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6.0

Mixed or average reviews- based on 2879 Ratings

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  1. Dec 20, 2011
    10
    I hope no one decides weather or not to buy this game on these user reviews the Game is great i admit i have been a follower of the games development for years and to me the game was everything i hoped for. For the people claiming all you do is grind i'd like to disagree as grinding in this game is completely optional, all grinding missions ar side quest that you don't need to do if youI hope no one decides weather or not to buy this game on these user reviews the Game is great i admit i have been a follower of the games development for years and to me the game was everything i hoped for. For the people claiming all you do is grind i'd like to disagree as grinding in this game is completely optional, all grinding missions ar side quest that you don't need to do if you don't want to that main quest line the class story does not contain grinding missions Bioware made sure of this. And for the people claiming it's like wow and it's nothing new i don't understand why you are complaining so far every oher mmo trying to be different has failed and wow has reigned supreme i agree it feels like wow but this isn't bad because it's made the things people love from wow and put it in but made it better if you love wow you will love this game because it has all the good things plus more for you people angry about this you must just want to hang on to wow because this game is going to murder it because it is a new and improved version. Conclusion i found myself immersed in every aspect i care about the quest i'm doing and i see myself and alot of other people playing this game for years to come just wait for the official reviews 10/10 peeps Expand
  2. Dec 20, 2011
    10
    Star Wars: The Old Republicâ
  3. Dec 22, 2011
    10
    very fun game , i'm level 21 and loving it! I also have a level 17 Trooper and he is a lot of fun too!
    I love the Jedi Sage and I want to roll a Jedi Shadow soon!
  4. Tro
    Dec 20, 2011
    10
    I've been patiently waiting for this game ever since I heard about it back in mid 2010. Prior to that I had sworn off MMORPGs after getting bored with the genre, however the combination of Star Wars and a massively open world to play in convinced me to keep an eye on developments. After having participated in the recent beta weekend events, I knew with 100% certainty that Star Wars: TheI've been patiently waiting for this game ever since I heard about it back in mid 2010. Prior to that I had sworn off MMORPGs after getting bored with the genre, however the combination of Star Wars and a massively open world to play in convinced me to keep an eye on developments. After having participated in the recent beta weekend events, I knew with 100% certainty that Star Wars: The Old Republic would be my new digital home for the foreseeable future. Once you get your ship and more powerful abilities early-to-mid level you really start to appreciate the sheer amount of hard work that has gone into this game; the scenery especially is outstanding, from the claustrophobic tunnels of Coruscant to the brash, neon skyline of Nar Shaddaa, and then to the dusty, sandy, scorched world of Tatooine, you are fully immersed in the Star Wars galaxy so deftly and lovingly crafted by BioWare. The gameplay is also excellent, and I've got so many abilities to play around with even though I'm level 33 (out of 50) that I've run out of hotkeys! Conclusion: I can heartily recommend this game to newcomers and veterans alike. There are hundreds, thousands of hours of game time to be had, for the price of a couple of rental dvds per month. This premium entertainment is excellent value for money. Expand
  5. Dec 22, 2011
    10
    Great game. The "WoW clone" criticism makes no sense to me, since I never enjoyed WoW much at all, and I'm addicted to this game. Beyond the overemphasized "story" element, it has several features beyond what WoW offers - companions and crew skills, fully moddable items, even just the quick travel system is improved over WoW's. Plus, while the combat system is basically the same asGreat game. The "WoW clone" criticism makes no sense to me, since I never enjoyed WoW much at all, and I'm addicted to this game. Beyond the overemphasized "story" element, it has several features beyond what WoW offers - companions and crew skills, fully moddable items, even just the quick travel system is improved over WoW's. Plus, while the combat system is basically the same as WoW's, you use many more abilities in TOR, which gives it greater depth. Expand
  6. Dec 20, 2011
    10
    This is a world of warcraft clone. the graphics are bad and dumb as poop. I sometimes wonder why there are no many fanboy for this game. It is just an cheaper alternative to WoW, and that game is dumb also. I wanted action game, I got boring mess. Writing is on par with a harlequin romance novel. sorry for poor english not frist language. Hope helpful!! :)
  7. Dec 20, 2011
    10
    Please be aware that 99% of the reviews so far are from jaded haters who have not even played the game. This game is EXACTLY what BioWare has been promising all along. Whether you like it or not, at least they were honest and up front with it.

    I've felt immersed into the story and the world from the very beginning. Unlike every MMO I've played in the last 5 years (and I've played them
    Please be aware that 99% of the reviews so far are from jaded haters who have not even played the game. This game is EXACTLY what BioWare has been promising all along. Whether you like it or not, at least they were honest and up front with it.

    I've felt immersed into the story and the world from the very beginning. Unlike every MMO I've played in the last 5 years (and I've played them all), I don't feel like I'm being pressured to level up quickly. I'm enjoying the story and taking in everything the game has to offer.

    It in NO WAY feels like a lobby based game and is 100% an MMORPG. If you see someone say otherwise, you can know with absolute certainty that they are nothing but a troll.
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  8. Dec 20, 2011
    10
    This is a terrific game.I can't believe some of the negative reviews and scores being handed out here.How is this game a 0 or 1 or a 2!? Hell,even handing out a score of 6 is a great disservice to a game as fine as this.
    Sure, it plays a lot like WOW but it's a hell lot more immersive than WOW ever was and the stories are so well told that you can't wait to see what happens next.The voice
    This is a terrific game.I can't believe some of the negative reviews and scores being handed out here.How is this game a 0 or 1 or a 2!? Hell,even handing out a score of 6 is a great disservice to a game as fine as this.
    Sure, it plays a lot like WOW but it's a hell lot more immersive than WOW ever was and the stories are so well told that you can't wait to see what happens next.The voice acting is phenomenal and adds to whole immersion factor and is so much fun playing this with friends.Definitely a must buy game IMO.

    I'd rate this a 9 but looking at the troll scores that are being handed out I think a perfect score is fully justified.
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  9. Dec 20, 2011
    10
    This is coming from someone who played the mass effect series and loved it. I bought this game after hearing all the hype about the voice acting because I thought that it would bring a good story to an MMO, but in all reality this is still a **** mmo game where it would be better to just skip the story and go through the grind of getting to the highest level and getting the best armor.
  10. Dec 20, 2011
    10
    Let me start with syaing i was pretty exited about his game, but i knew Lucasarts had burn me in the past so I went in to the game with relatively low expactaions... and they blew me away!

    That this is the worlds most expensive game to date shows, the voice acting is some of the best in the industry and surely the most biggest voice acting project to date! Grapichs are exellent for an
    Let me start with syaing i was pretty exited about his game, but i knew Lucasarts had burn me in the past so I went in to the game with relatively low expactaions... and they blew me away!

    That this is the worlds most expensive game to date shows, the voice acting is some of the best in the industry and surely the most biggest voice acting project to date!

    Grapichs are exellent for an mmo while they don't compare to most other triple A singleplayer games, it is the best looking mmo out there. Tere are some visual bugs out there but nothing gamebreaking or annoying!

    Gameplay is standard launch mmo, not as polished as most current mmos out there are at this moment but I would assume that this will be fixed and balanced out within months! The game also has space combat which is very akin to Star Fox or Lylat wars in europe which in it self could very well be a self contained game!



    The story writing is on par with other games Bioware has put out with eight self contained stories for each starting class. Obviously I have been unable to complete all of them in time of writing and this is something i look forward into doing!

    This isn't going to break "any other mmo" out there right now but in a month when the kinks have all been worked out this will be the contender!

    Even though parts of this review has reflected negatively on the game this are miniscule problems that I wanted to bring to light the take very little away from the experience of discovering the world of Star Wars and this is a game I will willingly be sinking alot of time into!

    I recommend getting this game as fast as you can since it will most likely be in very high demand.
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  11. Dec 20, 2011
    10
    Fully voiced quests, class quests spanning 50 levels, group quests, open world PvP, battleground PvP, space games, missions, flashpoints..there is a ton of content in this game. Other exciting features are social points, legacy levels, and the flashpoints are a new take on dungeons that make them so much more engaging than dungeons in prior MMOs. It really is a top notch MMO.
  12. Dec 20, 2011
    10
    Don't worry too much about the bad reviews. This game has been out officially for 13 hours. Most of the negative reviews here consist of the typical QQ associated with first impressions of new AAA mmos. You'll never get an MMO that's exactly what you want it to be, so don't cry when Bioware doesn't meet your every specification. I've been playing this game since mid-summer beta and it'sDon't worry too much about the bad reviews. This game has been out officially for 13 hours. Most of the negative reviews here consist of the typical QQ associated with first impressions of new AAA mmos. You'll never get an MMO that's exactly what you want it to be, so don't cry when Bioware doesn't meet your every specification. I've been playing this game since mid-summer beta and it's gotten better with every build. The final product is highly polished and offers more than any other MMO on the market. Expand
  13. Dec 20, 2011
    10
    Its really too early to post a score at such an early stage for an MMO, give it a couple of months of your time then come back and give a review, to review an MMO in less than 24hrs or on its beta performance is just insane. If you asked any normal gamer to sit down and play 24hrs of WoW or rift or any other MMO for that matter im pretty sure that the review would turn out negative.
  14. Dec 20, 2011
    10
    Every negative review complains that this game is a copy of WoW but with improved storytelling and voice acting. What did you give WoW then? A zero as well? No, this game is an improvement for the MMO genre and deserves a rating that fits. This game was everything I hoped for and I have only used one of the eight characters so far. This game is a success for Bioware and fans of RPGs.
  15. Dec 20, 2011
    10
    In SWTOR Bioware brings something back to the Star Wars universe that has been lacking since KOTOR and Timothy Zahn's Thrawn trilogy. Story. And unlike another MMO that promises Legendary Items, SWTOR actually has weapons and armor that can stay with you throughout the game.
  16. Dec 20, 2011
    10
    I've been waiting too long for an MMO to pull me in like this again. The crafting isn't as deep as I'd like, but its still engaging and if you want to be good at it,you must invest time into it. FP's are amazing fun and group dynamics in missions, especially story missions is absolutely fantastic.
  17. Dec 20, 2011
    10
    The game's story is very immersive and can be solo'd. It does encourage you to team up with friends in order to earn social points and complete flash points. The queue times are a little long right now and yet I'll continue to wait in line to play my character. Bioware did a great job of making you feel as if you own the story. Recommended for anyone who feels that story is important!
  18. Dec 20, 2011
    10
    This is one of the most well-crafted MMOs of all time. Never once did I feel as if I was grinding. The story is compelling and makes you want to work toward completing missions in order to see what the next step will be. Great job, Bioware. I look forward to seeing what the future brings to SW:TOR.
  19. Dec 20, 2011
    10
    Bioware delivered what they promised to deliver: a bioware-style mmo in the star wars universe. The environments are gorgeous, the stories are fantastic. Group content is fun, companions are useful, and crew skills are far and above the best new feature. This game has forever changed the landscape of MMO design.
  20. Dec 20, 2011
    10
    There is an obvious attempt by someone (usually just follow the money) to cripple SWTOR out of the gate. I've played the game (about 40 hours so far) and I've barely scratched the surface of the content. If you liked Knights of the Old Republic you will like this game, a lot.
  21. Dec 20, 2011
    10
    As a long time MMORPG gamer, SWTOR is a breath of fresh air. I hate reading quest text, in fact, I never bother with it. I just can't get interested enough in whatever kind of BS lore the game team came up with. However as a huge fan of Mass Effect, the dialogue choice BioWare chose to go with was a major selling point for me. Not only can you choose what your character says, but if you'reAs a long time MMORPG gamer, SWTOR is a breath of fresh air. I hate reading quest text, in fact, I never bother with it. I just can't get interested enough in whatever kind of BS lore the game team came up with. However as a huge fan of Mass Effect, the dialogue choice BioWare chose to go with was a major selling point for me. Not only can you choose what your character says, but if you're in a party with a friend, both of your characters (up to 4) are featured in the cut scenes and have a chance of speaking. I love that.

