User Score
6.0

Mixed or average reviews- based on 2879 Ratings

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  1. Dec 20, 2011
    1
    Played stress test weekends, found out Bioware wants to charge people a monthly sub for a single player game, and a 2nd rate hash of one at that. I challenge anyone to not skip through all of the so called Story Dialogue after the first couple of hours, its pretty much a go-there, kill this boss or 10 of these thingies for the entire grind that it becomes. Did consider buying it for aPlayed stress test weekends, found out Bioware wants to charge people a monthly sub for a single player game, and a 2nd rate hash of one at that. I challenge anyone to not skip through all of the so called Story Dialogue after the first couple of hours, its pretty much a go-there, kill this boss or 10 of these thingies for the entire grind that it becomes. Did consider buying it for a month to see if the release version would have improved but Origin have actually suspended anyone from buying a digital download because there are massive queues on pretty much all servers. After reading the official forums the Customer Service stories are horrendous and the game is exactly as it was in beta. Give it a miss. Expand
  2. Dec 20, 2011
    0
    A really disappointing game. They pushed the boundaries on nothing and in fact the game lacks features other MMOs had a decade ago. The only thing they added to the mmo genre is a whole lot of voice over. Since I am not a story person, this game falls flat on its face right off the bat. Terrible character customization, terrible ui, small worlds that don't feel they can be explored freely,A really disappointing game. They pushed the boundaries on nothing and in fact the game lacks features other MMOs had a decade ago. The only thing they added to the mmo genre is a whole lot of voice over. Since I am not a story person, this game falls flat on its face right off the bat. Terrible character customization, terrible ui, small worlds that don't feel they can be explored freely, awful pvp, no end game, lacking guild features, the art style leaves a lot to be desired, worlds feel lifeless and generic and the list goes on. I honestly can't believe this is supposed to be a next gen mmo. It has no merit to make that kind of statement. You can see by the diparity in reviews here that this game is obviously not what people had hoped for. On one side you have people screaming how awesome it is, but they can't tell you any reason why aside from the vo. Then the other side actually lists what they don't like. It seems this game will have its hardcore player base like most mmos tend to get. This game will not be the next big thing. I give it 3 months before people get tired of story and move onto something that actually focuses on fun gameplay. Expand
  3. Dec 20, 2011
    5
    You got your Single Player RPG in my MMORPG! Unfortunately these two great genres don't necessarily taste good together. I'll admit I'm biased because I have a lot of good memories of the late Star Wars Galaxies. Before the infamous"New Game Enhancements" SWG was a very bold MMO and in my opinion was far superior than the competition including WOW. When SWG was at its peak guilds wereYou got your Single Player RPG in my MMORPG! Unfortunately these two great genres don't necessarily taste good together. I'll admit I'm biased because I have a lot of good memories of the late Star Wars Galaxies. Before the infamous"New Game Enhancements" SWG was a very bold MMO and in my opinion was far superior than the competition including WOW. When SWG was at its peak guilds were building their own cities, there was a complex economy, and the game tried its best to give guild politics some civility in the form of elections. Star Wars Galaxies delivered in its name, it allowed players to influence the world(s) around them. Now we have Star Wars: The Old Republic, a game that focuses in delivering a Single Player Experience, but unfortunately the MMO is sadly neglected. The game is functional, I can see why many people will enjoy it. But it lacks ambition. The "Single Player" stories for each class are good with great Voice Acting, the actual goals for each quest are not too memorable but that's a trapping that every MMO has suffered so it's forgivable. But the end game, it's what you've experienced in so many MMORPGs and its just by the numbers. There's not much I can really say about it other than that you've played it in many MMOs. I imagine that Bioware will be adding a lot to the end game in coming months but with the way many MMOs (including EA's Warhammer Online) just crap out after they launch I'll be cautiously optimistic. At this stage I wouldn't recommend buying The Old Republic. Bioware needs to get out of their comfort zone, people don't play MMOs to watch stories. They play MMOs so they can create their own stories. Expand
  4. Dec 20, 2011
    0
    Essentially this game is World of Warcraft in space with all the tacky Star Wars themes added on. The races are dull as can be, the voice acting is essentially pointless (just adding more nonsense to a "kill X number of enemies" type of quest".

    It bears repeating: This is WoW in space, and a very bad version at that.
  5. Dec 20, 2011
    9
    This game has been divisive since way before release. Anyone following the community knows that there's a lot of hate out there for this game. Whether it's people who still can't get over DA2, players who expected a sandbox, or people with overconfidence in their budgetary analysis skills, plenty have come out against this game.

