SW:TOR Two Months In
It's been about two months now since I started playing this behemoth of a game and over a month since the last time I posted, and the more I play, the more I realize that I've only scratched the surface of the story.
This game is HUGE. I'm incredibly impressed how differently the game plays not only between each faction, but between each class, gender, race and darkside/lightside choices. I mean, sure, there's some quest repetition on each faction as you level up. But really it doesn't feel all that repetitious to me, especially given the different choices that you can make. The classes especially play differently even if they're on the same faction and you're doing a quest for the third or fourth time. My money grubbing bitch of a smuggler feels completely different than my patriotic trooper or my lighsided fluffy Jedi.
Which is why I should probably learn to stop reading what other numbnut whiny fans have to say about this game. It's amazing how many people will only level one toon to 50 and then cry about how there's nothing to do. I mean, sure, if you're into hardcore end game raiding, this is probably not the game for you. But the people who claim they play for the story, but only play one character to the level cap and then quit really blow my mind, because they've only seen a small percentage of the content. I shouldn't be surprised, I suppose. MMO players are probably the whiniest, most entitled, and myopic fans out there, but still, it's aggravating to see people be so goddamned lazy and pissy when Bioware has delivered a hell of a game that's exactly what they advertised it to be.
Personally, I'm in no hurry to race to the level cap, and since I keep rolling alts to try out different classes, I don't think I'm going to reach it anytime soon. So more story and observations by class:
Republic Trooper
This is still my favorite class and story line, but that might be because I've played this class the most. Naveh is level 45 now, mostly through the companion romance, and stuck at the end of the Belsavis quest chain fighting a rancor that I can't quite figure out how to beat.
I had to laugh because this is how Naveh dinged level 42:
10,000 experience points for shagging the cat man. Thank you, Bioware.
The Jorgan romance still continues to be excellent. Partially because of the stellar voice acting of both Jennifer Hale and Timothy Omundson who bring the characters to life, but also because of the excellent writing. Bioware has finally given players an antidote to the endless angsty manchildren with tragic pasts and delivered a romance that's adult, funny, sweet, interesting, and sexy. Right now he's tied with Garrus as my favorite Bioware romance.
As far as the overall trooper story goes, I'm not sure that I'm into this story as much as I was in the beginning. The plot's not as tight as it was and the conflict has moved from the more interesting personal quest chain to saving the galaxy from a superweapon to "omg we have to stop this baddass Imperial General." However the addition of new companions, the romance, and just the general quest chains on the planets themselves, I'm still pretty engaged.
For instance recruiting Tanno Vik to join Havoc Squad was pretty damned entertaining.
Tanno Vik, dirtbag extraordinaire.
It's good to have someone on the squad who isn't all super patriotic and good. The bullshit that he pulls on Balmorra and the hoops you have do jump through to recruit him are both frustrating and entertaining.
Finally, while the plot of the class story is a bit weak at the moment, I'm really loving the theme of the story. I love that the Republic is corrupt and constantly screwing over their own people and aren't presented as the right or good side, but more like the better of two rather crappy options. It's cool to watch this play out over the trooper class story, Jorgan's companion quests, and just the world quest chains on places like Balmora and Belsavis. After seeing so many Republic soldiers completely get the shaft from the Republic government, I'm totally waiting on pins and needles for my own Trooper to get screwed. If she doesn't get a raw deal by the end, I'm going to be strangely disappointed.
Jedi Knight
So while this is probably my least favorite class story that I've played so far, I now have two Jedi Knights. Tanit, the lightside fluffster, is now level 23. And while I continue to think that the JK story is not my cup of tea, I'm still highly amused by her as part of Derptastic Duo with Mutive's evil Lucrecia.
Truly, their derp knows no bounds.
The one thing that really aggravates me about Jedi Knights are their robes. Most of them are ass ugly and clearly designed for dudes with broad shoulders which makes them look silly on most women. Worse, there's no option to put their damned hood down, which frustrates me because I like to see my character's face.
That's the reason JK Tanit is wearing a trooper uniform with moddable slots. I'm not sure if it's much of an improvement though, because it makes her look like she's about to go shopping at the mall. Somehow it's strangely fitting though, because with the voice acting and the lightside options, Tanit plays like a sorority president who is firmly planning the big sorority mixer instead of someone who is trying to save the galaxy.
Then again, she shouldn't bitch because this is what her enemies are wearing:
I want to know what the thought process was that went into this design.
And, because evil kosiah talked me into it, I made the Jedi Knight version of my dysfunctional Jedi Exile from KOTOR2.
Nicö Kor-vas, descendant of the Jedi Exile, shrugging as he tells the Jedi council off.
