Review by hempick

"Give this game a try, you must!"

Before beginning with the review, I think it is appropriate to state that this game is the first MMORPG I have ever played. I did not know what to expect, but to give you a hint about my feelings about the game right off the bat, I will say that pretty much the only time I have spent away from the game since I got it was to take a shower, eat, sleep a little, and type this review. ;-)

EDIT: I have decided to adjust this review for my current thoughts on SWG. I have “quit” SWG twice since I originally bought it. Basically, I played it for about 3½ months, stopped playing for 1½ months, played for 2 more months, and now I have not played in about 1½ months. Perhaps it is time for me to go back? Well, anyway, on with the slightly updated review.

Gameplay (Adjusted): 7/10
You start out on a ship full of refugees captured by the Empire. They let you go, but before you leave the ship you get a basic tutorial of the game’s main features. After you choose where to be transported to, you can complete various different quests to gain credits (which work as $$). At this point you can start doing a ton of fun stuff like craft items, fight, dance, play instruments, survey land for metal, ore, jewels, etc, or just about anything else you wish to do.

Additionally, the planet maps are enormous (and there are a decent number of planets to explore). By my estimates, it could take close to a quarter of a day (Earth time) to travel across an entire map by foot. They are, of course, other ways to get around such as shuttles.

EDIT: Since I last played, vehicles and mounts had been added, which greatly improved traveling speed.

Because there are different races, there are different languages. In order to understand them, you need to learn them from someone (an NPC or another person). It can be annoying at first, if you do not know the language, but once you learn it, everything is okay. Plus, having different languages adds to the realism of the game. In real life, there are different languages, so why should there be only one in a game?

My only complaint in this area is that the battles get tedious at times.

EDIT: Master Teras Kasi and dabbling in Rifleman has taught me that battles can be VERY boring and lengthy (depending on your skill level.)

Story: 10/10
Star Wars, baby! Yeah! Since it is an MMORPG, the story basically is different for every character.

Graphics (Adjusted): 7.5/10
The graphics in Galaxies are very nice, but sometimes when your character gets very close to certain objects, the graphics for those objects get grainy or seem to disappear. If you play an Entertainer you have to do some dancing to truly appreciate the animation of the game. Some of the flourishes seem like they were put in to make fun of the current popular dance trends and they are hilariously accurate.

Sound (Adjusted): 7/10
From what I have heard in my current profession (entertainer/artisan) the sound is outstanding. The songs and flourishes that musicians can play sound awesome. The other sounds are great, too. Engines and blasters have very realistic sounds and the standard Star Wars music sounds like a choir of angels.

Replay Factor (Adjusted): 5/10
EDIT: After Mastering Musician, Entertainer, and Teras Kasi and dabbling in Rifleman, Marksman, Scout, and Artisan on one character and Mastering Doctor, Medic, and dabbling in Entertainer and Marksman on another character, I realized that my initial rating of 10/10 for this category needed to be adjusted. Granted, they have added more to the game since it first came out, but it does not seem to be enough to hold my attention for more than about a month and a half now. To put it plainly, the 'newness' takes less time to wear off each time you go back. If you like PvP action, then you might feel that SWG has more replay value.

Final Recommendation (Adjusted): 7.3/10
ORIGINAL: This part really depends on if you are willing to pay a monthly fee of $12-15. If you do not mind that, then you should give the game a try. Of course, you get a month free, so with that said, the game is worth the $50 or so that you would need to shell out for it. (The extra money for the Collector’s Edition is also well worth it, assuming you are a Star Wars fan.)

EDIT: This game is still worth giving a try, but it is certainly not fault-free.

Reviewer's Score: 7/10 | Originally Posted: 06/29/03, Updated 03/29/04


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