    Bot more importantly, a lot of players really love this game
    This game has been divisive since way before release. Anyone following the community knows that there's a lot of hate out there for this game. Whether it's people who still can't get over DA2, players who expected a sandbox, or people with overconfidence in their budgetary analysis skills, plenty have come out against this game.

    Bot more importantly, a lot of players really love this game and rightfully so. As themepark MMOs go, it's really one of the best, better in quality and content than recent contender Rift. I once played WoW pretty heavily, but lost interest in the world and was no longer invested in my characters. I'm happy to say that TOR has rekindled that desire in its own way with its liberal dose of voice acting and a real care given to the world. It's hard to sum up the game as a whole. It's really one of those things that you have to try out to see if you like it. First off, I love sci-fi. That right there is a leg up on the competition. I also love how they handled companions in an MMO setting and I LOVE that I actually have a reason to group again. Haters will try to convince you that this is a "single-player game," but nothing could be further from the truth. The best times are the heroic group quests and there are PLENTY of these scattered about. In comparison, modern WoW (and Rift) feel like solitary confinement. It goes to show you that all you need to encourage grouping is a challenge that asks for it. Yes, you can solo, but you'll miss out on great experience, loot and more importantly, fun times with other players.

    Yes there are faults.Even though conversations are way more engaging than boring boxes of text, they aren't as artfully crafted as in Dragon Age or Mass Effect (and even those weren't the best in the biz). Conversation options can feel somewhat limiting at times. The UI, while perfectly serviceable, has few customization options. There are still bugs to work out (but thankfully none that are game-breaking for me yet). You may find faults with the game design that I don't. I know some things I like, others hate. To each their own.

    But if you're looking for a solid themepark MMO that's actually worth paying monthly for (not just a cash grab with free-2-play written all over it), then you can't go wrong here. The community seems pretty good so far, there's plenty to do in game and it offers a setting and genre that themeparks have been ignoring for the most part. I'm having a blast and you might too. You just have to decide for yourself.
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  6. Dec 20, 2011
    9
    Ok for starters Swtor has alot flaws. Bad UI, a little laggy, and it gets pretty confusing at times. However these ARE NOT gamebreaking flaws, these can be fixed with a patch or a addon. It does share many similarities with World of Warcraft but thats not a bad thing. The combat is really fun, , the flashpoints are a blast and the graphics look great on Low. I have no complaints other thanOk for starters Swtor has alot flaws. Bad UI, a little laggy, and it gets pretty confusing at times. However these ARE NOT gamebreaking flaws, these can be fixed with a patch or a addon. It does share many similarities with World of Warcraft but thats not a bad thing. The combat is really fun, , the flashpoints are a blast and the graphics look great on Low. I have no complaints other than the UI. Don't listen to all these butt hurt people expecting the world of a game, the combat is fun, the story is immersive, and its a blast to play. Im gonna stop here because im fixxing to go play some Tor. Peace out and may the force be with you. Expand
  7. Dec 20, 2011
    0
    Bioware should stick to single player games, which this is, but with massive problems that come with an MMO. Day One, and it is obvious BW is not ready to play with the Big boys
  8. Dec 20, 2011
    0
    Boring Queuing simulator that should never have been made, where is KOTOR 3 bioware? Huh where the **** is it? gamecube graphics; FF14 UI; and about as much fun as have a spear up the ass. I know these results are going to be skewed by people suffering from denial that bioware could ever make a bad game but this is just as bad as DA2. Buy anything else for a better gaming experience
  9. 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
  10. Dec 20, 2011
    0
    everything is too old fashioned
  11. Dec 20, 2011
    9
    Been playing for 5 days now, not counting beta. Overall the game is excellent. Easily the most story driven MMO available, would absolutely rival some of the best RPGs for story and content volume. Being able to experience the stories of party members makes it even better.

    Group content so far is excellent, with a decent mix of objectives and difficulty. Exploring is lots of fun, with
    Been playing for 5 days now, not counting beta. Overall the game is excellent. Easily the most story driven MMO available, would absolutely rival some of the best RPGs for story and content volume. Being able to experience the stories of party members makes it even better.

    Group content so far is excellent, with a decent mix of objectives and difficulty. Exploring is lots of fun, with strong incentives for players to explore thoroughly. Crafting is fun, without being a monotonous time and resources sink. Early items are actually useful as you level.

    Companions are useful, with a nice selection of options and abilities for all the various classes. Each has their own interesting story and mechanics.

    Basic combat and skill system very similar to WoW, which isn't a bad thing for the most part. A few small oversights in regards to early gaps in characters skills. IE, a Sith Juggernaut doesn't have a taunt ability early on, but the Inquisitors first companion does. Not a game breaker, just a slight irritation.

