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But Bioware's attempts to slim down the MMORPG so that it better fits within the tight confines of the story doesn't complement either aspect very well. I get the sense that this was done intentionally for those who, like me, jumped to level 60 to experience the new story and aren't as familiar with the combat. Waves of enemies will crumble beneath you without so much as a sneeze and boss battles are too long and too simple. Cutscenes are exciting but the combat sequences between them is anything but. It's a bit of a shame that, as great as the story can be, the drama it weaves clashes with The Old Republic's MMORPG conventions. There are scenes that glimpse an almost tender depth to their character, but for now they seem like more distant threats. His sister, Vaylin, fares slightly better thanks to being a more immediate threat to your survival in the first chapter. Though Prince Arcann is one of The Old Republic's more threatening villains-especially in appearance, the emotional betrayal of his brother seen in the opening cinematic lacks consequence within the actual story. Sadly, his children aren't as well realized.
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The story revolving around the tension brewing between his family is intimate, humanizing Valkorion in a way similar to other evil dads that Star Wars is known for but without all the melodrama. Though he might seem like a typical power hungry egomaniac-and he certainly can be-after the first few chapters I felt a little disturbed by just how much I began to see his point. Valkorion, the Immortal Emperor, has a personal attachment to your character that, as the story progresses, casts the Emperor in increasing shades of grey. Existing outside the schemes of Sith and Jedi, the force isn't painted through any specific moral lens, allowing a more thoughtful interpretation of its influence. The Fallen Empire and its utopian society is a great setting to explore the force in a more nuanced fashion that its binary light and dark affiliations. Twists and wrinkles in the story are constant enough to be interesting, like revealing unforeseen familial ties that changes your perception of your mission, but sparse enough to feel affecting. Even between the villains, your relationship with other characters shifts and flexes as the story continues, leaving things unspoken and tensions unrelieved. In true Bioware fashion, you're often forced to weigh in on their situation, a task that becomes harder the more their story and motives are revealed. Koth Vortena, an Immortal Empire deserter, and Senya Tirall, the Empire knight who hunted Koth for years, are particularly memorable companions as their history boils to the surface at the worst of times. Though I've yet to finish off the last chapter, your companions are endearing and sympathetic, and their interpersonal drama can make for some tough decisions. Sadly, the actual game tends to suffer for it. The story has always been the strongest point of The Old Republic, and Knights of the Fallen Empire raises the bar. While initial interactions with old allies made me feel a tad clueless, Knights of Fallen Empire scarcely let me catch my breath long enough to dwell on it. Once the new story really gets going, I didn't care as much as I feared I would. While I typically see the ability to boost to a relevant level as a good thing in most MMOs, I couldn't shake the feeling that skipping all the story to this point was a big sacrifice. Given how inextricably linked the new story is with the previous one, plopping myself right into the shoes of my surly new bounty hunter was confusing despite the game's attempts to bring me up to speed. Despite my best attempts to get one of my characters to level 60 in time to experience the new expansion, I decided to make use of the ability to create a new level 60 character given as a reward for subscribing. I'm too busy itching to find out what happens next in the story.Īnd what a story it is. I can't say I really mind the haphazard way the expansion is bolted on to the rest of the game, however. The new story is intent on distracting you from realizing that-god forbid-you're playing an actual MMORPG, which makes it a little awkward when the two aspects are forced to shake hands and play nice from time to time. Knights of the Fallen Empire doesn't just feel like another expansion pack but rather like a tactical pivot meant to align the game towards something new. But after a night of playing, when what was meant to be a quick dip into the new expansion turned into a full-blown binge until little rays of dawn peeked through the curtains, I reckon The Old Republic is close to stepping out of that shadow. Star Wars: The Old Republic feels like it has lived in the shadows of its ancestors, Star Wars Galaxies and Knights of the Old Republic, doomed to be eclipsed by their legacy.