Star Wars: The Old Republic

 PC
User Score
6.0

Mixed or average reviews- based on 2879 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,378 out of 2879
  2. Mixed: 545 out of 2879
  3. Negative: 956 out of 2879
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  1. PretentiousCat
    Dec 20, 2011
    4
    When I first heard about this game, many moons ago, I was instantly hyped. I loved KotOR and the atmosphere. I was de-based on Bioware after the DA2 fiasco but I said I'd give them a second chance.

    After playing the early release, getting into the mid 40's in the first day of playing, I realized something. The rumors of a copy-pasted WoW were true. The skills were the same, the combat was    When I first heard about this game, many moons ago, I was instantly hyped. I loved KotOR and the atmosphere. I was de-based on Bioware after the DA2 fiasco but I said I'd give them a second chance.

    After playing the early release, getting into the mid 40's in the first day of playing, I realized something.
    The rumors of a copy-pasted WoW were true. The skills were the same, the combat was the same. Heck, even the quests were the same.

    What they didn't copy was the sense of accomplishment you get from attaining a high level and good gear.

    And don't get me started on the gear in ToR. Terrible textures, nothing that sets you apart from other classes and the clown syndrome is everywhere with mismatching gear.

    This game is nothing more than a mix of social networking and a glorified Facebook game.
    Avoid it at all costs.    … Expand
  2. ARTHURIUSS
    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.    … Expand
  3. DeathRow
    Dec 20, 2011
    8
    It's alright, would have been better as a single player game. The story is good and interesting, the characters age good and interesting, but the difficulty seems to either be stupidly hard or ridiculously easy.
  4. chainzor
    Dec 20, 2011
    8
    This game is getting a LOT of heat for being a dull WoW-clone. Fair enough, they copied a lot of what -works- in WoW. In my humble opinion, a lot of the criticism completely misses it's own point - this game IS, in fact, innovating. I don't think they 'wasted a lot of money on voice acting', I think it's money well spend. When i first got into the game, I was very chilled, my expectationsThis game is getting a LOT of heat for being a dull WoW-clone. Fair enough, they copied a lot of what -works- in WoW. In my humble opinion, a lot of the criticism completely misses it's own point - this game IS, in fact, innovating. I don't think they 'wasted a lot of money on voice acting', I think it's money well spend. When i first got into the game, I was very chilled, my expectations were super-high, and met by an according cinematic - that thing rocked. I was taken to the character-creation - no Eve Online creator, still, more customization than World of Warcraft ever offered. The first 10 levels were amazing, when I moved from the tutorial-planet I felt like I did after playing the first part of Age og Conan - difference was the good stories and awesome voice-acting didn't stop here, the whole thing didn't just turn in to 'go out and do whatever, kill some boars if you like or something'.. Nope, I find even the side-quests interesting, and grinding very optional. Then there's the combat system. Well.. They didn't exactly re-redefine.. well anything. BUT, people tend to look back at the games that did, and forget why they're not playing them. The locked-target ability system does offer some things, it's clearly not very confusing (although targeting could have been sneakier), and it makes it more important how you prioritize your skills, then how well you make a headshot, make wierd combos, or whatever innovative fantastic combat system that for some reason isn't popular enough to beat this classic in popularity. The 2 points from 10 comes from a couple of things - the gear, for once. Ouch. I got my sweet jedi-robe at lvl 14-15 and then it just kinda went down from there. PvP-gear was much harder to get, but made me look like a silly homemade halloween-costume aiming for a mix of Superman and Julius Caesar. Very weird, and not very cool. Another thing that disappointed me was spaceships. I'd hoped for an implementation where you could be a group manning a spaceship, and it'd matter, and you could buy new ones and such, but in reality the 'locked on route'-type spaceship missions made me wanna get it over with and get back on land. However, overall I'm having a splendid time, and I really think it's worth the while. Maybe even worth the queue-times.… Expand
  5. TooOldtoGame
    Dec 20, 2011
    1
    A good single player game, a terrible MMO. After all the hype and promises of epic this and epic that, it turned out to be rather above average. Now after seeing Bioware acquired a F2P company, it looks pretty obvious they know their product didn't live up to the hype either. I wouldn't say don't bother, but I sure wouldn't purchase a year sub if I were you.
  6. madeux
    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.    … Expand
  7. QuakerOfDoom
    Dec 20, 2011
    4
    I'll be honest here, I only got to Level 33 before quitting out of boredom, so if there is something to make up for the poor post-endgame, consider this a 6 instead of a 4. It's just that I just can't support Bioware anymore for what they've done to the SW:TOR games, with the retcons to Revan and the boring quests. I've always been a huge fan of Bioware ever since the SW:TOR 1, but everI'll be honest here, I only got to Level 33 before quitting out of boredom, so if there is something to make up for the poor post-endgame, consider this a 6 instead of a 4. It's just that I just can't support Bioware anymore for what they've done to the SW:TOR games, with the retcons to Revan and the boring quests. I've always been a huge fan of Bioware ever since the SW:TOR 1, but ever since they were bought out by EA, the quality of their games has noticeably dropped. TOR, being, in a nutshell, WoW with lightsabers, has done little to change my opinion of this. I really hope Bioware manages to buck the trend with the upcoming ME3, but I can't help but feel doubt about Bioware's ability to continue making quality games after this.
    Anyway, if you're into WoW, you might like this game. If you're not, then TOR won't do anything to change your opinion.
    P.S. I know that I will be called a troll for expressing my honest opinion, but I don't give a ****    … Expand
  8. experienceddog
    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!! :)
  9. minsu2
    Dec 20, 2011
    1
    This is a poor excuse for a MMORPG in 2012, $60 + $5 "Pre Order fee", $15 monthly subscription for a subpar World of Warcraft set in the Star Wars universe. If you enjoy the fact that people have completed all of the content, including getting to the maximum character level during "pre-access" (before the servers even opened) you will enjoy paying to play a single player game with aThis is a poor excuse for a MMORPG in 2012, $60 + $5 "Pre Order fee", $15 monthly subscription for a subpar World of Warcraft set in the Star Wars universe. If you enjoy the fact that people have completed all of the content, including getting to the maximum character level during "pre-access" (before the servers even opened) you will enjoy paying to play a single player game with a monthly subscription fee. This is a blight on the MMO industry and I don't think fellow players will stick around after the first month or two unless they are sadly mistaken into paying to stick around and hoping the game transforms itself, which it won't.