Even though he's level three, he's GLORIOUS, and I've finally discovered that the best way to be entertained by the super heroic Jedi story lines is to play the most arrogant asshole possible. I'm not even sure if he's evil, or just a dick, but I am highly amused. Even this early into a class quest chain that I've played, it feels completely different and is a great example of how gender, race and alignment can make one toon feel totally different than another even if they're in the same class and faction.
Smuggler
What the hell is with the outfits in this game? She looks like she's wearing a life preserver around her neck.
This is is my next favorite class after the trooper. So far, at level 18, I like the totally different vibe this class story has. Unlike the Trooper or Jedi classes that feel like they're right in the thick of the action, the smuggler is a character on the fringe, who isn't worried about helping people or saving the galaxy, but just wants to get her ship back, make a buck and not get her ass kicked by a Hutt.
I love the voice actress and dialogue options for this class. Pim plays just like how I'd imagine a bitchy, money grubbing but occasionally sentimental smuggler to play. She's pretty much a bitchier, harder version of Han Solo and a lot of her dialogue and reactions are freaking hysterical. There are a lot of times as I play that I actually laugh out loud over something she says.
Corso is entertaining in his own way, and while he personally isn't my type, I really like the how this wholesome, idealistic cowboy and the money grubbing smuggler play off each other. It's almost like how I imagine a romance between Morrigan and Alistair from Dragon Age would go if they could hook up beyond creating the god baby, where she's the prickly, selfish bitch and he's the nice, earnest guy. I'm curious to see how the romance goes. Since my smuggler tends to sleep and flirt with everyone she can (at least so far), I'm hoping for something delightfully trainwrecky. Sadly, I think it's going to be awhile. Approval gains with him are slow, because I'm trying to play her as neither light or dark side. Keeping her in the grey tends to have the effect of having approval lurch forward only to be taken mostly away by the next interaction.
Yes, that's Corso. I used a customization because I didn't like the way he looked.
When Corso's health gets low, he has some of the most entertaining dying dialogue that I've heard. "Really dying!" cracks me up every single time he says it - which is a lot since playing a gunslinger smuggler is a bit tricky. He also has fun bits, like the part when you go to the Coruscant Spaceport and he distracts the droid while the smuggler slices the terminal to give them access. And insulting him on occasion only makes me like him more, because you get the sense that there's a backbone underneath the "Aw shucks, ma'am" exterior.
Bounty Hunter
Speaking of crazy outfits - this is what my Bounty Hunter is now wearing:
Insane but I sort of want one for real life.
I like this class a lot. Story wise, it reminds me a lot of the Smuggler, in that this is a class that's outside of the bit government/Sith events and is doing their own thing with the Mandalorians. Kosiah plays this class with me, and since both of our bounty hunters are Chiss, we look like a demented pair of twins - one who is sort of good, one who sort of isn't and both who are bitches. And when both of them use the death from above ability at the same time, it's freaking hilarious.
Also, I just want to say that having Mako who is a healer this early in the game feels like cheating. I'm disappointed that she's not a same sex romance, because she's really into my Bounty Hunter and seems like a logical choice.
Sith Warrior
I like my sith inquisitor, but for some reason she's sat at level 12, while I've actually managed to level my sith warrior.
I have decided that I like this class, although the sith warrior herself sort of freaks me out. Since I've been playing pretty hardcore darkside with her, she comes across as a complete psychopath. Poor Vette is probably doomed to forever wear her shock collar even though she keeps asking to have it taken off. Those conversations range from my SW telling Vette that "each day she keeps breathing is a gift from me to you" to telling her that she's an alien animal. And yet... somehow she keeps winning random approval from Vette.
If you're smart, Vette, you'll kill her in her sleep.
I'm chalking it up to Stockholm Syndrome or something, because otherwise it doesn't make a hell of a lot of sense. I can't quite bring myself to have the SW shock Vette as much as she probably should, but there are times when I'm tempted. Vette, I think, is supposed to come across as good and sassy, but there are times when she's annoying (and dumb) for not keeping her mouth shut.
I've finally gotten Briseis high enough to meet the f!SW love interest. I've seen him for all of maybe a minute of cut scenes so far, but I'm starting to get a feel for why he's so popular.
Oh yeah, she's totally going to hit that.
I'm curious to see how that romance progresses between him and someone who is probably devoid of any decent feelings whatsoever. Again, I'm hoping for a spectacular train wreck of epic proportions.
Those are a lot of toons for playing two months - and yet the sad thing is that I want to play even more. I really like my Sith Inquisitor, but haven't had the chance to play her much. I want to play trooper again, but this time with a corrupt darkside man, so I can take every cheap shot possible at Jorgan, romance Elara and become BFFs with Vic. And hell, I haven't even tried out an Imperial Agent yet - which is a crazy train I want to ride sometime.
