BioWare elevates MMO's to a new lvl by creating immersive, fully produced stories that feel like they matter.
Now, I'm not generally a big fan of most MMO's. They tend to get repetitive, lack any semblence of an interesting plot, and end up turning into gear finding, questing sessions that become more about leveling, collecting, and PVP rather than immersion into the world, interesting characters, and a plot that can carry the game. Star Wars solves this. By taking what usually works in MMO's and applying their tried and true formula of conversation choice and fully voiced production, as well as some rather entertaining cutscenes, they create an MMO world that goes beyond the usual. Sure enough, if you've played BioWare RPG's in the past, this should be familiar to you. And with the built in Star Wars universe, it's easy for BioWare to create an immersive galaxy full of interesting stories, characters, and places.
You start out by picking a side, light or dark, which determines pretty much everything else in the game: where you start, what classes you can be, your story, etc. You create your character in one of four classes for each side and one of five races. Thus you begin your journey. After playing through three different classes, I can say that each has an interesting story that paints out an extended quest throughout the galaxy. In the case of the Bounty Hunter, you begin a journey to enter The Great Hunt, a galaxy wide Bounty Hunter race, and in the process end up on the road to revenge. Each class contains it's own unique story and is similarily intricate, far more than I have seen for any other MMO. It goes so far beyond what any MMO has done in terms of story and character that it remains interesting and feels fresh.
As far as gameplay, there is nothing too unique here. It's typical sci-fi MMO fair, with click and attack action, lots of travelling, crafting, and all the other usual tropes. However, Old Republic goes a long way to try and be a little different. Firstly, while there are fetch quests, they are typically side mission, with primary and secondary missions relating to story and character. Even minor missions are more interesting than merely collecting or killing. And there are choices in these missions with moral consequences that define your character. Do you bring back a mother's child so she can send him off to become a great Sith Warrior, or do you let the father take him to possibly spare his life from the consequences of failing? Do you help an old man suffering from polluted water or do you help the settlers, who will suffer if you purify the water? These kinds of choices matter and give your character personality, making it easy to get attached to them as opposed to just turning them into generic classes of the typical MMO. Companions also go a long way. They are able to do a number of things that you can be relieved of, like crafting equipment, seeking our treasures and materials, and being diplomats. These things can all be done hands off, earn you rewards, and give you a more commanding sense over your comraderie.
Suffice to say, Old Republic is not entirely an innovative MMO, but does do many things that MMO's have desperately needed, not the least of which is an improvement in creating an immersive, story driven world where you feel like you actually matter. I can only hope that this becomes a great success so that other MMO's may be crafted with an equally as impressive, story and character driven experience.