    Avoid    … Expand
  10. Energiie
    Dec 20, 2011
    8
    This is a Milestone for the MMO Genre! Bioware has done a fantastic job, creating great storyline, sublime action in dungeons (witch in WOW tended to be boring times to time), great possibilities when playing with your friends as well! people tends to have WAY high expectations, that the graphs should be over the charts, all story no "hack-and-slash" quest.. but no an MMO needs that, andThis is a Milestone for the MMO Genre! Bioware has done a fantastic job, creating great storyline, sublime action in dungeons (witch in WOW tended to be boring times to time), great possibilities when playing with your friends as well! people tends to have WAY high expectations, that the graphs should be over the charts, all story no "hack-and-slash" quest.. but no an MMO needs that, and Bioware has done this in a great manner! it is a great MMO, with an even greater story!… Expand
  11. 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
  12. tototototo
    Dec 20, 2011
    2
    This game plays similar to a mix between a typical mordern BioWare game and World of Warcraft.
    This may seem like a good idea on paper but the problem is this: The story completely retcons the events of the previous Knights of the Old Republic games, setting Revan(PC of the first game) as a generic, mid-strength sith and completely ignoring the 'wound in the force' concept of the second    This game plays similar to a mix between a typical mordern BioWare game and World of Warcraft.
    This may seem like a good idea on paper but the problem is this: The story completely retcons the events of the previous Knights of the Old Republic games, setting Revan(PC of the first game) as a generic, mid-strength sith and completely ignoring the 'wound in the force' concept of the second game.
    A change from the normal MMO storyline where you begin as a nobody that must make his way in the world, in TOR you begin as a legendary 'classname' and are a hero of 'faction'. While it nice to be special, once everyone is special nobody is.
    The character models, regardless of race, share the exact same frame and animations, defeating the purpose of having multiple races. Despite this consolidation of effort, the animations still manage to look unnatural and wooden.
    As an MMO the content can definitely be called limited. It is fully possible to reach max level in a single weekend without resorting to any exploits or guides(which don't exist yet), while even WoW(popularly considered an easy, streamlined levelling experience) takes at least week of solid playtime while following guides developed over months to powerlevel a character.    … Expand
  13. DoctorBarber
    Dec 20, 2011
    8
    An entertaining way to spend a few months while waiting for other, distant MMOs. While it's true it doesn't innovate as much as it could have, it provides a nice diversion for fans of Star Wars and Bioware RPGs. The storytelling and dialogue system is an interesting alternative to your typical MMO questing, but too often the quests themselves amount to the kill X of Y we've come to expect.An entertaining way to spend a few months while waiting for other, distant MMOs. While it's true it doesn't innovate as much as it could have, it provides a nice diversion for fans of Star Wars and Bioware RPGs. The storytelling and dialogue system is an interesting alternative to your typical MMO questing, but too often the quests themselves amount to the kill X of Y we've come to expect. In all honesty this game is no better or worse than WoW. If you're tired of WoW's world and want a change of scenery but fairly familiar gameplay, consider giving this a try. This is a game you are either going to love or hate.… Expand
  14. GatorFan
    Dec 20, 2011
    9
    One phrase sums up SW:TOR, "It's the STORY.....(stupid)".