So I think it's safe to say that Bioware's getting my 15 bucks for the next several months at least - even if they don't release any new endgame content.
This game is HUGE. I'm incredibly impressed how differently the game plays not only between each faction, but between each class, gender, race and darkside/lightside choices. I mean, sure, there's some quest repetition on each faction as you level up. But really it doesn't feel all that repetitious to me, especially given the different choices that you can make. The classes especially play differently even if they're on the same faction and you're doing a quest for the third or fourth time. My money grubbing bitch of a smuggler feels completely different than my patriotic trooper or my lighsided fluffy Jedi.
Which is why I should probably learn to stop reading what other numbnut whiny fans have to say about this game. It's amazing how many people will only level one toon to 50 and then cry about how there's nothing to do. I mean, sure, if you're into hardcore end game raiding, this is probably not the game for you. But the people who claim they play for the story, but only play one character to the level cap and then quit really blow my mind, because they've only seen a small percentage of the content. I shouldn't be surprised, I suppose. MMO players are probably the whiniest, most entitled, and myopic fans out there, but still, it's aggravating to see people be so goddamned lazy and pissy when Bioware has delivered a hell of a game that's exactly what they advertised it to be.
Personally, I'm in no hurry to race to the level cap, and since I keep rolling alts to try out different classes, I don't think I'm going to reach it anytime soon. So more story and observations by class:
Republic Trooper
This is still my favorite class and story line, but that might be because I've played this class the most. Naveh is level 45 now, mostly through the companion romance, and stuck at the end of the Belsavis quest chain fighting a rancor that I can't quite figure out how to beat.
I had to laugh because this is how Naveh dinged level 42:
10,000 experience points for shagging the cat man. Thank you, Bioware.
The Jorgan romance still continues to be excellent. Partially because of the stellar voice acting of both Jennifer Hale and Timothy Omundson who bring the characters to life, but also because of the excellent writing. Bioware has finally given players an antidote to the endless angsty manchildren with tragic pasts and delivered a romance that's adult, funny, sweet, interesting, and sexy. Right now he's tied with Garrus as my favorite Bioware romance.
As far as the overall trooper story goes, I'm not sure that I'm into this story as much as I was in the beginning. The plot's not as tight as it was and the conflict has moved from the more interesting personal quest chain to saving the galaxy from a superweapon to "omg we have to stop this baddass Imperial General." However the addition of new companions, the romance, and just the general quest chains on the planets themselves, I'm still pretty engaged.
For instance recruiting Tanno Vik to join Havoc Squad was pretty damned entertaining.
Tanno Vik, dirtbag extraordinaire.
It's good to have someone on the squad who isn't all super patriotic and good. The bullshit that he pulls on Balmorra and the hoops you have do jump through to recruit him are both frustrating and entertaining.
Finally, while the plot of the class story is a bit weak at the moment, I'm really loving the theme of the story. I love that the Republic is corrupt and constantly screwing over their own people and aren't presented as the right or good side, but more like the better of two rather crappy options. It's cool to watch this play out over the trooper class story, Jorgan's companion quests, and just the world quest chains on places like Balmora and Belsavis. After seeing so many Republic soldiers completely get the shaft from the Republic government, I'm totally waiting on pins and needles for my own Trooper to get screwed. If she doesn't get a raw deal by the end, I'm going to be strangely disappointed.
Jedi Knight
So while this is probably my least favorite class story that I've played so far, I now have two Jedi Knights. Tanit, the lightside fluffster, is now level 23. And while I continue to think that the JK story is not my cup of tea, I'm still highly amused by her as part of Derptastic Duo with Mutive's evil Lucrecia.
Truly, their derp knows no bounds.
The one thing that really aggravates me about Jedi Knights are their robes. Most of them are ass ugly and clearly designed for dudes with broad shoulders which makes them look silly on most women. Worse, there's no option to put their damned hood down, which frustrates me because I like to see my character's face.
That's the reason JK Tanit is wearing a trooper uniform with moddable slots. I'm not sure if it's much of an improvement though, because it makes her look like she's about to go shopping at the mall. Somehow it's strangely fitting though, because with the voice acting and the lightside options, Tanit plays like a sorority president who is firmly planning the big sorority mixer instead of someone who is trying to save the galaxy.
Then again, she shouldn't bitch because this is what her enemies are wearing:
I want to know what the thought process was that went into this design.
And, because evil kosiah talked me into it, I made the Jedi Knight version of my dysfunctional Jedi Exile from KOTOR2.
Nicö Kor-vas, descendant of the Jedi Exile, shrugging as he tells the Jedi council off.
