A life divided is more like it. Star Wars Galaxies, since being initially introduced, has gained a love and hatred from fans on all sides of the spectrum. I was strongly against buying it until it had a chance to work it's bugs out, add new content and be the game that Star Wars fanatics have yearned for since Atari released The Empire Strikes Back on it's 2600 system over twenty some-odd years ago. SWG gives players the ability to not only play in the House that Lucas built, but to virtually live there too. Developers recognized early that if this was to be a hit with it's core audience, the die hard SW fans, it would have to be massive, detailed and enguaging.

Sony Online Entertainment and LucasArts have satisfied those needs, particularly necessary for a Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game (MMORPG), but not wthout flaws. As my geek moniker suggests, I am one of those fanatics. I know more about the Star Wars universe than most should. I'm proud of that knowledge and enjoy the rare occasion where I can use that section of my brain. Since there is no real end, no specific objective an no one telling me to stop acting like a dork, SWG works on a level that fans like myself can really enjoy, despite it's flaws. The community aspect of this game is the real draw, and it's saving grace. With a heavy heart, I can honestly say that if you do not a Star Wars fan make, you will not enjoy this game. As MMORPG's go, Galaxies has nothing new to offer. It's tap is the license and it taps well.

Graphically speaking there are no major revolutions in player or creature models, no real flare to speak of, which causes me to wonder why such high requirements. a 64 meg video card and a recommendation of 256megs of ram. At 64 and 512mb, my computer still chugs, especially in areas of large groups of people. Models are fairly simple, where details has been applied to the image maps and textures. Faces especially are expressive and player animations are more than abundant. Literally hundreds of social and mood body language animations accompany each player as they traverse the landscapes and converse with the locals. The sheer amount and diversity of the models easily makes up for whats lacking here. Playable characters include 8 species, 2 genders per species and billions of combinations of hair styles, body types, clothing, etc. NPC's (non playable characters) take even more forms, including many that should be familiar from the movies and expanded universe. More droids than you can shake a bad motivator at and OH - the creatures. I've been on 2 planets so far and have seen so many diverse creatures, some wild, some domesticated pets. Rancor monsters, nunas, womp rats, even the fabled krayt dragons can be found here, and that's only Tattooine! Building installments, weapons and miscellaneous terminals round out what you'll find. LucasArts has taken care to include nearly every recognizable character and location. Yes, the cantina and all it's inhabitants are there. Even Watto's shop, the Royal Palace of Naboo and the abandoned Rebel Base on Yavin 4. Especially impressive are the vistas, the environments and the landscapes. Stop and look as your walking and you could be treated to a virtual sunset among the reeds on Naboo, or a full moon on the sands outside of Mos Eisley.

I've yet to play any Star Wars based game that hasn't been recognized for it's sound quality. Galaxies is no exception. The familiar soundtrack is ever present and adapts to what's happening on screen. Blaster fire is authentic as are the little things, like a mouse droid running between people's feet or the ominous hum of a probe droid getting too close. Characters have no audible dialogue, even non-playable characters, but it's not necessary and due to the repetative nature of game missions, voices would get annoying. Often even, ships can be heard passing over head and the low rumbling of machinery can be heard in the larger cities. I take no issue with sound design and find that it helps to immerse you into the world.

Here's where things get a little rough. For the first week or so, all you're going to be doing is running from place to place, delivering goods from person to person, earning XP (experience points). It's boring, HIGHLY repetative and frustrating. Certain professions, chosen as you create your character, have destroy missions, which can be a good break, but still repetetive. It takes forever to get anywhere on foot, and as of right now, unless you're going from city to city or planet to planet, walking is all you will be doing. Fortunately SOE has placed an auto-run feature. One button press in the direction that you're pointed and "we're walkin, we're walkin" until you press the key again. LucasArts has promised the addition of vehicles and animal mounts in a future upgrade, but no date has been announced. Gameplay consists of running around completing tasks and earning XP for one of 6 professions. You are given to the freedom to train in skills from another profession at any time, allowing you to round off and combine to become a member of a skilled elite profession. Don't be fooled either, this isn't a game about running and gunning. Although Marksman and Brawler are two options, even becoming an entertainer, such as a band member or dancer are possibilities. Ultimately, it could be considered winning the game by becoming a Jedi. Promised to be a possibility by developers, Jedi whether padawan or knight, will be tough to come by, but included. It has been said that becoming one with the Force could take a year of playing. This prevents 2000 jedi running around one one server. Becoming a Jedi Master is even possible, but so rare, one should never assume they could reach that goal, since there is no laid path for the jedi. There apparently is a formula for it, but it is a closely guarded secret among developers and randomly changes based on your choices, so don't expect to hop on and start throwing force pushes or slicing stormtroopers with your lightsabre on your first day....or month... or year. Bugs and problems There are lots, but it seems that developers are constantly working on them. I have problems running sometimes, especially in battle. My player will stop and it takes a few presses of the arrow key to get him goin again. In the meantime, my leg is getting chewed on by some diseased frog. Enemies will frequently 'warp' in front of you. Enemies are hard to target, especially when they are moving. Not all of the keyboard commands work the way they're supposed to and the game crashes, not regularly, but enough to notice. In an intelligent move, SOE and LA records a log when a crash does occur to help determine what the problem was and automaticall sends the log as you connect to the server again.

Hundreds more problems plague players, but SOE is good about posting that they've recognized the problems and fix them as they become apparent. It is a little disconcerting though, that I paid 30 bucks for the game, and I'm paying 15 a month to essentially be in a beta test. All in all It's difficult really to explain my want to play this thing 6 and 8 hours at a time. It is a sort of addiction (ask my girlfriend), but I do understand a bit of it. When I play Galaxies, I'm among friends. Even if they've chosen to play as the Empire and you, a Rebel, they are still cohorts willing to help you without ridiculing you on our knowledge of a fictional universe. Star Wars fans can live out a fantasy they would not be able to anywhere else, in the comforts of their own homes. It's a community that has it's problems, just as any other does, but it IS close knit and likes to have fun. Create a team, go after criminals, or take a hunting party out to slay a dragon.

My recommendation? If you ARE a fan, at least give it a shot, the first month's subscription fees are free. If you don't like it, don't continue, but do give it a chance. Plus, once the space update takes off (no pun intended), everyone whose ever wanted to buy an X-wing will be able to. C'mon! Who hasn't wanted to do that? Join me on Sunrunner server. Look me up, we'll run a few missions. Ch'ase Harbinger - out.