    I think as far as gameplay goes, it is standard MMO gaming. NOthing was reinvented except for the way quests are accepted. Storyline seems like a useless addition to most MMO's. In SWTOR - it's prevalent.

    I believe this is setting a new bar in MMO storytelling, and I expect future games to follow this successful path.
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  22. Dec 20, 2011
    10
    I went into SW:TOR expecting a space-themed WoW, and logged off feeling like I'd exited a new world. A wonderful surprise of immersion and Bioware doing what it does best. I was not expecting to subscribe, but it's hooked me in - well done to the creators for a competitive MMO.
  23. Dec 20, 2011
    10
    I love it. Cinematic experience, innovative crafting system, awesome visuals, and heroic-feeling combat. There's a lot of room for expansions, but that's why we pay the subscriptions. Would recommend to anyone who liked KOTOR, WoW, and/or Star Wars.
  24. Dec 20, 2011
    10
    I'm going to try to keep this as short as possible. First off, this is NOT a mostly single player game. Can you level up solo? Yes, if you don't want social points. There is a lot to the game that you can not do solo however, such as a lot of Heroic 2+ quests, Heroic 4+ quests, flashpoints (dungeons), and raids. People coming on here calling it a single player lobby game are ridiculous orI'm going to try to keep this as short as possible. First off, this is NOT a mostly single player game. Can you level up solo? Yes, if you don't want social points. There is a lot to the game that you can not do solo however, such as a lot of Heroic 2+ quests, Heroic 4+ quests, flashpoints (dungeons), and raids. People coming on here calling it a single player lobby game are ridiculous or are trolling. Phases (instances) are that way to prevent people having to sit around forever fighting over a named mob. Since the days of UO and Dark Age of Camelot, I think this is finally an MMO that I think I will be able to stick with for over a year. The story is phenomenal, and I find myself listening to every cut scene and basically forgetting that I am actually leveling. The combat is fun, I think at the moment I use roughly 8 skills in the course of a fight, so it's definitely not all spamming one button. The flashpoints I have done (4 now I think) have slowly gotten harder with more mechanics added in and I find that I don't mind doing them multiple times in a row for drops, experience, social points and alignment. I have yet to PvP so I really don't have any comment on that. The only minor disappointment for me is the space combat compared to a game centralized on space, I then realized that this game is not centralized around space fighting and now I think of space combat and quests more as like a mini game side thing to do, which makes it a little fun. Expand
  25. Dec 20, 2011
    10
    The game is not revolutionary, but never claimed to be. The previous posters do not seem to understand the nature of themepark MMOs. Version 1.0 is not going to be the perfect game, but Bioware has done an amazing job of polishing the game second only to Blizzard. If you enjoyed WoW, you will enjoy SWTOR. The look and feel is fresh, and if you allow yourself, you will become engrossed inThe game is not revolutionary, but never claimed to be. The previous posters do not seem to understand the nature of themepark MMOs. Version 1.0 is not going to be the perfect game, but Bioware has done an amazing job of polishing the game second only to Blizzard. If you enjoyed WoW, you will enjoy SWTOR. The look and feel is fresh, and if you allow yourself, you will become engrossed in the story like you have never been able to experience in an MMO before. During the beta, I actually found myself becoming attached to my characters, even to the point of recreating my beta character EXACTLY for the release of the game. There will be major changes to come based on community feedback and the direction Bioware feels is appropriate for the game, this is how MMOs work by their very nature. I hope anyone seeing this review that is even remotely interested will give it a try. Expand
  26. Dec 20, 2011
    10
    This one is really nice game. I've had break from MMO's for over 6 months and this one really hits the spot! Thank you for making such a nice atmosphere BioWare! Haven't tried PvP yet, but i aint much of a PvP'er so that is not a problem.
  27. Dec 20, 2011
    10
    I was excited for this game and BOY was I right to be. It has the right Star Wars feel, the music, it has the Bioware voice-acting and a story that just drags you in. There is no bad review in the world i would agree with, i love it to bits!
  28. Dec 20, 2011
    10
    So far I cannot say a bad thing about this game... after having played tried most every MMORPG there is out there since the time of Ultima Online I can say with a great deal of certainty that this is the new top MMORPG in the market.

    Absolutely fantastic!
  29. Dec 20, 2011
    10
    Beautiful game that caters to both casual and hardcore players. There is minimal lag for even the crappiest PC due to the class zones being instanced for story-line purposes. There's no running off to kill 20 cats and bringing it back with little to no story. For the game's start, I think it's doing wonderfully. You will either hate or like or and those that seem to hate it are World ofBeautiful game that caters to both casual and hardcore players. There is minimal lag for even the crappiest PC due to the class zones being instanced for story-line purposes. There's no running off to kill 20 cats and bringing it back with little to no story. For the game's start, I think it's doing wonderfully. You will either hate or like or and those that seem to hate it are World of Warcraft fans where NOTHING ever changes aside from additions to the class and races and a few meager pieces of crap. You want repetition? Go play WoW. This game has barely put it's foot in the door and no one has even given it the time of day before they start trashing it.

    I am sticking it out and plan on seeing what Bioware does with this game. It's very submursive and that's what I was looking for in an MMO.
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  30. Dec 20, 2011
    10
    I found this to be one of the most enjoyable games I've played in a long time. Each class has an engaging storyline that draws you in. It ties the strengths that Bioware is known for to well established MMO concepts. The execution is good, but not perfect. Is this a WoW killer? No. Is this able to stand the test of time as a great game? From what I've seen so far, yes.

    I have mostly
    I found this to be one of the most enjoyable games I've played in a long time. Each class has an engaging storyline that draws you in. It ties the strengths that Bioware is known for to well established MMO concepts. The execution is good, but not perfect. Is this a WoW killer? No. Is this able to stand the test of time as a great game? From what I've seen so far, yes.

    I have mostly concentrated on PvE and Flashpoints (Instance group actions). I have found both to be a lot of fun and they don't feel grind'y, which is my largest complaint with WoW.

    Regarding balance issues that some people seem to complain about, well, the game JUST got released. There are always some tweaks that need to be made. Give it a short while to test the waters.

    I love the Voice Acting. It makes this engaging instead of reading the same text over and over again. Is it perfect, no. Is it more engaging than a game like WoW. Yes.

    Everyone has their favourite MMO and everyone wants this to be better. Give it a bit of time to evolve. These things tend to be organic based on how people play it and what they enjoy most. Feedback is the best way to improve this game. For now, I'm enjoying this game for what it is. In a year, my opinion might change.
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  31. Dec 20, 2011
    10
    Great game. Fully Voice acted, detailed story, and very large universe. I have read many complaints that it's not MMO enough... Maybe it's just not the MMO for YOU. Single play content is awesome, but that's not all there is. I have no problem grouping, playing any content single or in a group. If you go into it with a negative attitude because you aren't "raiding" after 20 minutes ofGreat game. Fully Voice acted, detailed story, and very large universe. I have read many complaints that it's not MMO enough... Maybe it's just not the MMO for YOU. Single play content is awesome, but that's not all there is. I have no problem grouping, playing any content single or in a group. If you go into it with a negative attitude because you aren't "raiding" after 20 minutes of play, that's you're fault. It's the anti-grind MMO. If you like the raid gear grind, good for you, just don't complain because this MMO does it differently, go play WOW nobody will miss you here. Expand
  32. Dec 20, 2011
    10
    ToR is a really polished, deep, well made game that I think is not only a fantastic MMO but is a fantastic SP RPG as well. The story is so engaging and is as well written and voiced as Bioware's single player offerings. Give it a try if you enjoy MMO's or just RPG's you will really enjoy this game!
  33. Dec 20, 2011
    10
    Awesome game, everyone giving it low scores is absolutely trolling. It has everything I look for in an MMO, and more. It is actually original and has an amazing story behind it.
  34. Dec 20, 2011
    10
    Since early access started I have not been able to put this game down. that's all I have time to write, this game is awesome, that's all you need to know, go buy it now.
  35. Dec 20, 2011
    10
    Incredibly surprised by all of the negative reviews. I find the game has recaptured my interest and personal involvement in a way that no MMO has been able to do since WoW - if that indicates something negative to you about my taste, so be it. The popularity of World of Warcraft shows myself to be in the majority, and just as I'm getting tired of that game this one comes out. AnyoneIncredibly surprised by all of the negative reviews. I find the game has recaptured my interest and personal involvement in a way that no MMO has been able to do since WoW - if that indicates something negative to you about my taste, so be it. The popularity of World of Warcraft shows myself to be in the majority, and just as I'm getting tired of that game this one comes out. Anyone expecting game-changing innovation was misleading themselves from the very beginning - no company that has invested as much as Bioware and EA have on Star Wars are going to cater to the fringe. They made a mainstream, easily accessible MMO with enough fresh aspects to make it still somewhat new and different, and I'm having one hell of a fun time. Expand
  36. Dec 20, 2011
    10
    I have to wonder, have all the people who gave this game negative reviews actually played the damn thing? Anyways.

    I'm going to talk at length about this game and why people are idiots for considering it bad. This game is not, and never claimed to be, a revolutionary MMO. It is hotkey based, it is quest based, it is dungeon based, like pretty much every MMO ever. Like RIFT, and World
    I have to wonder, have all the people who gave this game negative reviews actually played the damn thing? Anyways.

    I'm going to talk at length about this game and why people are idiots for considering it bad.

    This game is not, and never claimed to be, a revolutionary MMO. It is hotkey based, it is quest based, it is dungeon based, like pretty much every MMO ever. Like RIFT, and World of Warcraft before it, and EverQuest before it, it follows the same formula. Different setting, of course, but I'm seeing a lot of people who are just like "hurr durr WoW copy"...do you know what the word "genre" means? That's how genres work. People say the same about WoW and EverQuest...WoW did not invent this genre, it is simply the most successful game within it.

    This game did not innovate as much as RIFT did, either. The only thing that separates TOR from the rest of the pack in any significant way (aside from the Star Wars IP, of course) is the voice acted story. And it is marvelous. As a lover of end-game, the dungeons and PvP and such, leveling is always the biggest, most boring pain-in-the-ass ever. I played RIFT and I loved it but I couldn't keep going because the grind to max level was just brutal. It's the same in WoW, I could never level another character because of the sheer boredom, the gameplay isn't fun.

