A very fun, addictive MMORPG for Star Wars fans and gamers alike.
User Rating: 9.1 | Star Wars Galaxies: An Empire Divided PC
Let me start by saying that I never have played an RPG game that I like, let alone a massively multiplayer online role-playing game. However, I have read about Star Wars: Galaxies for quite some time and being the sucker for hype that I am, I purchased it on launch day. I'll now say that this is probably the single most addicting game I've every played. Star Wars: Galaxies is a huge MMORPG from Sony Online Entertainment and LucasArts. There isn't really a story as it is your job to create one. The game itself is huge. You start off by creating a character from a number of different species with everything from wookies to humans. It's fairly detailed as you can choose skin tone, hair, hair color, mouth size, nose size, etc. all until you have your own personal character for the game. You can also choose which job you want to start out with. There is Artisan, Entertainer, Medic, Marksman, Brawler and Scout. Each job offers a different costume. Although you start out with this job and it's individual skills, you can later gain skills from other professions. Each player is allowed one character per server. Once created, you name him/her and choose the server you want to play on. There are a number to choose from but all essentially contain the same locations and items. From there, you choose to play on one of five planets however you can travel from planet to planet later on. The planets in Galaxies are absolutely huge. Running on foot from one end of the plane to the other will take well over an hour. There are 5 planets as stated above that will be familiar to many Star Wars fans. Tatooine and Naboo are there as are some other great locations. Each planet has it's own cities. In these cities, you'll find all your important locations like cantinas, medical centers, guild headquarters, banks, mission terminals and shuttle ports. The cities themselves are typically quite large as well and you can get to them by foot or via shuttle ports or star ports for a specific price. In Star Wars: Galaxies, there isn't really an objective; rather, it's up to the player to set his/her own goals. There are mission terminals where you can get two kinds of missions: destroy or deliver. Destroy, as the name suggests, sends you off to destroy what is usually a dangerous creature's lair or nest. Deliver typically sends you off on a lengthy journey to deliver a package to another character. Doing these missions earns you credits. Credits are the game's currency. It's what you use to buy a variety of items such as clothes, armour, weapons, supplies or food. You can also tip players such as medics who heal your body or the entertainers that heal your mind. Killing creatures gains you XP or experience points that can be used to enhance your skills through a skills menu. After gaining a set number of XP, you can upgrade your skills and become a stronger fighter. With medics, artisans and entertainers, however, their skills are upgradeable through healing, building or dancing/singing for others. It works much the same though. After gaining XP, they can upgrade their skills as well. Players are free to join groups and tackle missions to lower difficulty, chat with friends and foes alike, roam the large planets and search for some amazing locations or just sit and relax in the cantina with a hot tea, listening to music. There is so much to do in Star Wars: Galaxies. It's most fun when you play with someone you know and work together to better your skills and tackle missions. It's really what you make of it. Star Wars: Galaxies has really impressed me and it can only get better once SOE introduces the first story elements.
