The latest Star Wars game just came out (STAR WARS: The OLD REPUBLIC). Its done by the talented folks at BioWare and of course Lucas Arts. This is a follow-up to the very popular Knights of the Old Republic MMO. Looks amazing.
Here’s a cinematic trailer below.
I know, right? I’m sure the game itself is a hoot and a half. But Here’s my issues with the game. And it has nothing to do with my distaste for the prequel trilogy. My problem is…haven’t we seen this already?
Take a good look at some of the key elements of the SWTOR trailer.
1.) Jedi vs Sith.
2.) The Galactic Republic or whatever variant against and evil Sith-led Empire.
3.) Smugglers who are Han Solo-like not just in their cavalier attitude but their ships that look conspicuously like the Millennium Falcon.
4.) Even worse, technology that looks just as advanced if not more despite being 3000 years before the events of the main Star Wars movies.
And I’m not just talking about the game itself. I’ve seen this in all of Star Wars’ ancillary properties like the books, comic books, video games and such.
I am not saying this to rag on Lucas, but just as a fan making an observation. It seems that every event that takes place in the SW universe is just some weaker derivative of what occurred during the six movies. You can even hear it in how the game designers are speaking about making SWTOR game characters in the template of classic characters in the movies.
I noticed this again in the Star Wars comic ‘Legacy’ that takes place hundreds of years after Luke, Leia and Han are long dead. Mind you, the tagline for this series was “All new Sith Order! All new Empire! All new Skywalker!” That seems like another way to say “Same shit, different time.”
Its gotten a bit old in my book. The Star Wars universe is rich with opportunity to create something new, something that still involves a different type of Force user (maybe some that have been mentioned in the Expanded Universe) and a different type of war (The Chiss maybe?)
I don’t know, just something that is a companion to the original movies but completely refreshes the Star Wars universe in a way that the Prequel Trilogy kinda dropped the ball on.
Speaking of not trying new things, how about the new Abramsverse Star Trek? Again, remember the trailer back in 2009?
The movie, while flawed, was awesome. I loved how this new Star Trek appeased TOS diehards while appealing to new fans. At the same time, its just a rehash of Kirk and crew in an alternate timeline. Again, same shit, different time.
How about an entirely new crew? Doesn’t even have to be a movie. It could focus on another arm of Starfleet, or even life from different angles in the Federation (civilian, political and military).
These two big sci-fi franchises broke ground in their heydays, making it cool to love sci-fi in the mainstream. If not for Star Trek and Star Wars, who would have inspired the Mass Effect games or the brilliant Babylon 5 TV series?
Now Star Wars and Star Trek are just coasting on their past reps, never trying anything too new that might rock the boat. Its kinda sad…and boring.
Time for something new. Stop boring us sci-fi fans who love to embrace something innovative and awe-inspiring. Show respect to the old, but not at the expense of something new.
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