    Leveling curve is just about right, the story keeps things moving, without excessive downtime between major quest groups. All that without even mentioning the deep lore well they get with Star Wars. Solid 9/10, would go 9.5 if possible. Keep it up BioWare!
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  12. 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.
  13. Dec 20, 2011
    9
    This is a masterpiece of a Star Wars experience set in the MMO genre. Bioware has done so many things right with this title as an epic saga that you forget your playing an online game. Action, adventure, group content, multi-player conversations, epic large group world bosses, gear progression, gear customization, etc etc etc. It is what you expect an MMO to be with some seriously niceThis is a masterpiece of a Star Wars experience set in the MMO genre. Bioware has done so many things right with this title as an epic saga that you forget your playing an online game. Action, adventure, group content, multi-player conversations, epic large group world bosses, gear progression, gear customization, etc etc etc. It is what you expect an MMO to be with some seriously nice surprises. Though I do not dispute the fact that this game is not for everyone (because its an MMO and play as such), I also know trolls will be trolls, and some of the reviews for this game were only created to instill doubt and conflict. I'll lay it out honestly. SWTOR doesn't do a whole lot to push the genre forward with this game, however, what Bioware did, they did beautifully and a fully voiced experience should become the new standard for AAA MMO titles. If you are a fan of MMO's, you'll feel right at home. If you're a fan of epic star wars adventures with interactive cinematic storytelling, you'll be in heaven. This is a well produced, well developed MMORPG with all the trimmings.With the amount of interest in this game, the impossible was accomplished. Bioware managed to launch this behemoth with no downtime, no server lag with the occasional queue for some of the highest populated servers. Smoothest MMO launch this fella has ever experienced. Their do-diligence really paid off here for the customer, and I appreciate that Bioware found success where 99% of MMO launches have failed. This game is worth every penny right out of the box, and I can not wait to see what's coming by way of future content patches. Hold on to your seats, this is going to be one long and epic ride. Expand
  14. 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.
  15. Dec 20, 2011
    4
    What they've done is created WoW seven years later, only this time the quests are linked up by chat wheel cutscenes. I was hoping that Bioware would change things up, nope.....

    The worlds feel sterile, the NPCs all stand in one place, barely animated at all. The sound effects are very poor, they just seem missing as all I hear is footsteps and music. The planets are small questing hubs
    What they've done is created WoW seven years later, only this time the quests are linked up by chat wheel cutscenes. I was hoping that Bioware would change things up, nope.....

    The worlds feel sterile, the NPCs all stand in one place, barely animated at all. The sound effects are very poor, they just seem missing as all I hear is footsteps and music. The planets are small questing hubs and then you travel between them via a main lobby and everything is either instanced or phased. You barely see anyone as there never seems to be more than 100 people per zone and world PVP is pointless so everyone is in battlegrounds.

    They had the perfect opportunity to fix what is wrong with todays MMOs and instead they just made a worse version of WoW, like every MMO has done since...