    SWTOR fixes that, in my opinion. Sure, what you're doing is as bland as in every MMO, but there is real story there. It's incredibly immersive and you care about why you have to kill 10 rats (for the typical example).

    Everything else is just incredibly solid. The PvP is great, the group stuff is awesome (and there's story there as well), the combat is surprisingly diverse and there is actual thought process involved in combat in questing unlike most MMOs. Stun that guy, CC that guy, DoT that guy, knockback that guy, instead of mash damage abilities -> collect loot. The companion system is great in this regard as well.

    All in all, SWTOR is another MMO that hasn't really innovated, but take it for what it is; an extremely solid game with enough innovation to stand on its own. It has fixed the biggest problem in MMORPGs in my opinion, and I can see myself playing this game for years to come (until Guild Wars 2 at least). People seem to be expecting something completely different to what people perceive to be the "WoW formula", but why fix what ain't broke?
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  37. Dec 20, 2011
    10
    This game is unexpectedly fantastic. Coming in as someone who is not a very large fan of the Star Wars universe (not that there's anything wrong with it) I am impressed. The graphics are quite fluid, a far cry from trailers in the alphas and betas that had me worried. The voice acting is superb, and the storyline while linear, is engrossing. I know I'll be playing more than one characterThis game is unexpectedly fantastic. Coming in as someone who is not a very large fan of the Star Wars universe (not that there's anything wrong with it) I am impressed. The graphics are quite fluid, a far cry from trailers in the alphas and betas that had me worried. The voice acting is superb, and the storyline while linear, is engrossing. I know I'll be playing more than one character just for this reason, which is more than I can say for any other mmo.

    There are some flaws however, the lack of a Target of Target, UI customization features, and support for mouse-over macros are unfortunate, but I expect them to be added in the future.

    SWTOR is easily the smoothest and most polished "WoW clone" (using that ironically to describe what all new MMO's are labelled as) of the last 5 years. For once, it feels like there is promise and I have renewed hope in Bioware. Here's to the next few months of polish and patches for an overall great game.
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  38. Dec 20, 2011
    10
    This is the best MMO I have played. It's is incredibly deep. The story pulls you in and keep you wanting more. The combat is smooth, active, and enjoyable. The PVP has been great so far, I would recommend this to anyone looking to try out a new MMO.
  39. Dec 20, 2011
    10
    An amazing game. Star Wars: The Old Republic is the final evolution of the "traditional" MMO, taking a tried and true system and adding Star Wars lore and BioWare's legendary storytelling. All the usual MMORPG amenities are there, from Auction Houses, to Open World PvP, to dungeons and questing. No MMORPG can even touch SWTOR in story, it's not even close. Each class has its own uniqueAn amazing game. Star Wars: The Old Republic is the final evolution of the "traditional" MMO, taking a tried and true system and adding Star Wars lore and BioWare's legendary storytelling. All the usual MMORPG amenities are there, from Auction Houses, to Open World PvP, to dungeons and questing. No MMORPG can even touch SWTOR in story, it's not even close. Each class has its own unique storyline, fully voice acted and full of decisions. Every quest has decisions to be made. Even the minor "kill 10 X" quests have amazing voice acting and decisions to be made, and unlike Skyrim, every character sounds unique and has his or her own script. This is a bigger upside than it even sounds like; when the quests give you context and make you feel like you're a part of the world, it makes those quests feel like they're worth doing. Quest givers will react to you differently based on your race, class, and what decisions you make. It makes the NPCs feel alive, which in turn makes YOU feel alive. Even dungeons have storylines that your whole party can participate in, which is an incredible feature that solidifies the team, and even changes how the dungeon will play out in some cases. You can even flirt with NPCs, and this CAN turn into something small, even if they're not your companions.

    Speaking of which, you get KOTOR-style companions. You can only have one out at a time, but they are a HUGE help and are the equivalent of an extra player, having the same stats and wearing the same gear. Decisions you make will change their disposition towards you, and can lead to some funny comments. Starting companions each fill roles that your class lacks - Tank classes will get DPS and Healing companions, "caster" classes get Tank companions, and so on. Each class has its own unique companions, and they in turn have their own storylines. They can be romanced if you are opposite sex and make the right choices with them, but same-sex romancing, by popular demand, is in the works.

    I'm not going to lie, it is VERY similar to World of Warcraft. So similar that, at first glance, it will appear to be a copy, and many classes will feel familiar. On closer inspection, though, it's not the similarities that stand out, but the differences, because many of the features it copies from WoW are refined. Your "hearthstone" can be used to transport you to any bind point you've discovered, making it a good way to get back to town if you're out in the wilderness, or get back to the action if you're in town. You have the option to auto-loot the entire immediate area, hide your helmet if you think it looks ugly and makes your voice sound weird (helmets change your voice sometimes). Anything that needs to be looted will shoot a beam of colored light into the sky that corresponds to the type of loot that the enemy dropped - if you get a purple drop, the beam of light will be purple, if a quest item drops, it will be gold, and so on. Crafting no longer requires you to go out mining for mats or going back to town because you can send your companions off to automatically do it for you, and each companion gets bonuses to certain skills. You can even send them off to automatically sell all your vendor trash. Crafting skills can even affect the outcomes of dungeons, as a person skilled in a certain trade can open shortcuts or paths to secret bosses.

    Even if you hate WoW, I would give SWTOR a chance--I hate WoW and I love SWTOR. However, if you're looking for something completely new, and the story elements aren't enough of a draw, this is probably the wrong game for you. It doesn't do a lot that hasn't been done before except for make your character feel alive, so if you couldn't care less about story, it's going to feel like WoW lite in space. It doesn't have free space combat (...yet), so the Space Combat missions are basically Star Fox missions. There isn't much endgame content yet, but you'll only be halfway through your own story when you reach 50, and endgame content is on the way. This may only be 1.0.0, but this is a great showing and a polished game. It earns my 10.
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  40. Dec 20, 2011
    10
    This game is the new fresh face of MMO gaming out there. It manages to bring what already long time fans of MMO's want while rejuvenating it with something new and awesome. Every time I do something in this game I scream out AWESOME. Bioware does it again with time proven writing, direction, gameplay, and a strong delivery of awesome. The voice acting is top spot. The characters are allThis game is the new fresh face of MMO gaming out there. It manages to bring what already long time fans of MMO's want while rejuvenating it with something new and awesome. Every time I do something in this game I scream out AWESOME. Bioware does it again with time proven writing, direction, gameplay, and a strong delivery of awesome. The voice acting is top spot. The characters are all well written and fleshed out so you believe you're exploring a living changing galaxy. The gameplay is, of course, AWESOME. Every button press is awesome. I can imagine how terrified the Blizzard offices were when they heard the RPG powerhouse Bioware was stepping into the mmo territory and this game justifies those fears. Watch out Blizzard, this game is full of AWESOME and you might find yourself in the number 2 spot after this holiday season. >: ) Expand
  41. Dec 20, 2011
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Pretty awesome game, has an excellent combat system with enough quests to be playing for months. Team play shows excellent mechanics. The graphics are good enough to maintain a high level of detail. Expand
  42. Dec 20, 2011
    10
    I give this game an A+. I have been searching for an MMO that would hold my attention and SWTOR is a game full of "Win". Don't let the negative reviews hold you back. Buy the game and see for yourself. SWTOR won't let you down.
  43. Dec 20, 2011
    10
    Please do not listen to most of these 0-4 raters because most of them never actually played the game, they simply are wow fanbois who come here to hate on a new MMO, before rating this or hating on this try it out, Not going to lie and say its the best of all time but certainly holds my interest a hell of alot more then wow did, and leveling is actually FUN no walls of text. Sure there arePlease do not listen to most of these 0-4 raters because most of them never actually played the game, they simply are wow fanbois who come here to hate on a new MMO, before rating this or hating on this try it out, Not going to lie and say its the best of all time but certainly holds my interest a hell of alot more then wow did, and leveling is actually FUN no walls of text. Sure there are bugs and features we would like to see fixed/added but what mmo doesn't especially at launch. Overall a great game and you should definitely give it a shot. Expand
  44. Dec 20, 2011
    10
    I don't normally take the time to vote but lets be serious here. This extremely small number of users does not represent the hundreds of thousands playing. Odds are the ones enjoying the game are not going to take the time to come here and vote for the game unless of course they, like me, saw somebody suggesting the game was poor based upon 200 people's opinions.

    Well here's mine: This
    I don't normally take the time to vote but lets be serious here. This extremely small number of users does not represent the hundreds of thousands playing. Odds are the ones enjoying the game are not going to take the time to come here and vote for the game unless of course they, like me, saw somebody suggesting the game was poor based upon 200 people's opinions.

    Well here's mine:

    This game is amazing.

    K thx.
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  45. Dec 20, 2011
    10
    Excellent game all around. This is the first MMO I've actually been engrossed by! Each class (of which there is eight) has 200 hours of story quests attached to it, and the quests themselves are engaging and objective-based. You won't spend hours killing random NPCs to level, you level through character-developing quests where you make the decisions on how to proceed. The combat is slickExcellent game all around. This is the first MMO I've actually been engrossed by! Each class (of which there is eight) has 200 hours of story quests attached to it, and the quests themselves are engaging and objective-based. You won't spend hours killing random NPCs to level, you level through character-developing quests where you make the decisions on how to proceed. The combat is slick and well-paced; you need to use strategy to succeed. Combat is not too slow, but not too fast that you get destroyed in a minute. The environments are lush, well-built and HUGE. One planet (Coruscant) is so big that I could spend all day there and still not have everything explored. Other planets are similarly large.

    In terms of bugs, I haven't run into any. This is surprising for such a new MMO.

    I'm also a big PvP fan, and the PvP matches are objective-based which is amazing. Instead of just mindlessly killing everyone, you have to work together as a team to complete objectives. So as far as I'm concerned, this game succeeds on all counts.
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  46. Dec 20, 2011
    10
    Bioware do not disappoint. WoW fanboys are just taking a break from bashing Blizzard and are bashing the greatest current threat to their beloved universe. I am a former WoW fanboy, converted by SWTOR. This game is amazing. First, to combat previous critics: Zones are in 2 instances, you can jump between them freely. The purpose of these is to prevent 400 people in one zone stealing yourBioware do not disappoint. WoW fanboys are just taking a break from bashing Blizzard and are bashing the greatest current threat to their beloved universe. I am a former WoW fanboy, converted by SWTOR. This game is amazing. First, to combat previous critics: Zones are in 2 instances, you can jump between them freely. The purpose of these is to prevent 400 people in one zone stealing your mobs: instead there are 200. Cities etc are not instanced. Server queues are only present because it's launch like ANY OTHER mmo. Infact, unlike WoW launch or other games these servers are not lagging or crashing. Top job Bioware.

    Combat is insanely fun in this game. In WoW combat was the same every time, in SWTOR it's dynamic and varies. Mobs have different levels of difficulty, identifiable by the colour graphic around their portrait and 'Strong', 'Elite', 'Champion' texts. The vast majority of items can be traded before bound, and items can be modified to update stats to retain the look of your gear if you so choose.

