Star Wars Galaxies (PC)
Star Wars Galaxies is an online only role playing game (RPG)
where you become
a character of your choice and live their life in the Star
Wars Universe. You can
visit all the iconic locations in the films like the Mos Eisley Cantina,
Jabba's
palace,
and the Ewok
Tree
Village, as well as to take part in the Galactic
Civil War, however does that make the game any good?
Gameplay:
93%
You start the
game by creating the character you want to be from one
of nine professions, from combat characters like Bounty Hunters, Spy’s, and
even a Jedi, through
to non-combat ones like Entertainers or Traders. You can also decide on your
characters species, with loads to choose between, from humans to Wookies (like
Chewbacca). Then you customize their appearance (height, facial features,
clothes etc.) and this means no two characters in the game will be the same.
You start in Mos Eisley, and to help you get started there are tutorial characters you can visit that give you basic quests (jobs) to do. These teach you about combat, travel, and other parts of the game, while also earning you money. These quests will also get you started on your character progression. You start as character level (CL) 1, but as you play the game, do quests, and achieve objectives, it rises until you reach the maximum of CL90. As you increase your CL you also gain expertise points with which to specialize your character even further. Given that You can even become an Imperial (the Empire), or a member of the Rebel Alliance, and take part in the Galactic Civil War.
As you
increase your wealth you can buy better weapons and armor, and even buy a
house that you can place on a planet of your choice. You can also join
guilds with other players and create your own city with its own
shuttle port and cantina etc.
The
game features a lot that you will find in most RPG’s, but with the added
bonus that it is set in the Star Wars universe (so it's great if you liked the films), and
we haven’t even mentioned that you can go into space too!
Graphics: 87%
The graphics
in the game are great, and there are lots of planets you can
visit. All of them are different though, from the desert planet of Tattooine, to
the tree filled moon of Endor, or Naboo with everything from swamps to huge
mountain ranges. You can also visit some iconic locations from the films
such as Jabba’s Palace and the Ewok
Village.
Sound: 86%
The sound is
pretty good too. From the Mos Eisley cantina when there are entertainers
playing classic Star Wars music, to the background music you hear
as you travel across planets on
your speeder bike, right through to combat with lightsabers. Overall the
sound effects and music are great.
Online:
This game can only be played online (including via Steam), and there is a monthly subscription fee
of approx £10. There is a free 14-day trial though, so you can try it out
before deciding whether to subscribe.
Value:
96%
As a typical
role playing game there is a huge amount to do. If you’re a combat character you can
fight the various creatures, and if you visit certain locations you can take
part in player vs. player battles. Non-combat characters are also involved in
their own part of the game, for example Traders influence the game
economics. They harvest resources
out of the ground, and can also buy, sell or manufacture components.
They then use the various resources and components to create items used in the game, e.g. weapons, spaceships, clothes, buildings and furniture. Once the items have been created they are listed on the bazaar, or on the Trader's own Vendors located in their houses. Some resources and finished goods are common and are fairly low in value; however others are rare, or take a huge amount of resources to make, and can be very expensive.
Conclusion:
The game has
a mixed reputation, as across the internet you will read both good and bad
reviews, while you also need to pay a monthly subscription to play the game.
It’s actually great fun though, and so if you’re a Star Wars fan
you
should enjoy it.
Overall Score: 92%