    I'm only giving it 4 because it isn't a total train wreck and is polished, I just wont be playing it any longer.
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  16. 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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  17. 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!
  18. 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.
  19. 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
  20. Dec 20, 2011
    1
    It basically tried to be Anarchy Online with better graphics, but it failed pretty miserably. This had so much potential, if they had just made it so that you actually need to aim to use skills. So much wasted potential.
  21. Dec 20, 2011
    10
    Fantastic Game! A must Purchase! Worth every cent! The Graphics are fantastic for what they're trying to do with them, which is appeal to a wider audience of people including those with lesser machines. The storylines are amazing, and the quality is fantastic. My only complaint is horrible customer service, but that's expected with a new game like this, with the millions of peopleFantastic Game! A must Purchase! Worth every cent! The Graphics are fantastic for what they're trying to do with them, which is appeal to a wider audience of people including those with lesser machines. The storylines are amazing, and the quality is fantastic. My only complaint is horrible customer service, but that's expected with a new game like this, with the millions of people playing at launch! Expand
  22. Dec 20, 2011
    0
    Just another WoW clone with a few improvements... sure the voice acting and cut scenes are great, but that gets old after a while. If you're already burned out of WoW, you'll burn yourself out of this pretty quickly as well. When will we have a new MMO that's not just a copy off of its predecessors?
  23. Dec 20, 2011
    1
    You might have fun for the first few minute if you enjoy mediocre story-immersed single-player games, because that's what this game should be. Forced questing, non-fluid movement/combat, garbage pvp and unbalanced classes. The grind is extremely long, repetitive, and boring. And end-game content scarcely exists. This game seems like the same bad MMOs that have been coming out for yearsYou might have fun for the first few minute if you enjoy mediocre story-immersed single-player games, because that's what this game should be. Forced questing, non-fluid movement/combat, garbage pvp and unbalanced classes. The grind is extremely long, repetitive, and boring. And end-game content scarcely exists. This game seems like the same bad MMOs that have been coming out for years with star wars skin and voice acting slapped onto it. If you've played any MMO released in the past 5 years, you've already played this game, save yourself some money and buy something else. Expand
  24. 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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  25. Dec 20, 2011
    9
    I played KotOR and am a huge fun of Bioware games.
    Given this, i have been really disappointed at the late games Bioware has been releasing, both story and game play wise. Now i understand why. All the good writers, artists and game developers were working on SWTOR.
    I was really skeptic if the kotor style would work as a MMO. The thing is, the MMO is still there, but the kotor game feel
    I played KotOR and am a huge fun of Bioware games.
    Given this, i have been really disappointed at the late games Bioware has been releasing, both story and game play wise. Now i understand why. All the good writers, artists and game developers were working on SWTOR.
    I was really skeptic if the kotor style would work as a MMO. The thing is, the MMO is still there, but the kotor game feel really makes all the difference in the world. After playing this jewel it will be very difficult for anyone to go back and play another MMO.
    It still has a few flaws, like bounty hunter and smuggler story lines are not as good as the others, the crafting system is under powered, etc... overall it still gets 9, and that's because i am picky!
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  26. Dec 20, 2011
    9
    Really enjoyable game.
    I wasn't really interested into swtor till last minute, and after days of playing it, I loved it. The music is fantastic, I love the voice acting. The only thing I don't like that much is huttball.I see alot of buttmad **** trying to make this game look bad.
  27. Dec 20, 2011
    7
    Can use some more polishing, but have been enjoying myself quite a bit. All I can say is get a friend(s) to group with and have fun, better yet get into a guild with like minded people.
  28. Dec 20, 2011
    0
    I would give this game a negative number if possible.

    First off, the combat sucks, its the same as WoW....kill creature X, Y times and run to so and so waaaay over there for a minimal reward. PvP blows, they let lvl 10's into a battleground with level 50's that can easily smash them to bits. Not fun there. Story line is ok...but that is all it is, just OK. Huge memory leaks in the
    I would give this game a negative number if possible.

    First off, the combat sucks, its the same as WoW....kill creature X, Y times and run to so and so waaaay over there for a minimal reward.

    PvP blows, they let lvl 10's into a battleground with level 50's that can easily smash them to bits. Not fun there.

    Story line is ok...but that is all it is, just OK.

    Huge memory leaks in the game, how does it sound to have a process using 4+ GIGS of memory to run?

    Latency issues when your connection rocks...20ms connection and I cant attack anything because the server stops responding.

    All in all, they didnt finish this game before release, this is as horrible as AoC was. Bioware didnt even try to update the graphics from their crappy dragon age games. You should be ashamed Bioware for releasing such a terrible product. You should be equally ashamed for partnering with EA games with this, I expect within a month the normal player will be able to purchase in-game perks like warhammer online.
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  29. Dec 20, 2011
    9
    Star Wars: The Old Republic's biggest features are it's class stories, companion, and alignment systems. A special runner-up prize will go to it's crew skills, but I'll get to that later. Bioware's claim to fame as always been it's writing and story. Characters and stories really seem to flow together and I frequently found myself doing quests because I wanted to keep the Imperials at bay,Star Wars: The Old Republic's biggest features are it's class stories, companion, and alignment systems. A special runner-up prize will go to it's crew skills, but I'll get to that later. Bioware's claim to fame as always been it's writing and story. Characters and stories really seem to flow together and I frequently found myself doing quests because I wanted to keep the Imperials at bay, NOT to get to level 20; as a veteran MMO player this astounded me. Your companions are much more than pets. Though they do help in combat, they are also mini-chapters of the story themselves with priorities and personalities. Of course you cannot have a Star Wars game without the mention of the Light and Dark sides of the Force. Your character will travel down these paths frequently becoming either a bastion of good or an unholy terror on the universe. Whatever gripes I have with this game are very minor. In fact, my biggest concern has been the UI customization and that it being implemented in the next content patch. Expand
  30. Dec 20, 2011
    0
    Tunnel ridden flawed single player game is not MMO BW, sorry. Game without propper guild features except chat is not MMO BW, sorry. PvP is total joke and combat system is far from perfect.
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.