative and one’s immersion in the story and game world. The mechanics would be the way said dialogue system works, along with the consequences of the story being realized through the complex variables present in the game system.
Finally, we have fellowship. Because the game runs entirely on a multiplayer server, like all MMOs, it is reliant on people playing together to achieve goals in the game. While the story missions can be completed alone, there are difficult areas, missions, instances (group missions), and raids (large group missions) that must be played with others to achieve. Combat against other players (PvP) requires a large number of people to play as well. This game, along with others of its kind, is all about working together and fighting each other. There is a great deal of player interaction. The dynamics would be party formation and the visuals of seeing other real players on your screen. The game makes you very aware that there are other people playing, and there is a real-player chat box in the corner of the screen, that is meant to be helpful for people to find groups and work together, but often becomes a victim of trolling. The mechanics would be the list that appears of your group members, and their current health and stats. This shows you that you are in a group with one or more players, and helps you better interact with them.
In conclusion, SWTOR is an extremely layered MMORPG that contains many positive aesthetic experiences, which all combine to create a unique and immersive experience. There are high elements of fantasy, narrative, and fellowship, and they subtly affect the way we interact and experience the game. The aforementioned dynamics and mechanics of the game explain the ways in which the developers successfully evoke said aesthetic experiences.
Verdict: 9/10
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