Thoughts after a Month-long BreakFollow

I wasn't intentionally taking a break, but more-or-less didn't play at all for over a month. As some of the sheen wore off TOR, I noticed my too-play stack of games more and more. Plus some quality new releases in the meantime, my desire to replay the first two Mass Effect games in preparation for ME3, the joy that is ME3's multiplayer and, most annoyingly, schoolwork... Well, yeah, I had plenty else to do. :P

But I forced myself to start playing again this weekend, and happy I did. Finished my Consular's story last night--I enjoyed it a lot. SpoilerVery happy I could save Syo, and loved that I am now a member of the Jedi Council. Getting to negotiate rewards for my allies was nice, too. Now I'm working on a fresh, new knight.

Time spent with the game has reminded me of the most noteworthy aspect of TOR.

It's a difficult game.

I'd come back to WoW and FFXI after months and months not playing and be roughly just as capable. Not perfect, but I'd solo Chillmaw for Tourney emblems first day back. I'd join a group and tank. My rotation might have been a little messy, and my CD usage a little lagged, but generally I was fine.

Coming back to TOR after a much shorter break? LOL. I was getting my ass handed to me by packs of normal mobs. Those are easy once you get your head back in the game, but it's refreshing to get a reminder of just how destructive the enemies in this game are without preparation (mental or in-game). Adds depth to the idea that your character is actually more than just a well-equipped fighter.

Sure, by the time I reached my class' boss, I was much closer to the skill point I had been at before I took the break. I'm certain I could have 2-shot that boss before I left (first death due to discovering the 1 hit KO skill that I wouldn't have saved an interrupt for). Instead, I think I died 4 or 5 times. But it just made it satisfying to win.

And it also actually scales difficulty. Starter zones are lol-easy, especially for the knight (Force Leap, Sweep, Force Leap, Sweep, *Maniacal laughter*)

It's just pleasant. One reason other MMOs always eventually bored me was because you could pretty much run through any solo content mashing buttons and winning. In TOR, you will get your ass handed to you if you do that. It means I have to keep my attention on the game, and I actually need to think before my pulls (at least on my Sage).

The letter I got later Spoilerfrom Syo, if you can save him) actually got me a little sad. SpoilerHe's going to have to live the rest of his life in seclusion, and there's a good chance I'll never even get to see him agan. I was hoping that the shielding technique could free him or something. I mean, none of this was his fault.