    Great game, check it out yourself.
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  47. Dec 20, 2011
    10
    Excellent game in my opinion, tops WoW hands down and i am comparing the two because i have played Blizzard's game for quite some time and liked it.
    Bioware has done an amazing job with the Star Wars IP and i think the Star Wars fans will be pleased.
  48. Dec 20, 2011
    10
    MMO's are a tough thing to review. Many appear solid and polished, engrossing and exciting, only to fall apart later on. Some start off overly complex and counterintuitive, and then become engrossing, with a level of depth and replayability you can't find in any other genre. That being said, be wary of ANY review you read of ANY MMO out the gate: oftentimes, you're really only reading aMMO's are a tough thing to review. Many appear solid and polished, engrossing and exciting, only to fall apart later on. Some start off overly complex and counterintuitive, and then become engrossing, with a level of depth and replayability you can't find in any other genre. That being said, be wary of ANY review you read of ANY MMO out the gate: oftentimes, you're really only reading a brief initial impression of what the whole game has to offer.

    That being said, my initial impression of star Wars: The Old Republic is extremely positive. This is not an entirely new formulq, and it shows. BioWare studied their competition extremely carefully, mimicing many of the best things titles have offered in the genre. The game play, abilities, and user interface are all very reminiscent of any other major MMO release in the past seven years. The formula is the same, too: start off as a lowly no one and, through questing, group play, and pvp, become a hero in great gear and maybe even someone famous on your server.

    Where this game separates itself is in the story and the execution. For better or worse, BioWare chose to make the game less of a grand exploration of an overarching world, and more of a "theme park". At first, it's a little hard to appreciate the decision, as the feeling of traversing an epic world is lost in favor of zipping around every sight in the galaxy. However, the decision's strengths begin to shine when you realize that BioWare took a universe too big to fully explore, and fully realized the best moments, locales, and tales you could expect from Star Wars. Flying from one point in the zone Nar Shaadaa to the other, you get the feeling of a very tiny person in a very big galaxy. No other game I've played has created such a sense of scale from so little, and it's 100% faithful to the feel of the films.

    If you love story telling, especially the BioWare flavor, it's definitely here. The feat BioWare pulled off in turning text-driven "go kill x of this" into a living, breathing tale of moral decisions is breathtaking. Sure, not every quest is as engrossing, and some story lines get going (and stay going) faster than others, but there are cringe-worthy, jaw-dropping, and tear jerking moments to be had. No other MMO has pulled it off this well, and it goes a long way to getting you hooked fast. It alne is reason enough to jump into BioWare's world.

    There are definite missteps here. The UI is clunky and lacking customization. Class balance is a bit bonkers early on. The looking for group feature is circa 2007. Character customization, though better than competitor's games, doesn't live up to BioWare's other staples. Que times are out the wazoo. But none of these are game breaking, and in an age where MMO's just get better over time, these are surely on BioWare's radar for future patch improvements.

    So, should you buy this game? If you love MMO's, Star Wars, or BioWare's storytellng, you'll probably fall in love with this game. If you're a FPS fan, expect 7 years of polish and features out the door, are looking for cutting-edge DX11 graphics, or don't get into a game's story, I'd pass.
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  49. Dec 20, 2011
    10
    Bioware makes great games. There is no denying that. The attention to story and immersion is unparalleled in this industry. I was hooked since Neverwinter Nights. Now with an MMO they have raised the bar. Voice Dialogue not just for the main quest but every little itty bitty one as well. Now they were bought out by EA games and this being the most expensive video game ever produced, thereBioware makes great games. There is no denying that. The attention to story and immersion is unparalleled in this industry. I was hooked since Neverwinter Nights. Now with an MMO they have raised the bar. Voice Dialogue not just for the main quest but every little itty bitty one as well. Now they were bought out by EA games and this being the most expensive video game ever produced, there were obvious corners that were cut. Lack of character customization chief among them. Obviously in order to push for a launch before the end of the year, there are no wookies or complicated playable races in the game.

    During the beta, one of my favorite features was wearing a hood over a mask. This was taken out amongst other features due to bugs which apprently couldn't be fixed for launch. Here's to hoping they get put back in soon. An important attribute in a MMO is player vs player and this is limited to where you can find the other faction, which literally feels like small corners on each planet. The Warzones (Equivalent of battlegrounds in similar MMO's) number under 5 as of launch and is ok but definitely lacking more content and a real fun factor. Overall, the game is great one. Some of the best games immerse you in them, much like a good movie does. The story line for most classes drives the game and holds it up amongst any negatives. In the original Kotor, Jeremy Soule's music immersed you into a world you could not even imagine. His haunting rhythm on the same level as the excellent story. I was sad to see him not a part of this. It's also sad that the music it does have, does not play enough throughout the game. I am giving it a 10 because it has the potential to be a 10 once some of the many features removed for the launch are ultimately restored.
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  50. Ama
    Dec 20, 2011
    10
    I can't believe the vitriol out there. Reviews of 0? I just can't believe that people can rate this 0, but I guess haters will always be haters.

    My experience has been stellar. The entry to the game is stable, I've never been disconnected nor has the game ever crashed for me. The gameplay itself is fun (shooting lightning from fingertips is just fantastic) and the Story is
    I can't believe the vitriol out there. Reviews of 0? I just can't believe that people can rate this 0, but I guess haters will always be haters.

    My experience has been stellar. The entry to the game is stable, I've never been disconnected nor has the game ever crashed for me. The gameplay itself is fun (shooting lightning from fingertips is just fantastic) and the Story is unbelievable. An avid MMO'er myself, I have found myself slowing down to listen to all the story. It is an incredibly immersive and moving experience which I found to be really, really fun. I recommend everybody to try it out, if you have ever enjoyed a star wars movie, this is one to get.
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  51. Dec 20, 2011
    10
    I would like to address the frequent complaints I have read that "SWTOR is unambitious in its gameplay." Firstly, to blame a game for adopting an existing archetype is patently absurd. Infact I can think of no (major) game that is largely derivative of legacy titles. WoW borrowed from Everquest, which borrowed from Ultima and so-on. The fact that combat in SWTOR is similar to WoW is onlyI would like to address the frequent complaints I have read that "SWTOR is unambitious in its gameplay." Firstly, to blame a game for adopting an existing archetype is patently absurd. Infact I can think of no (major) game that is largely derivative of legacy titles. WoW borrowed from Everquest, which borrowed from Ultima and so-on. The fact that combat in SWTOR is similar to WoW is only symptomatic of the genre itself, not necessarily of any intellectual laziness on the part of Bioware. Conversely I would argue that SWTOR is perhaps one of the MOST ambitious MMOs to date. Integrating single player continuity with MMO social structure has never been done before, and SWTOR accomplishes it beautifully. Let alone fully voice acting the entire 1000+ hours of content is completely unheard of for an MMO! After coming off of my first day of SWTOR I feel vindicated with my decision to purchase it so early. Not only is the storyline engrossing, but the combat, UI, and metagame were better than any game I've seen to date. Those of you who dislike the conventions of MMORPGs should not be surprised when you encounter the same archetypes of play in SWTOR. If you do not enjoy leveling, min-maxing, or instancing than I would not recommend SWTOR to you. As with any MMO there is a degree of grind, but I believe Bioware has done its utmost to eliminate the drugery of grind with engaging storylines. Ultimately SWTOR is a spiritual successor to the philosophies of bioware's first Star Wars IP: KOTOR, but placed within the conventions of a modern MMORPG. A fantastic purchase, I have no doubt I will be playing this game for many months to come. Expand
  52. Dec 20, 2011
    10
    The voice acting is the best I've heard in any game... ever, actually. Maybe I don't play that many games!

    I picked up copies for myself and a friend, we're having a blast. Cinematics are good enough to impress my wife, so I think it earns a 10 on that alone. Anything that'll avoid the wifes' wrath gets a 10 in my book.
  53. Dec 21, 2011
    10
    Sadly alot of these comments people are posting are people that are having either bad experience with Customer support and are raging their anger off here... Real constructive critique is not really their strong points but alot of them are oldtime WoW players that have a blind eye.

    So since the majority of these guys cannot do a proper score review and just select the 0 or 1-3 because
    Sadly alot of these comments people are posting are people that are having either bad experience with Customer support and are raging their anger off here... Real constructive critique is not really their strong points but alot of them are oldtime WoW players that have a blind eye.

    So since the majority of these guys cannot do a proper score review and just select the 0 or 1-3 because they are to lazy to objectively review the game. guys you all need something else to do go away from metacritic your useless :)

    To the game:

    The game has a sound story line for all classes making questing and leveling a complete diffrent experience while still offering the same old objectives (kill x amount of that on place y) . Customization, crafting and many other areas need work or players just have not explored deep enough into these yet to have a sound conclusion.

    So far the games release has been stable (dont think the whiners are the majority) with a few hiccups but nothing major. Because of this ill give the game a 10 just to give weight against all the retards voting rediculous low just cause they are WoW Fanbois.
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  54. Dec 21, 2011
    10
    An excellent MMO with so many different aspects included. The story and voice-over are just two fantastic things about this game - crafting, space combat, PvP, morale system, and flash points; everything is a blast.
  55. Dec 21, 2011
    10
    If you go in to this expecting it to be like galaxies you will be highly disappointed. This game has more star wars feel to it than galaxies ever had I love this game.
  56. Dec 21, 2011
    10
    This is, without a doubt, the most fun I have had playing a video game in quite a long time. The few bugs i have encountered are going to be easily fixable.
  57. Dec 21, 2011
    10
    Bioware did an amazing job creating TOR. The story drags you into the world (based on the experience of trooper and agent) and you just have to go on to know how the the world evolves. Being a huge fan of Mass Effect I think the implementation of the dialogue system very good. Spoken dialogues throughout the whole game! And the thing that amazes me most is the absence of any boring monsterBioware did an amazing job creating TOR. The story drags you into the world (based on the experience of trooper and agent) and you just have to go on to know how the the world evolves. Being a huge fan of Mass Effect I think the implementation of the dialogue system very good. Spoken dialogues throughout the whole game! And the thing that amazes me most is the absence of any boring monster grinding. Apart from some weaknesses in the character creation progress this game is absolutely top. Expand
  58. Dec 21, 2011
    10
    Its hard to say what makes this game so incredible, is the the stylised clone wars graphics, the orchastrated music or the fantastic narritive? I think its a combination of all of this and more. The game itself dosent feel like an mmo, from the very beginning if feels like you are playing your very own rpg based in the star wars universe and there just happens to be other people runningIts hard to say what makes this game so incredible, is the the stylised clone wars graphics, the orchastrated music or the fantastic narritive? I think its a combination of all of this and more. The game itself dosent feel like an mmo, from the very beginning if feels like you are playing your very own rpg based in the star wars universe and there just happens to be other people running around in the same world. It feels very much like the original KOTOR games right down to the companion quests and the combat. The standard bioware dialogue tree is there and it allows you to make decisions that will not only effect your alligent between dark and light, it also effects how your crew look at you and both are not always tied together. For instance, its possible to be a Sith making dark side choices but loose the respect of your crew because of it. This makes playing the game a unique balancing act, as a Bounty Hunter i feel no pressure to lean one way or the other and i make choices that i feel are appropriate to the situation, on the other hand a friend of mine is struggling to always make dark side choices as a sith because he feels he should, but they are not always things he agrees with.

