Unlike just about every person I have ever known or loved in this world, I'm not a big Star Wars fan. I know I just lost some points, but I'm throwing that out there because I think my semi-detachment makes me a bit more objective speculating about the success or failure of The Old Republic an unprecedented gamble not just in video game history, but in entertainment history as well.I'm going on the record to say that The Old Republic is going to be, in the long run, a massive success on par with World of Warcraft. It's not because of the tens of millions that Ea will inevitably spend on promotion, and it's not because of the inexhaustible passion Star Wars fans have for the franchise. (As games like The Matrix Online and Star Trek Online have proved, the assets aren't enough to guarantee a game's success). Instead, it's because BioWare has distinguished itself as a master of interactive storytelling epic interactive storytelling that invites the player to navigate through a vast constellation of characters and narratives and moral dilemmas that ultimately resolve in a cathartic climax.
Of course, MMORPG's are a vastly different beast from BioWare's single-player games, including the Knight of the Old Republic series. That means it must move from "open world" gameplay to a truly open world, where players must be observed closely and the gameplay must evolve according to their diverse play styles.
Adhering to canon while accommodating the unique in-game cultures that players inevitably develop in successful MMO's is a tall order, but that's the challenge BioWare's taken on. It's been pursuing the craft of interactive fiction for the past 15 years, and The Old Republic represents a logical next step for a studio that remains as creatively ambitious as ever.
Download Link (Freakshare, Depositfiles, Uploaded, Hotfile) :
Download PC Gamer World No.1 Game Magazine - February 2012
No comments:
Post a Comment