In an alternate future, Star Wars: The Old Republic will go on to break World of Warcraft's stranglehold on the MMORPG market. In another alternate future, Star Wars: The Old Republic will go on to fail in obscurity like many games before. 

With every MMORPG, one has to look to the future. Subscriptions rise and fall, content may or may not get delivered on time, or servers will flourish or run on empty. These concerns are important for an MMORPG, but another is paramount to all others. "Will the game grow as big as World of Warcraft?"

Undoubtedly, people will want to see every utterance of World of Warcraft to see how the two games compare. But unfortunately, I cannot offer any precise comparison. I would have to expend months of game time to explore every facet of both MMORPGs. However, what I can tell you is that Star Wars: The Old Republic is a nice take on the MMO genre and worth a look. 

Just as its name implies, The Old Republic takes place thousands of years before the movie's timelines. In this era, the Jedi and Sith are fighting with one another. Players should find that the game feels like Knights of the Old Republic with some MMORPG elements put in.

In the beginning, players are able to choose what side they want to represent. When that decision is made, players may select one of four classes to play. Initially, these classes differ in their range of attacks. However, after a few levels, players are given the opportunity to advance their class into one of two options. Once the player has reached the advanced class, they will see the standard MMORPG archetypes like DPS, tank, or healer. 

Combat is a standard affair. As with any third person MMORPG, battles entail running around, attacking things, and knowing when to use cooldowns effectively. Players will figure out what skills have priority and when to use abilities for certain conditions. Gamers new to the genre may find combat to be fast-paced and exciting, while experienced players will love or loathe combat. Despite the differing opinions, everyone will appreciate the addition of companions. These NPCs will help players complete "Flashpoints" or group quests. Companions can be customized to fit a player's wants or needs.

In terms of gameplay, The Old Republic does not have anything unique to offer experienced MMORPG gamers. Given that fact, SWTOR strives to hook players in with its story. Yes, I said story.

MMORPGs are not known for its narrative. A bunch of text may send a player on a quest to kill ten boars, but there is nothing behind the story to make it intriguing. In The Old Republic, the game twists that concept to make a player care about what's happening on that quest. While killing ten boars may not be exciting, BioWare adds subtle elements to make these little stories interesting. Voice acting and the cinematography adds flavor to the game, but the way a player can affect the story makes the game interesting.

For example, dialogue trees are prevalent during these quest events. A character's response can be whatever the player desires. Want to be a jerk with a heart of gold? Or how about an evil character that only cares about money? In The Old Republic, quests are the vehicle that drives characters towards the light side or the dark side. Certain NPCs also evolve according the player's choice. Helping someone out may mean you'll get some help in the future. Messing up some poor NPC's life may mean revenge later on. Gamers will be unintentionally role-playing their character and relishing the opportunity without knowing it. 

The narrative single-handedly separates SWTOR from other MMORPGs. It is by far the game's greatest strength. Veterans and fresh MMORPG players may find themselves hooked progressing through quest after quest and seeing how their character will play out the story.

In a few months' time, the player base will decide the success of SWTOR. Will it rise to the heavens along with World of Warcraft? Or will it go free-to-play like DC Universe or The Lord of the Rings MMORPG? The future will show SWTOR's fate. However, at this moment, Star Wars: The Old Republic is worth a look. Players, experienced or not, will appreciate the story of their character running around in the world of The Old Republic. It will be one of the factors that will attract players of all shapes and sizes. Those new to MMORPGs will also appreciate BioWare's combat design and the addition of companions.

With safe gameplay and an amazing effort put into the narrative, I recommend Star Wars: The Old Republic.

GameDynamo's Score for Star Wars: The Old Republic (PC)

	Score	Description
Graphics	89	Gorgeous environments. The game definitely feels like Star Wars. At times, there's a lot of empty space.
Sound	92	Top-notch voice acting and music makes for some good immersion. All the classic Star Wars sounds are here too!
Gameplay	85	Fun for the newbies, and decent for veteran MMORPG players. The story elements also make for some compelling gameplay.
Play Value	90	For a month's worth of gameplay, the money is well-spent. At times, The Old Republic feels like a single-player RPG. However, after the free month passes, the verdict is still up in the air.
Final Score	89	The narrative makes SWTOR worth a look. Gamers of all types may want to try the free month that comes with the game.

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