    A lot has been said about the graphics of the game, some love them and some hate them, the styleised approach is a wise one considering the type of game it is. Keeping the look away from realism stops them from dating as quickly as Galaxies did and allows the facial animation to shine through. The bold and colourfull environments do a great job of reflecting the Star Wars lore and never once do you feel that you are looking at something that could look better in a different engine.

    The controls are standard mmo and that is perhaps the one thing about the game that isnt unique, you use your mouse to control point of view, ASWD control directions and the number keys are your attacks. The actual combat however looks great, as a bounty hunter you can engage your jetpack and fly Bob-Fett style above your foes raining rockets and blaster fire on them. As a Sith you can fire lightning from you finger tips and watch your enemies squirm in pain, the game feels authentically Star Wars.

    Overall if you are a fan of Bioware titles, enjoy playing mmos or even just have a love for Star Wars this is the game for you. The strong story telling and excellent voice acting will keep you occupied when your friends are not around, and the execellent Flashpoint events (where everyone can have a dialogue option) will reward you for playing with others. I have no problem rating this one with a 10, its easily the best MMO out there today and is amoungst the best rpgs.
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  59. Dec 21, 2011
    10
    Without exception, the old republic is the most impressive MMO i have ever played. With an intense story line unique to each class containing both the feel of the star wars universe and the experience which makes each Bioware game a masterpiece, TOR takes you to places no other MMO could ever hope to take you. Breaking away from the bland, unexciting and monotonus grind fest experienceWithout exception, the old republic is the most impressive MMO i have ever played. With an intense story line unique to each class containing both the feel of the star wars universe and the experience which makes each Bioware game a masterpiece, TOR takes you to places no other MMO could ever hope to take you. Breaking away from the bland, unexciting and monotonus grind fest experience games like world of warcraft replicate over and over again, the old republic actually has depth, story line, and a sound track which really just adds to the appreciation one SHOULD feel when playing an MMO. With very little issues during launch, and 5 x the amount of early subscribers at launch date than WoW, the old republic is well on its way to becoming one of the best MMO's you will ever play. This is truely an MMO as it should be, crew interactions with your partner characters give the game personality which many who have played KOTOR will be familiar with, exciting space battles and a vast map of planets to explore give this game an intense open world feel. Don't listen to the world of warcraft nay sayers, if you're a fan of star wars or even if you're just looking for a decent MMO for a change, pick this game up and you won't regret it. Expand
  60. Dec 21, 2011
    10
    I think this game is brilliant. It has some bugs and some fixes are needed, but overall, it is polished and will get even better with time. The problem with a free critic site is that ActBlizz can pay people to come post here. A lot of the reviews should be taken with a grain of salt. Go try the game yourself - it's worth the story and journey it conveys!

    People clamor for innovation,
    I think this game is brilliant. It has some bugs and some fixes are needed, but overall, it is polished and will get even better with time. The problem with a free critic site is that ActBlizz can pay people to come post here. A lot of the reviews should be taken with a grain of salt. Go try the game yourself - it's worth the story and journey it conveys!

    People clamor for innovation, as they expected Bioware to re-invent the wheel. They never once said that is what they were trying for. A lot of people had unrealistic expectations. If you want to have a fun game where Star Wars thrives, this is the game for you.
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  61. Dec 21, 2011
    10
    This game is awesome!
    It's a fantastic experience. Especially that it allows you to have a very solid single player experience in a MMO game. WoW eat your heart out. It's everything WoW is in a better setting and just a bit better in many ways.
  62. Dec 21, 2011
    10
    I've been playing this game for about a week now. The things I like most is grouping with other people. There is something called Heroics scattered around the world, where you group with another person and I find these really fun. There is also a longer grouping subgame called Flashpoints. I have only done one of them so far called the Black Talon and I thought it was really done one, andI've been playing this game for about a week now. The things I like most is grouping with other people. There is something called Heroics scattered around the world, where you group with another person and I find these really fun. There is also a longer grouping subgame called Flashpoints. I have only done one of them so far called the Black Talon and I thought it was really done one, and it is fun how the story changes slightly by choosing different options during the cut scenes.

    I would definitely recommend this game, well worth the price.
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  63. Dec 21, 2011
    10
    It's funny how critics are praising this game and sore WoW faithfuls are mocking it because they fear the power of the Dark Side. This game is not a WoW clone. It's an entirely different entity in itself. Naturally it has aspects of WoW but EVERY MMO will. The fact is: WoW fans are scared that their reign at the top of the MMO world may soon be coming to an end.

    How can WoW compete
    It's funny how critics are praising this game and sore WoW faithfuls are mocking it because they fear the power of the Dark Side. This game is not a WoW clone. It's an entirely different entity in itself. Naturally it has aspects of WoW but EVERY MMO will. The fact is: WoW fans are scared that their reign at the top of the MMO world may soon be coming to an end.

    How can WoW compete with the vast lore and rich story telling that can only come from the Star Wars Universe? How can it compete with Space missions and space battles, planet hopping, brave and cunning Jedi Masters, ruthless and powerful Sith Lords, and quirky droid companions? How can it compete with a fanbase that has existed for over 30 years! It can't, so naturally, the WoW faithful are scared. Their is a new player in town and these gamers have to get over it and accept that they had a run like no other game in history, but it is time to pass the torch. Better game play, graphics, an epic soundtrack, and great mechanics.
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  64. Dec 21, 2011
    10
    Star Wars the Old Republic brings a polish and refinement we expect from a Star Wars product. I've been playing from day one of early access and the game has been living up to my expectations. I find myself caring about quest objectives unlike in other games. I find the class stories to be interesting and well written. Most of the minor wants I have (like guild banks) are things theyStar Wars the Old Republic brings a polish and refinement we expect from a Star Wars product. I've been playing from day one of early access and the game has been living up to my expectations. I find myself caring about quest objectives unlike in other games. I find the class stories to be interesting and well written. Most of the minor wants I have (like guild banks) are things they promise to address down the road. It is an ambitious game, and for me it has been well worth the money spent. I look forward to seeing it evolve. I would recommend this game to anyone who wants a fun star wars game. Expand
  65. Dec 21, 2011
    10
    I posted the Top Ten Reasons That Star Wars: The Old Republic is My WoW Killer in a Cracked-style article that can be found here:

    http://awritersrecluse.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=s&action=display&thread=4097
  66. Dec 21, 2011
    10
    Easily the best MMO since WoW. It takes the tried and true formula that dates all the way back to EQ and DAOC, that was refined by WoW and other games, mixes in a couple of new features from MMOs like Rift (AOE looting, anyone?), meshes all of that into BioWares trademark single player dialogue, tacks on Star Wars, and equals amazing. The game has a few kinks yet to work out, but theEasily the best MMO since WoW. It takes the tried and true formula that dates all the way back to EQ and DAOC, that was refined by WoW and other games, mixes in a couple of new features from MMOs like Rift (AOE looting, anyone?), meshes all of that into BioWares trademark single player dialogue, tacks on Star Wars, and equals amazing. The game has a few kinks yet to work out, but the issues I have with it are pretty minor.

    If you're looking for SWG2, don't bother, because this isn't it. If you where expecting SWG2, you have apparently been hiding under a rock for the past several years, as BioWare made it clear that this wasn't going to be SWG2. The worlds are all incredibly immersive and beautifully crafted. The stories, both world and class, are very well written. The PVP is fantastic, especially when you work as a team and get things done (pass the ball!). RPing comes easy, not only because so many people are familiar with Star Wars, but because the game lends itself to it. For me, this is the perfect theme park MMO.
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  67. Dec 21, 2011
    10
    Absolutely phenomenal MMO. I've played launches for pretty much every major subscription MMO since 2004 and this has by far been the best. Game-play and story are amazing and the game is pretty much bug free and the servers are running flawlessly.
  68. Dec 21, 2011
    10
    The amount of negativity I see is staggering and honestly very unsettling. Many of the reviews are not only unfair, they seem written by people who have either never played a MMORPG before or actively find reasons to complain and give low scores.

    A lot of people come off a previous Star Wars game, Star Wars Galaxies which was a totally different monster - it was a "sandbox game" which
    The amount of negativity I see is staggering and honestly very unsettling. Many of the reviews are not only unfair, they seem written by people who have either never played a MMORPG before or actively find reasons to complain and give low scores.

    A lot of people come off a previous Star Wars game, Star Wars Galaxies which was a totally different monster - it was a "sandbox game" which for those who don't know the terminology means a game that you can make your own. You could build a virtual city and live in it. Make a store and sell things. The worlds were huge and empty and built for players to create their *own* community. TOR is not a "sandbox game" - However it is the next evolution of the the online Star Wars genre. TOR takes the best aspects of several MMORPGs and combines them to create a totally new yet familiar beast. For example, some people are complaining at the lack of options during character creation. This game has a ton more choices then another successful game, World of Warcraft. That game has one body choice. TOR has 4. Then you get to the face and have a vast number of choices to craft your avatars face.

    Tor is like a corvette with a custom engine. They researched many of the things that "worked" in multiple MMORPG's, tweaked it, and improved upon it!

    The most amazing aspect of the game is the storytelling - not only is it all voiced (which is mind boggling), every storyline is well written and makes my experience in TOR one of the best I've had online. You have the potential to play through EIGHT different storylines (4 Sith Empire and 4 Republic) and you can also play a male or female character (with its own voice).

    The game adds something I have not seen before in any game - Flashpoints! Flashpoints are missions that are performed in a group and offer conversation choices that each player has a chance to chose. Once chosen, virtual dice are thrown and whoever gets the highest roll is the response the game uses! It makes for some very exciting and fun roleplaying (even if you aren't a roleplayer!) where the attitude of the party (and sometimes the story) changes as you make your way through the Flashpoint. At one point we had a choice to kill an important character or allow that character to live! Hope you roll high!

    Anyway, this game is amazing and the launch was one of the smoothest launches I have seen for an MMORPG in years. The developers promise tons of updates and with the money they are making with the successful launch of TOR and I believe they will deliver.

    Finally, despite the negative online responses here, there is a VAST majority who are having a blast with TOR and are currently playing the game as opposed to the very vocal minority that has found a soapbox to stand on and complain.
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  69. Dec 21, 2011
    10
    This is an excellent game. The storyline as you're questing is as good as any singe player RPG I've ever played, certainly a deeper plot than any of the Elder Scrolls games. The worlds and characters are unique and vibrant, truly immersing you in the Star Wars universe. When you play this game, you will feel like you are part of Star Wars.

    While there are only four character classes for
    This is an excellent game. The storyline as you're questing is as good as any singe player RPG I've ever played, certainly a deeper plot than any of the Elder Scrolls games. The worlds and characters are unique and vibrant, truly immersing you in the Star Wars universe. When you play this game, you will feel like you are part of Star Wars.

    While there are only four character classes for each faction, the "ability trees" available give you a much greater difference than WoW. Going from one tree to the next completely changes how you play the class, giving you a different experience with each configuration that you try.

