I, as most that were actually interested on it, finally got into the first expansion of SWTOR, Rise of the Hutt Cartel. Since I didn't do the pre-order business I had to wait for more days for it. That wasn't a problem.
What so far I think of it? Well first off, and this is something I think Blizzard should apply on World of Warcraft, each time we buy an expansion they could give us a month subscription included. Bioware/EA did it with this expansion, why can't you too Blizzard?
A side note about WoW. Doing the math on World of Warcraft right now, if for example, I don't buy the current expansion (which I haven't) and only decide to go play the game on the next one, I will always have to buy this expansion, plus the new one, plus the subscription, overall that will be more then 70 euros for an expansion access... One can pay 10 euros plus subscription (you have to be subscribed first before buying it) for the expansion and subscription for SWTOR. I would have to pay 40 or 50 euro to get WoW expansion plus subscription. A BIG difference... Also, either we like it or not, pay to play model is getting seriously outdated, with better free to play or buy to play models.
Back to the expansion. I haven't done much, maybe like 20% of it. I'm halfway to 55, but that's because I was nearly 51 before getting the expansion (players with no expansion can get exp until 99,99% of the bar). The gameplay doesn't change much from previously. Still it's a quest based game, where NPC's will handle you the quest and go to where you must do the quest. Main difference here, is there is a lot less side quests. There are still some, but I haven't got the journal full with like 10 side quests to do everywhere I go. It's mostly a planet story quests. Which is good, I think.
The few other things I gave a look, was crafting, which can be raised pretty fast. Also, since they implemented reputation system in game, each quest here now gives an item to gain reputation, so this is new compared to old planets. Also since they changed the type of planet currency type, you be getting a lot of planet commendation while playing, and also the new basic commendation to get level 55 gear.
The annoying parts of this expansion? Well, right off the bat, the currency weekly cap... It's so easy to get to the currency cap, that eventually you will be wasting tokens due to that cap.
It's also not a BIG expansion. More of a DLC then a expansion. Sure it brings a big planet, and new operation, but that's about it. Oh and the seeker droid and macro binoculars, but I haven't seen those yet. The new flashpoints, are rehash of the normal version of those that didn't had a Hard Mode, and the highest level operation at 50 was pulled up to 55. I don't think it will put the world on fire, but it's always something new to give a go.
For what it's worth, and if for any reason, you are interested in the game, won't hurt much playing it. Otherwise if you didn't like the game before, you won't like it now.
Let's see what Bioware can pull out from now on.
