We remember: Two weeks ago I reported about Update 2.4 of Star Wars: The Old Republic, where among other things the long-awaited PvP content was discussed. Meanwhile, this update has reached the live servers, and I wanted to take a look at the 3 new warzone arenas. My dear Padawan!
Refreshing Different: Arenas in the Star Wars MMO
The first impression is quite positive, as the battles follow a different pattern and that makes them so interesting. In the already known warzones, it is also about holding your own against players from the other side of the Force, but there are other framework conditions there. I wouldn’t even say that the number of players makes a difference. In the warzones, 8 players face off against each other, while in the arenas it is notably 4 that enter the battle, so that depending on the perspective the Empire or the Republic decides the match.
Of course, that is also a factor, without question. With that number of players, it is no longer so easy to compensate for the mistakes of an individual. Here, everyone has to make a significant contribution so that after 2 or 3 rounds the laurels can be reaped. What I actually wanted to get at is that this time it is mainly about staying alive until the end. This creates a whole new dynamic that is skillfully staged by the map design.
In the 8vs8 warzones, the goal was always to capture a base or lead an object to a target to earn points. It was not about you, but more about the environment. In the arenas, however, you have to make sure not to be outsmarted. Here, you will not be revived. Once you are out, you are out. In the 8vs8 versions, it was sometimes possible to sacrifice yourself or simply rush into battle – even after a death, not everything was lost yet. This is usually different in the arenas.
Tactical Play in the Arena
You can particularly recognize the new dynamic in the probing of the opposing groups. It is first attempted to get well positioned in the arena – a meaningless death does not exactly inspire enthusiasm among your teammates. The maps also allow you to act from a hiding spot or, for example, surprise an opponent from a bridge, from ambush basically. However, I have also experienced reckless players – it can work, but it doesn’t have to. That team play is important should be clear – usually a “weak point” is chosen that should be defeated first. If you don’t pull together here, defeat is usually already certain – unless you have opponents who act the same way, which can sometimes be quite funny. But against good teams, that looks very different.
By the way, here you can see what the new arenas are called and which places serve as battlefields:
Currently, there is a bug that causes faulty group compositions. I have had many battles where I had to face 4 opponents with only 2 teammates – surely the sneaky Empire is responsible for this circumstance, grr! “Truly dark it is, much anger I see,” Yoda would say. Hopefully, this problem will soon be a thing of the past.
Only then do you realize how important it is to also succeed as a group. The 3vs4 battles all ended in devastating defeats. Whether the class balancing is not optimal here, I cannot say yet. Although there have already been some discussions in the forum, these are merely subjective impressions – after all, several factors play a role: the equipment, the skill tree, teamwork, and the abilities of the player themselves. Nevertheless, for example, a Jedi Shadow has natural tactical advantages that he can use to his advantage.
Conclusion: The new arenas in Star Wars: The Old Republic bring variety to the far, far away galaxy and are definitely convincing!