    Character creation isn't quite as deep as some games out there. That said, it is much deeper than the game that everyone is comparing it to, WoW. One must also bear in mind that the more you allow customization of characters, the more cutbacks you need to make elsewhere. 4 body types and up to 32 different faces, hairstyles, etc is much more than most games on the market. It's just not quite City of Heroes worthy.

    The controls are very responsive in this game and the animations are truly fluid. Combat has a faster pace than the original trilogy. Blaster battles seem epic and lightsaber combat is as good as the Jedi Knight series.

    While this game does have a couple of bugs, mostly with stairs, I have never once played an MMO that did not have a couple of kinks in the beginning. I dropped the cash for the Collector's Edition and I couldn't be happier with my purchase. I've been waiting on this game for several years now and it has exceeded my expectations. In response to instances, it cuts back on server lag and makes leveling easier. If you're in "Kaas City 1" and your friend is in "Kaas City 2" then it literally takes less than 10 seconds for one person to switch to the other. Maybe the other reviewers would like to see so much traffic that the quest givers are no longer visible.
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  70. Dec 21, 2011
    10
    This game is great. The combat system is fun and the story driven game play is entertaining. This game is what I have been waiting for.

    Great job Bioware.
  71. Dec 21, 2011
    10
    Best launch of any MMO in history!!! Unlike WOW and so many others, there was no server crashing on release day.

    This game is in keeping with Knights of the Old Republic (KOTOR) made by the same publisher. If you liked Mass Effect 1 and 2 plus looking forward to ME3 or if you enjoyed the KOTOR games, then you'll enjoy this game. Despite what people what say, this is a full fledge
    Best launch of any MMO in history!!! Unlike WOW and so many others, there was no server crashing on release day.

    This game is in keeping with Knights of the Old Republic (KOTOR) made by the same publisher. If you liked Mass Effect 1 and 2 plus looking forward to ME3 or if you enjoyed the KOTOR games, then you'll enjoy this game. Despite what people what say, this is a full fledge MMO. Unlike the negative reviewers that NEVER PLAYED THE GAME, or if they did just for a short time, I was a Closed Beta Tester and I've been playing the game for more than 6 months. During Beta, I ran several character up into the 30s and 40s. As veteran MMO player, I've played EQ, WOW, Warhammer, plus many more. This game is solid and worth playing. Yes it is potentially an WOW killer. This game should do to WOW what it did to EQ.

    Here is some basic info on the game and review of some mechanics.

    Servers -- This is a true MMO. (The idiot MagusGrandios, below, stating the each zone is instanced is false.) Generally, there is only one area which is what you will experience 90% of the time. There is a possibility of "server sharding" which is similar to WOW-phasing. This only happens when there is a huge number of people in one area. During beta stress weekends, this only happened in the newbie zones (first two planets) and I never saw it anywhere else. The sharding is to lower lag. For example, instead of seeing all 200 people in a zone, you'll only physically see 100 but you can still hear and talk to everyone. Otherwise, this is much like any other MMO. Travel is what you would expect. You get your first speeder at level 25, second upgrade around level 40. Until then you can "sprint", quick travel (a teleport, which everyone has access to), or use a taxi to fly from one area to another. Plus you get your ship around level 18 that allows you to fly between planets and participate in space combat.

    Classes - There are 4 basic or archtype classes for the first 10 levels, then you break out into one of two Advanced Class or AC. 8 total classes. Each class has 3 trees. One tree is always DPS and the other PVP/Utility. The third tree is considered the "advanced class defining" tree. (In WOW terms, the Shadow-Priest is a DPS tree that makes the priest like a mage, but it is the healing tree that defines the class.) There are 3 tanks, 3 healers, and 2 dedicated DPS advanced classes, albeit all 8 classes can DPS in thier DPS tree. The classes are relatively balanced.

    Companion -- One very cool feature is that EVERYONE is a pet class. Companions have thier own skills and ability bars that you can customize to your needs. Over the game you will get around 5 character (6 if you count your ship droid). Each companion represents a archtype of melee tank, melee dps, ranged tank, ranged dps, and healer. You get a new companion about every 5-8 levels starting at level 8. You can only use one companion in combat at a time. The other companions can be sent on non combat activities which can range from crafting (armsmech, armstech, cybertech, etc.) to missions (investigation, diplomacy, etc.) to component gathering (salvaging, bioanalysis, slicing, etc.)

    PVE & Grouping -- This game utilizes a basic 4 man grouping system. If you have less than 4 players, then companions can fill the wholes. Thus two players can each have a companion and make a four man group. There is basic content that is 1 or 2 person oriented. Plus there are 2 man Heroics, 4 man Heroics, and Flashpoints. End game raiding requires 16 man groups. The game features all of the looting features you've come to expect from an MMO.

    PVP & Battlegrounds -- The game features world PVP on PVP servers plus Battlegrounds on all severs. The Battlegrounds rely upon scenarios. If you've played Warhammer, then must of this will be familiar. Warhammer was one of the best PVP oriented MMOs, and this is the same developer.

    Crafting -- Crafting is different than most games. You are not the crafter but it is a skill set shared by your whole crew. Thus making a set of armor takes time. You go on missions while you leave your companions at the ship making armor. Companions can also be sent on gathering missions to get you the items you need. Companions can also go on missions which can receive rewards such as materials or schematics that are useful in crafting. Very smooth system. I currently have an Armstech/Scalvaging/Investigations character with the skills in the 170-200 range.

    Guild System -- The guild pre-launch program was flawless. For pre-existing guilds, they were organized pre-release and automatically added to their guild at launch. There are a few incoming features, such as guild bank, that is supposed to be included in the first patch.
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  72. Dec 21, 2011
    10
    I am absolutely enthralled by this game. I love how story-driven it is, and how at several points during a quest chain, you have to make moral decisions and judgement calls that affect your own character's story progression. On a technical side, I think that the game play is very intuitive (I am an enthusiastic but not exactly pro gamer, having mostly played World of Warcraft, Dragon Age,I am absolutely enthralled by this game. I love how story-driven it is, and how at several points during a quest chain, you have to make moral decisions and judgement calls that affect your own character's story progression. On a technical side, I think that the game play is very intuitive (I am an enthusiastic but not exactly pro gamer, having mostly played World of Warcraft, Dragon Age, Skyrim, Mass Effect, Champions of Norrath and Baldur's Gate, along with some zombie shooters and racing games). I love that the "gathering" quests are completed automatically when you are done with the objective: no need to run back to the quest giver all the time to hand him over 10 pelts or something. I love that you can run with the map open (it fades out, but it is still superimposed over the game, so you can see where you are going). There are a ton of other details like that, little things that make this game a joy to play.

    On the MMO aspect, I suppose your experience will vary depending on what server you choose, but as for myself, on an RPPVP server, I have to say: I find the people friendly and helpful. I ran across some public RP already, and there was a huge wpvp event on our server just yesterday, on launch day. You can definitely play alone and truly enjoy yourself, but I find that having a guild is a nice bonus (if only to ask newbie questions).

    I would definitely recommend this game as a first experience to anyone who has ever wanted to try out MMORPGs: it is quite easy to get the hang of, the stories are rich and interesting, and there is so much to discover that you will really enjoy yourself. If you never played an MMO before, look at the user forums for your server, read up on various guilds, and apply to one that interests you. Playing with like-minded and helpful people will enhance your experience.

    As for a rating, I am giving this a 10, because I can't think of anything that I would like to change, so far. PVE, PVP, RP (and story content): I like it all! :)
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  73. Dec 21, 2011
    10
    TOR = Kotor 3 Multiplayer Edition and it's wonderful for it. It has the usual trappings of MMOs, crafting, PvP instances, entire battle grounds, etc.
    It does not deviate far from the distilled western MMO formula. But what it does is make this formula extremely enjoyable to play.
    The voice acted cut scenes replacing the standard paragraphs of npc quest dialogue, and Mass Effect style
    TOR = Kotor 3 Multiplayer Edition and it's wonderful for it. It has the usual trappings of MMOs, crafting, PvP instances, entire battle grounds, etc.
    It does not deviate far from the distilled western MMO formula. But what it does is make this formula extremely enjoyable to play.

    The voice acted cut scenes replacing the standard paragraphs of npc quest dialogue, and Mass Effect style conversations serve to not only break up the flow of the game, giving the player a brief break before jumping back into the action, it serves to make you truly attached to your character. There are decisions to make, and no matter the angle of your character, some will be very hard.
    It's not just good/bad choices, it's getting the job done but with different consequences.

    Playing a Bounty Hunter to lvl 26 so far, I love my character. Every fight I feel like a complete bada**. I don't have a cycle of skills I used in the same order every fight, rather it feels like I have a tool kit that I can choose from based on the situation and what I feel like doing. Nothing compares to running up and rocket punching a giant boss in the nose and then bombing the hell out of his buddies.

    TOR isn't for everyone. If you're looking to speed through to the end of the game, this may not be for you. What it is, is an extremely enjoyable journey through the Star Wars universe that can be shared with your friends.
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  74. Dec 21, 2011
    10
    I'm being completely honest when I say this is the best game I have ever played. Nothing else has ever sucked me in so completely. The bond with your character that BioWare fosters with their in depth story lines is entirely unique in the MMO world. Some people will draw parallels to other successful MMOs while forgetting that WoW copied most of the features it had at launch and most ofI'm being completely honest when I say this is the best game I have ever played. Nothing else has ever sucked me in so completely. The bond with your character that BioWare fosters with their in depth story lines is entirely unique in the MMO world. Some people will draw parallels to other successful MMOs while forgetting that WoW copied most of the features it had at launch and most of the features it has now. Either way, TOR is far and away more engaging than anything I've played before it. If you like BioWare games, you'll love this one. Expand
  75. Dec 21, 2011
    10
    Excellent game ! engaging, good features, excellent immersion. Some good innovation here and elimination of grinding. Class stories are very well done. 10/10 in my book
  76. Dec 21, 2011
    10
    I haven't been able to play this game enough, each class is amazingly fun, the plot lines are addicting and I have to know what else happens next. I was amazed at how well the pvp feels, you can jump right in at level 10 and still make a difference against level 30's and 50's etc. The crafting is somewhat unique for MMO's and while it feels slow its not annoying and I can see how it willI haven't been able to play this game enough, each class is amazingly fun, the plot lines are addicting and I have to know what else happens next. I was amazed at how well the pvp feels, you can jump right in at level 10 and still make a difference against level 30's and 50's etc. The crafting is somewhat unique for MMO's and while it feels slow its not annoying and I can see how it will be down the line will be engaging without feeling like a grind.

