Star Wars: Galaxies - Empire Divided (2002) (VG)

User Rating:

6.6/10   

Writers:

Kris Andrews (writer)
Todd Bailey (writer)

Release Date:

22 June 2002 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

Experience the greatest saga ever told -Yours.

Plot:

Be an alien or a human, a Rebel, an Imperial, a smuggler or a simple bartender; be what you want during the Galactic Civil War in a virtual online galaxy. |

Plot Keywords:

Interactive | Video Game | Star Wars Game | Role Playing Game | Star Wars

Awards:

1 win

Cast

David Boat	...	(voice)
Andrew Chaikin	...	(voice)
Mary Dilts	...	(voice)
Connie Hall	...	(voice)
Corina Harmon	...	(voice) (as Corina Harman)
Roger Jackson	...	(voice)
Amanda Moody	...	(voice)
Bruce Robertson	...	(voice)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Company:

Verant Interactive

Trivia:

The timeline of the game takes place somewhere between Star Wars (1977) and Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980).

Movie Connections:

References Star Tours (1987)

New combat upgrade spoils a great game

During the last week of April 2005, Sony Online Entertainment (SOE) provided a combat upgrade to Star Wars Galaxies. I was quite enthusiastic about this upgrade as the game has a number if balance issues this was supposed to address. As well, there were plans to add features to combat to make it more immersive but what we got was a completely new combat system that has more bugs and imbalance in it that anything we have had since SWG went live.

The new features have slowed combat to a crawl, made it incredibly boring and have removed a number of combat moves from the game. Where an elite combat profession had 12-15 attacks to choose from, we now have 4-6. Balance is horrid with the new level system imposed. Currently, fighting anything higher or lower than your current level either is not worth your time for experience points or kills you far too fast for you to react.

For people who have chosen the path of the pure crafter, a unique option found almost solely in SWG, movement in the world is now impossible as the crafter is considered a level 1 combat character and can be killed by the most benign creature or NPC. Since SWG's economy is completely player driven (there are no game provided "stores" or equipment other than those run by players), this is going to cause prices to soar. As part of the combat upgrade, SOE has reduced the ability of combat professions to make money. In doing this, I can see the economy being viable for the number of crafters there currently are in the game.

All of these changes have caused an exodus from the game of many, long time enthusiasts. As it stands right now, I can't, in good conscious recommend this game. Maybe if SOE manages to fix some of the problems it may be worth coming back to but, in the meantime, take you online gaming budget somewhere else.