"Star Wars: The Old Republic": 10 Reasons Why You Should Not Be Evil

We got a sneak peek of the biggest massively-multiplayer online role-playing game launch of the year, "Star Wars: The Old Republic."

Oct 23, 2011
Not Available Lead
Image via Complex Original
Not Available Lead
Image via Complex Original

Not long, long ago, we got a sneak peek at "Star Wars: The Old Republic," a massively-multiplayer online role-playing game launching this December. There's the evil Empire and the noble Republic. We sided with the good guys, but that didn't mean we faced easy decisions during our play time. The Force swings both ways.

Where is Darth Vader?

Not Available Interstitial
Image via Complex Original

If Darth Vader isn’t around, who’s the bad guy?

Not Available Interstitial
Image via Complex Original

Darth Malgus is one of them. He’s a big dog in the Sith Empire armies. He shows up around the 1:40 mark in this video and immediately gets his face all screwed up. Quick note of clarification: The guys that sort of look like Storm Troopers are actually Republic Troopers; they’re the good guys in this case.

What are we fighting for?

Not Available Interstitial
Image via Complex Original
The Sith Empire is mad. Like all kinds of mad. The Republic thrashed the Sith Empire and sent the dark side of the Force packing back to its home world. But it’s 300 years after that conflict, and it's about time the Sith Empire strikes back.

I...don't know what's...going on.

Not Available Interstitial
Image via Complex Original

Can I be a Wookie?

Not Available Interstitial
Image via Complex Original
No, you can’t be a Wookie. But you can get a Wookie companion. There are several other types of companions, too. We like droids. Then we heard that some of your companions can evolve into love interests. Then we felt weird about liking droids.

If I can't be a Wookie, then I want to be Han Solo.

Not Available Interstitial
Image via Complex Original
Awesome choice. But you can’t be Han Solo either. You can be a Smuggler, though, which is exactly the type of operation Han Solo was running. Also, you may have heard some people describe the Star Wars movies as “sci-fi westerns.” The Smuggler makes a strong visual case in favor of that argument.

What about those Republic Troopers? They seem kind of cool.

Not Available Interstitial
Image via Complex Original

What about those Republic Troopers? They seem kind of cool.

They are cool. They pack the most heat, toss the most grenades, and, in general, 'splode the biggest explosions. Let the Jedi Knights swing their flashlight swords around. The Troopers are the hard-boiled, unsung heroes of Star Wars: The Old Republic.

Just kidding. I want to be a Jedi Knight.

Not Available Interstitial
Image via Complex Original
Us, too. You weren’t actually going to play a game with “Star Wars” in the title and not be a Jedi Knight, were you? A Jedi Knight’s day consists of putting on armor, throwing on a robe, copping a Zen-like attitude, then calling out the next contestant on a game show called Catch a Beatdown.

No one rocks the Force like a Jedi Knight, am I right?

Not Available Interstitial
Image via Complex Original
Actually, there are Jedi Consulars. Historically they’re even more peaceful and diplomatic than the Jedi Knights. Consulars draw their lightsabers only as a last resort, probably because they can make the planet shake by using only their brains.

Why all the Republic chit chat? Complex is biased against the Empire!

Not Available Interstitial
Image via Complex Original
Patience, young Padawan. We’ll cover the dark side of the Force. We just wanted to clean up the lines on the battlefield, so we started with the good guys. Not sure if you saw the movies, but the good guys win. Haters gon' hate. But that still leaves room for some classic showdowns, like this clash between a Jedi Knight and a Bounty Hunter. Makes you all warm and fuzzy inside, remembering Luke Skywalker and Boba Fett doing their thing.

Video GamesStar WarsPCMMO

Latest in Pop Culture