    I feel this game is well worth your time and money, very fun and with the entire thing scripted with voice acting it feels like you're really immersed in the game.
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  77. Dec 21, 2011
    10
    Anyone who doesn't give this game atleast a 9 is crazy. All the 0-4 scores are absolutely ridiculous. This game should put all other mmorps to rest, or atleast take away from them greatly.
  78. Dec 21, 2011
    10
    I'm in love with this game... game play is fun as hell... our community is awesome & the story... its made me LOL, its made me go WTF! & its made me stare at the options its given me & have an internal debate about what I should choose. Ever read a book just before going to bed & say to yourself... "ill just get to the end of this chapter & go to bed" & then 4 chapters later your stillI'm in love with this game... game play is fun as hell... our community is awesome & the story... its made me LOL, its made me go WTF! & its made me stare at the options its given me & have an internal debate about what I should choose. Ever read a book just before going to bed & say to yourself... "ill just get to the end of this chapter & go to bed" & then 4 chapters later your still reading because you cant put the book down? TOR = that & more. Expand
  79. Dec 21, 2011
    10
    Simply one of the best MMO's I have ever played now some people have said the game is very much similar to WoW and that they were expecting something different. If this is the case for you then you probably didn't keep up with the games development. The choice to make the game operate simiar to that of WoW was for the tried and tested formula of Tank-Heals-DPS which everyone in the MMOSimply one of the best MMO's I have ever played now some people have said the game is very much similar to WoW and that they were expecting something different. If this is the case for you then you probably didn't keep up with the games development. The choice to make the game operate simiar to that of WoW was for the tried and tested formula of Tank-Heals-DPS which everyone in the MMO world is accustomed to. The character creation doesn't leave much to be desired though some people are upset that X race isn't playable yet but the game just came out I'm sure Bioware is waiting to release many different races and classes. As for what they have given us now it is enough to tide us over until they start adding more content to the game. PVP is fairly similar to WoW in which you have to time your CD's and use your abilities accordingly to achieve victory. The game isn't aiming for realism as some people here have griped about or that it is not new and fresh but it is what the masses wanted. Bioware is trying to reach a wider audience then say GW2 being its graphical demand is far lower and its game mechanics aren't all that different then WoW's. This allows for easy transitioning and makes the game readily available to everyone because honestly not everyone can afford a 1500+ dollar computer just to play video games. As for the small bugs here and there strewn through out the game none of it is game breaking and I would like you to find a game that launched with absolutely no problems, it simply isn't possible every game is going to have a few hiccups upon release and these are things that are usually rectified within a month. To many people expected this game to be something that it clearly wasn't going to be. the game is to appeal to people who enjoyed the mechanics within WoW and then add onto it with great story immersion and development of your character while all at the same time being able to share the experience with your friends. Some peopleare upset they cant play as non-humanoid characters but think about it logically and you'll see that it simply wouldn't be possible from a design point of view. Having to make individual motions and armor for one species which in if it were in combat wouldn't make any sense. Like a flying tentacle monster slapping you and using a blaster...what type of armor would it wear? How many pieces of armor does it have? It has to be the same amount as every other species or they wont be bale to balance the game. So in reality adding non-humanoid species to the game isn't possible. The game is still early on and many things are in fact being planned to be released such as "Match to Chest Piece" option which allowed you to match all your armor to the color of your chest piece. Now onto the issues of instancing some people say it makes the game devoid of life I say it makes game immersion all that much deeper. If you were doing a epic quest for your characters story line do you really want a bunch of people running around you shooting and killing everything 24/7? No you don't you want to be sucked into the game and feel like your there with your small party of friend or just with your companion. The whole game is planned around player immersion allowing you the player to form a bond with your character so that you will care about the choices you make through the game and in the end get so much more out of it. Honestly the added voice acting and deep story make questing far more enjoyable then any other MMORPG's quest grind because it draws you in as you seek to learn and discover more about your characters story. I fidn this to be a fantastic MMORPG that may not be as innovative as say Eve online or GW2 but it has certainly set the bar for story telling, lore and character development. Simply put if you enjoyed KOTOR 1-2, Mass Effect 1-2, Dragon Age 1-2 and have friends that also enjoyed those games I would recommend this game for you. Those of you looking for some new crazy blow your mind game which is going to revolutionize MMORPG's will be disappointed but that's on you. If your going to critique a game then do it on fact also not on assumptions as so many people have done here before. Expand
  80. Dec 21, 2011
    10
    the best MMO I have played to date. The launch was unbelievably smooth and me and my friends have been enjoying the hell out of it. There are a few small issues with it, but I am sure they will be fixed in the future. Overall easily a 9/10.
  81. Dec 21, 2011
    10
    After playing Wow for a few years, this game was very easy to transition into. Though I did pre-order back in July, and have played 2 or 3 of the betas and am now playing the game, I still see many bugs, however this is completely made up for by it's rich story lines. I find myself enjoying each story line very much. I believe within a year that this game will be completely refined. ItAfter playing Wow for a few years, this game was very easy to transition into. Though I did pre-order back in July, and have played 2 or 3 of the betas and am now playing the game, I still see many bugs, however this is completely made up for by it's rich story lines. I find myself enjoying each story line very much. I believe within a year that this game will be completely refined. It seems like BioWare actually listens to what people say, so all I have to say is have faith, and patience. This game will be great! Expand
  82. Dec 21, 2011
    10
    I created a account here just to write this review because I felt the score was too low.

    Life long star wars fan, past MMO experience 4years in SWG, 4 years in WoW, 4 years in UltimaOnline, done all the other MMO's for brief periods, you name it I'v played it. I absolutely love SWTOR, this is the game I have been waiting for, there are some things that I would love to see added, like
    I created a account here just to write this review because I felt the score was too low.

    Life long star wars fan, past MMO experience 4years in SWG, 4 years in WoW, 4 years in UltimaOnline, done all the other MMO's for brief periods, you name it I'v played it.

    I absolutely love SWTOR, this is the game I have been waiting for, there are some things that I would love to see added, like alien races, space pvp, but all can be expansion added later so I'm gonna give this game a 10 cause a meta score of 5.7 has to be addressed.

    It's got great singel player!

    It's got great friendly multiplayer, no large raids just enough for real life friends to be able to have some real fun without going all wow raid nolife.

    It's got balanced and fun PvP. (you will hear people QQ just because they don't know how to play and expect something else instead of learning this games mechanics) (Still I could kill any class with any other class at max skill level and thats balance enough for me.)

    Best game I'v played in a long long time... best Star Wars game since Jedi Academy.

    I would say it's a lot better then KOTOR wich so many people seem to love. This is KOTOR 3,4,5,6,7,8 combined.
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  83. Dec 21, 2011
    10
    This is a fun game. The inclusion of story to an MMO is brilliant. The sense of immersion is awesome. It doesn't take long to completely forget the world around you while playing. There is tons of content in this game. A player would have to try really hard to get bored while playing.
  84. Dec 21, 2011
    10
    I was not sure about this game in early beta but after thelast beta test I liked it. I played wow, rift, aion, STO, and many others. None were as fun as this one and it is in SW universe. It has grown on me. I do not think it is a WOW clone even that the interface is similar. I think it just made it easier to get in to. It has some small problems but it was just released. IT is FUNI was not sure about this game in early beta but after thelast beta test I liked it. I played wow, rift, aion, STO, and many others. None were as fun as this one and it is in SW universe. It has grown on me. I do not think it is a WOW clone even that the interface is similar. I think it just made it easier to get in to. It has some small problems but it was just released. IT is FUN overall and that is what games are about.
    HATERS ARE GOING to HATE
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  85. Dec 21, 2011
    10
    One of the most fully featured, polished MMO games to ever release. Incredibly smooth launch and just what you would expect from a KotoR game as an MMO. One of the best written games hands down and the combat is sooo incredibly smooth. I particularly love my Smuggler and the awesome cover system they use which changes up your skills and ads a whole new layer of strategic elements. TheOne of the most fully featured, polished MMO games to ever release. Incredibly smooth launch and just what you would expect from a KotoR game as an MMO. One of the best written games hands down and the combat is sooo incredibly smooth. I particularly love my Smuggler and the awesome cover system they use which changes up your skills and ads a whole new layer of strategic elements. The group dialogue is fantastic as well and reminds me of the old paper and pen games where you're just sitting around your buddies. If you are a MMO fan, Bioware fan, or Star Wars fan do yourself a favor and pick this game up. Expand
  86. Dec 21, 2011
    10
    *pretends to be shocked* Another popular game out and another smear campaign from trolls in the user section. This bombardment of 0's needs to be dealt with, this is getting ridiculous and abusive. ToR is a wonderful MMO that any Bioware and Star Wars fan is going to love. You can play this as your standard MMO or as a single player game even. JUST because this game has a personal story*pretends to be shocked* Another popular game out and another smear campaign from trolls in the user section. This bombardment of 0's needs to be dealt with, this is getting ridiculous and abusive. ToR is a wonderful MMO that any Bioware and Star Wars fan is going to love. You can play this as your standard MMO or as a single player game even. JUST because this game has a personal story doesn't mean it's a "lobby game" as one user puts it. Tell me...what standard MMO feature is ToR missing that these non lobby games have? Dungeons check, Raids check, PvP check, World PvP check, World PvP objectives check, group quests check. Enough with the trolling already. Expand
  87. Dec 21, 2011
    10
    Gameplay - Very slick, fast, fun with some top quality animations. The blocking and reversals of the lightsaber classes are a joy to look at. Visuals - A really nice, stylized look that will be revelant for years to come. I especially looove the character models and sky boxes.

    Sound - Great weapon sounds, lightsabers sound great, voice acting is tremendous, and the music is Star Wars
    Gameplay - Very slick, fast, fun with some top quality animations. The blocking and reversals of the lightsaber classes are a joy to look at. Visuals - A really nice, stylized look that will be revelant for years to come. I especially looove the character models and sky boxes.

    Sound - Great weapon sounds, lightsabers sound great, voice acting is tremendous, and the music is Star Wars what more could you want? =)
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  88. Dec 21, 2011
    10
    Bah, here we go again. Another big name game is released and the trolls are out in full force raiting the game with 0's the minute it is released. Anywho, I am really enjoying the game and it's definitely the best MMO I have played. You wouldn't believe how much of a difference story, dialogue, choices makes in an MMO until you have actually played it.

    The game has everything that an
    Bah, here we go again. Another big name game is released and the trolls are out in full force raiting the game with 0's the minute it is released. Anywho, I am really enjoying the game and it's definitely the best MMO I have played. You wouldn't believe how much of a difference story, dialogue, choices makes in an MMO until you have actually played it.

    The game has everything that an MMO is supposed to have and more, that more is the story, writing, and voice work of a high quality single player MMO. You'll be hooked!
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  89. Dec 21, 2011
    10
    I have contacted metacritic about what's going on with the user scores here and hopefully they will be cleared out. 4 chan is scum and if the one good thing SOPA can do is shut those boards down for good than that is fine with me.
  90. Dec 21, 2011
    10
    A perfect game for a Star Wars, RPG, MMO fan. This game does have some issues, but I am giving it a 10 because frankly the current user score of 5.7 is not TRUE! If you happen to stumble upon this review and are planning on using it to purchase the game DON'T. Go to a different website and find a trusted reviewer (NO not IGN). Ok rant over, this game is great.
  91. Dec 21, 2011
    10
    Official reviews so far:

    Venturebeat - 89%, G4TV - 5/5, Digitaltrend - 9/10, Eurogamer Italy 8/10, AusGamers - 9.5/10, Gameblog.fr - 8/10 Who are you gonna believe? Legit reviews with pages worth of info and opinion or trolls who have only reviewed this game making BS comments that aren't true at all. You decide.
  92. Dec 21, 2011
    10
    Bioware has created something amazing with this game that no developer will be able to match or even attempt in the next 10 years.