Even though he's level three, he's GLORIOUS, and I've finally discovered that the best way to be entertained by the super heroic Jedi story lines is to play the most arrogant asshole possible. I'm not even sure if he's evil, or just a dick, but I am highly amused. Even this early into a class quest chain that I've played, it feels completely different and is a great example of how gender, race and alignment can make one toon feel totally different than another even if they're in the same class and faction.
Smuggler
What the hell is with the outfits in this game? She looks like she's wearing a life preserver around her neck.
This is is my next favorite class after the trooper. So far, at level 18, I like the totally different vibe this class story has. Unlike the Trooper or Jedi classes that feel like they're right in the thick of the action, the smuggler is a character on the fringe, who isn't worried about helping people or saving the galaxy, but just wants to get her ship back, make a buck and not get her ass kicked by a Hutt.
I love the voice actress and dialogue options for this class. Pim plays just like how I'd imagine a bitchy, money grubbing but occasionally sentimental smuggler to play. She's pretty much a bitchier, harder version of Han Solo and a lot of her dialogue and reactions are freaking hysterical. There are a lot of times as I play that I actually laugh out loud over something she says.
Corso is entertaining in his own way, and while he personally isn't my type, I really like the how this wholesome, idealistic cowboy and the money grubbing smuggler play off each other. It's almost like how I imagine a romance between Morrigan and Alistair from Dragon Age would go if they could hook up beyond creating the god baby, where she's the prickly, selfish bitch and he's the nice, earnest guy. I'm curious to see how the romance goes. Since my smuggler tends to sleep and flirt with everyone she can (at least so far), I'm hoping for something delightfully trainwrecky. Sadly, I think it's going to be awhile. Approval gains with him are slow, because I'm trying to play her as neither light or dark side. Keeping her in the grey tends to have the effect of having approval lurch forward only to be taken mostly away by the next interaction.
Yes, that's Corso. I used a customization because I didn't like the way he looked.
When Corso's health gets low, he has some of the most entertaining dying dialogue that I've heard. "Really dying!" cracks me up every single time he says it - which is a lot since playing a gunslinger smuggler is a bit tricky. He also has fun bits, like the part when you go to the Coruscant Spaceport and he distracts the droid while the smuggler slices the terminal to give them access. And insulting him on occasion only makes me like him more, because you get the sense that there's a backbone underneath the "Aw shucks, ma'am" exterior.
Bounty Hunter
Speaking of crazy outfits - this is what my Bounty Hunter is now wearing:
Insane but I sort of want one for real life.
I like this class a lot. Story wise, it reminds me a lot of the Smuggler, in that this is a class that's outside of the bit government/Sith events and is doing their own thing with the Mandalorians. Kosiah plays this class with me, and since both of our bounty hunters are Chiss, we look like a demented pair of twins - one who is sort of good, one who sort of isn't and both who are bitches. And when both of them use the death from above ability at the same time, it's freaking hilarious.
Also, I just want to say that having Mako who is a healer this early in the game feels like cheating. I'm disappointed that she's not a same sex romance, because she's really into my Bounty Hunter and seems like a logical choice.
Sith Warrior
I like my sith inquisitor, but for some reason she's sat at level 12, while I've actually managed to level my sith warrior.
I have decided that I like this class, although the sith warrior herself sort of freaks me out. Since I've been playing pretty hardcore darkside with her, she comes across as a complete psychopath. Poor Vette is probably doomed to forever wear her shock collar even though she keeps asking to have it taken off. Those conversations range from my SW telling Vette that "each day she keeps breathing is a gift from me to you" to telling her that she's an alien animal. And yet... somehow she keeps winning random approval from Vette.
If you're smart, Vette, you'll kill her in her sleep.
I'm chalking it up to Stockholm Syndrome or something, because otherwise it doesn't make a hell of a lot of sense. I can't quite bring myself to have the SW shock Vette as much as she probably should, but there are times when I'm tempted. Vette, I think, is supposed to come across as good and sassy, but there are times when she's annoying (and dumb) for not keeping her mouth shut.
I've finally gotten Briseis high enough to meet the f!SW love interest. I've seen him for all of maybe a minute of cut scenes so far, but I'm starting to get a feel for why he's so popular.
Oh yeah, she's totally going to hit that.
I'm curious to see how that romance progresses between him and someone who is probably devoid of any decent feelings whatsoever. Again, I'm hoping for a spectacular train wreck of epic proportions.
Those are a lot of toons for playing two months - and yet the sad thing is that I want to play even more. I really like my Sith Inquisitor, but haven't had the chance to play her much. I want to play trooper again, but this time with a corrupt darkside man, so I can take every cheap shot possible at Jorgan, romance Elara and become BFFs with Vic. And hell, I haven't even tried out an Imperial Agent yet - which is a crazy train I want to ride sometime.
So I think it's safe to say that Bioware's getting my 15 bucks for the next several months at least - even if they don't release any new endgame content.