    The story immersion and all out star wars "feel" of the game is all there while at the same time feeling fresh and unique. The sheer anount of work that has gone into each facet of it is nothing short of stunning dwarfing any mmos that has come before it.
    Bioware has created something amazing with this game that no developer will be able to match or even attempt in the next 10 years.

    The story immersion and all out star wars "feel" of the game is all there while at the same time feeling fresh and unique. The sheer anount of work that has gone into each facet of it is nothing short of stunning dwarfing any mmos that has come before it. Having played several of the higher level flashpoints i'm also pleased to say that the game offers a substantial challenge as well.

    This is a game for those who really want to see the scope of storytelling in ANY medium taken to a whole new level.
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  93. Dec 22, 2011
    10
    Fun mmo game. Even for a casual gamer. If you're into star wars lore and rpgs, this game is for you. sure it has some flaws, it's expected for any new mmo game. the learning curve isn't hard so any one with half a brain can pick up this game and quickly master it. the graphics are not exactly the best but for an mmo game it is pretty good. presently, swtor is probably the best thing rightFun mmo game. Even for a casual gamer. If you're into star wars lore and rpgs, this game is for you. sure it has some flaws, it's expected for any new mmo game. the learning curve isn't hard so any one with half a brain can pick up this game and quickly master it. the graphics are not exactly the best but for an mmo game it is pretty good. presently, swtor is probably the best thing right now to play an mmo. if you want something new and refreshing. Expand
  94. Dec 22, 2011
    10
    This is a very solid game at the moment, for the people who say it is very buggy, all i have to say is we can not possibly be playing the same game. Yes in all honesty there are bugs, but wasn't that expected, it is a mmo. On to the game, yes it is the standard kill this do that quest system, but the difference is that i enjoy this time. To those of you who don't like the combat, well WoWThis is a very solid game at the moment, for the people who say it is very buggy, all i have to say is we can not possibly be playing the same game. Yes in all honesty there are bugs, but wasn't that expected, it is a mmo. On to the game, yes it is the standard kill this do that quest system, but the difference is that i enjoy this time. To those of you who don't like the combat, well WoW has tons of subscribers and you know what, I actually like this combat style. The story is also awesome, I've experienced 3 of the different classes and all of them have been awesome. Flashpoints are also very well done, the stories in them are on par with the questing and everything in them flows and feels right. At first I thought warzones were just ok, but then i played Huttball and a close Alderaan game, and let me tell you they were better than any other mmo's pvp for me. On people worried that queue for warzones will be too long, because it is not cross server, well set your worries aside. Thanks to the boosts you get when entering into warzones, anybody can compete with anyone no matter what level. Also space combat is a fun diversion to the standard questing if you don't feel like questing. Overall I love this game, it is very fun and the story really does bring you into the world. There definitely are a few things missing from the game, what would benefit it greatly, but the main thing is that they are nothing huge and they aren't anything that can't be fixed in a patch. A few things I forgot to say, I have not experienced any large imbalance in pvp. Also some people may not think the game has very good replayability, well after leveling through coruscant 4 times, I can honestly say that the interesting quests are still interesting, and i found it still very fun to level. Also the graphics are what i feel they should be, but where they start to show their strength is when you get to the wide open planets, where some of the views are just gorgeous. I would strongly recommend this game to anyone. Expand
  95. Dec 22, 2011
    10
    A fantastic game if u are into star wars or mmo get this there a bunch of naysayers but truly it is great experience. Get this game ignore wow obsessed haters
  96. Dec 22, 2011
    10
    I read a lot of these bad reviews and can tell you more then half of what i have read are completely false..stuff they are complaining about isnt even in the game and stuff they have said they have done like "got to 50 and hated every second of it" can you really take someone like that serious thats over 200 hours of game play..IT IS NOT A WOW CLONE..i have played wow for 6 years andI read a lot of these bad reviews and can tell you more then half of what i have read are completely false..stuff they are complaining about isnt even in the game and stuff they have said they have done like "got to 50 and hated every second of it" can you really take someone like that serious thats over 200 hours of game play..IT IS NOT A WOW CLONE..i have played wow for 6 years and dozens of other mmos and this is my most enjoyable experience ( Advice for people who dont like voice overs..dont get it) the story is where this game shines everything else is really well done too but i dont have add and take my time. Expand
  97. Dec 22, 2011
    10
    I made an account specifically to write a review on TOR. I don't write reviews or participate in online game forums. (other than guilds)

    I spent 5 years playing Everquest. I promised myself I'd never play MMOs again. I somehow got around the era of Warcraft without getting highly addicted to the game. After spending 5 days and blowing through about 30% of the Empire worlds I can honestly
    I made an account specifically to write a review on TOR. I don't write reviews or participate in online game forums. (other than guilds)

    I spent 5 years playing Everquest. I promised myself I'd never play MMOs again. I somehow got around the era of Warcraft without getting highly addicted to the game. After spending 5 days and blowing through about 30% of the Empire worlds I can honestly say this is one of the best games of the year and one of the most polished MMO releases I've ever seen. TOR isn't perfect. It lacks many common social and market features of modern MMOs. Soup to nuts it just doesn't stack up with the breadth of features games like Rift offer. What it does offer, is a highly focused polished experience. The things Bioware set out to make amazing turned out amazing. (Story line, character development, RPG mechanics, etc.) This is the game I've been waiting 10 years to play.
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  98. Dec 22, 2011
    10
    Im a long time MMO player, with many games under my belt. I've played WoW from Vanilla to WotLK,
    Guildwars, Age of Conan, DC universe online, and a plenty of free MMO:s. So I have a lot to compare to, but I will try to review the game on its own.
    I usually dont write any reviews, but after seeing this game gain so many unfair negative reviews, some from people, who have probably never
    Im a long time MMO player, with many games under my belt. I've played WoW from Vanilla to WotLK,
    Guildwars, Age of Conan, DC universe online, and a plenty of free MMO:s. So I have a lot to compare to, but I will try to review the game on its own.

    I usually dont write any reviews, but after seeing this game gain so many unfair negative reviews, some from people, who have probably never even played the game and are just trying get approvement from **** or some other communtity that hates everything fun, Ive decided to give my honest opinion on the game.

    So after playing this game to level 20 on my bounty hunter, im finally ready to give my first impression on the game. Ive had many great adventures on that journey, both alone and in groups. And i've still got more than half of the leveling content and the end game to see.

    So firstly I will talk about the gameplay. For those of you who have played any MMO since the success of World of Warcraft, the gameplay mechanics will probably feel instantly familiar. However i'm much more in control of my own character since i have to perform all the attacks by myself, even the auto-attack. The UI was a bit too flashy for my liking at first, but after a while I've gotten used to it. It works very well and has everything important in your reach. Its also pretty well customisable through ingame settings. Though i would like the option to make it more simplistic, and remove all the uneccessary decorations from it. There are plenty of great improvements to the usual gameplay. The companions add a great new twist into the game. Cause now you can play better while alone, even if you want to be a tank or a healer. And you can complete 4 man quests with just 2 players and 2 companions. Of course if there are for example 3 players, you can only summon 1 companion so it is in no way overpowered. The companions also help you in many ways, such as you can send them to sell your grey items to vendor if you run out of space or let them do the crafting for you while you are on your adventures (I especially like this system). Then they have spiced up the normal gameplay with fun elements, as your own spaceship and spacecombat.

    Now about the gameworlds. They are huge and immersive. And beatiful. I did not like the first planet I was on, but every planet ive been since has been great. I love how there is plenty of group quest-content inserted into each planet. The only downthing I have with these big planets, is that it may be a bit boring to run from one place to another before you get your first mount. Also the conversations and the story is a great improvement from other mmos.

    All the instances Ive been to have been fun, and immersed you in great adventures through the means of story, music and proper pacing. The difficulty's been about right too. Few wipes but not too challenging to make the group quit in the middle of run. Bioware has also been actively patching the game and it has already improved in many ways since its launch, wich was only a few days ago. I think all players who enjoy mmos should try this out. In its current state the game is a solid 8/10, but it has been the best mmo launch i have been part of, and the I see a great future for this game so ill give it 10/10 just for the potential, and to counter all those unfair, biased reviews.
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  99. Dec 22, 2011
    10
    Since the reviews are all over the place ill give my own list so you can see if your like me..( i will say one thing people who are rushers or have Add may have a issue with the game my wife is such a person shes not patient enough to listen to the story no mater how good it might be.
    1.SWTOR -10
    2.WOW- 10 3.Masseffect 1,2 -10 4.Eve -8 5.Skyrim -9 6.LOTRO-6 7.SWG-5 8.Rift-8
    Since the reviews are all over the place ill give my own list so you can see if your like me..( i will say one thing people who are rushers or have Add may have a issue with the game my wife is such a person shes not patient enough to listen to the story no mater how good it might be.
    1.SWTOR -10
    2.WOW- 10
    3.Masseffect 1,2 -10
    4.Eve -8
    5.Skyrim -9
    6.LOTRO-6
    7.SWG-5
    8.Rift-8
    9.Dragon age orgins -7.5
    10.AOC-6.5
    11.Asherons call-9
    12.Everquest-7
    13.Everquest 2-6
    14.Every other mmo i have tried dozens- 6 or lower
    15.Anno 2070-10
    16.Starcraft 1,2-10
    17.Diablo 1-7
    18 Diablo 2-9
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  100. Dec 22, 2011
    10
    This game is amazing and one of the best MMOs on the market. People are hating on this game right now because they are trying to compare it to SWG and SWTOR is WAY better than SWG ever was. Bioware has brought all the best features from many great MMOs into one place and they polished it all into a great addition to the Star Wars universe. If you loved the KOTOR games you will love SWTOR.This game is amazing and one of the best MMOs on the market. People are hating on this game right now because they are trying to compare it to SWG and SWTOR is WAY better than SWG ever was. Bioware has brought all the best features from many great MMOs into one place and they polished it all into a great addition to the Star Wars universe. If you loved the KOTOR games you will love SWTOR. Dont listen to the cry babies and the haters buy the game and see for yourself how amazing this game really is. Best MMO to release in the last 10 years by far! Expand
Metascore
85

Generally favorable reviews - based on 73 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 68 out of 73
  2. Negative: 0 out of 73
  1. Apr 23, 2012
    80
    LucasArts generally exercised greater quality control of Star Wars games than most licensed properties receive, though that didn't necessarily translate into titles that were actually good. I've played a few other Star Wars games in the past, and while the SNES platformers were pretty good, this one is even better. Knights of the Old Republic may just be the best game in the franchise, and succeeds at being a top-tier RPG even if one has no interest in Star Wars. BioWare did the license proud.
  2. Mar 31, 2012
    70
    I wound up bailing out on Star Wars: The Old Republic well before hitting the level cap, but not before digging into it more so than any other MMO I've played. Even if it is an unhappy marriage between two wildly different game types, the fact that it kept me hooked for so long at least counts for something.
  3. Mar 5, 2012
    83
    A good game. It pays excellent homage to the film series (even though it's set before the movies), and is a really solid MMO.