    The EQ -> WoW MMO legacy was based only loosely on story and mostly about gear progression. In those games I always felt the urge to rush to max level, skip quest text, follow the bread crumb trail that was obvious, and get to the next level, the next zone, the next gear upgrade. Blah, blah boring after 7 years of playing like    One phrase sums up SW:TOR, "It's the STORY.....(stupid)".

    The EQ -> WoW MMO legacy was based only loosely on story and mostly about gear progression. In those games I always felt the urge to rush to max level, skip quest text, follow the bread crumb trail that was obvious, and get to the next level, the next zone, the next gear upgrade. Blah, blah boring after 7 years of playing like that. WoW is an awesome game and there is enough room in my gaming interests to play BOTH without the universe exploding. But that gaming mode is old, old, old.

    Make no mistake, this is NOT WoW and is not trying to copy WoW. There are basic things that are in common such as talents and combat, but that's about as far as it goes. The immersion comes from paying attention to the quest voice dialog and really interacting with it. Your choices in the dialog matter and as a result I have found myself personally attached to my toon within the first 5 levels. My toons in other games are all about their gear at max level where leveling doesn't mean jack at the end. In this case, our choices all along the way are unique and give a unique feel to your toon.

    Mechanically, SW:TOR has a number of nice "quality of life" goodies. The Companion system for crafting is a fantastic concept. No more taking your own time to farm and craft grind over and over again, send your companion off to do that. AoE looting is a huge improvement to the questing experience. The light/dark options along the way leave you with a unique character at max level as well based on the choices along the way. Yes, you can be a dark Jedi or a light Sith. And what's even more interesting is the clear distinction between Empire and Republic with no blurring the lines and "capital city" mess of being "nice" to the other faction. The other guys are your sworn enemies and you want to kill them. Take that into PvP and you'll have a lot more fun!

    Yes, there are improvements that need to be made but what games doesn't need them? The UI needs customization (which they say is coming), the GTN (auction house equivalent) needs some better filtering ability. If those improvements don't come, then there is a problem. But to be sitting on launch day and have the major things RIGHT, and some details like the ones I mentioned not done yet just tells me they made good choices in building a game that is INTERESTING first. They are not fatal flaws unless you're a hyper-obsessive basement dweller.

    The term "WoW killer" is so overused and misapplied it's laughable. BW didn't set out to make this a killer of anything but to make a game with their unique way of story telling that happens to be one of the most relateable and immersive story lines of the modern movie generation, Star Wars. To enjoy that means setting aside most of the mind set trained from the WoW's of the MMO genre and being open to a new experience. One that I personally find to be the best and most refreshing since I started playing MMOs 8 years ago.    … Expand
  15. Nerux
    Dec 20, 2011
    1
    This is embarrassing. Bioware clearly spend too much money on stuff that didn't matter such as voice-acting. Instead they shipped a WoW-clone (Let's face it, it is) with a dull atmosphere and boring gameplay. The visuals and graphics are dull and inconsistent which makes it look like a mediocre F2P game. Also, the animations are clearly rehashed from other Bioware titles. They had theThis is embarrassing. Bioware clearly spend too much money on stuff that didn't matter such as voice-acting. Instead they shipped a WoW-clone (Let's face it, it is) with a dull atmosphere and boring gameplay. The visuals and graphics are dull and inconsistent which makes it look like a mediocre F2P game. Also, the animations are clearly rehashed from other Bioware titles. They had the budget and opportunity to create something original, but instead they chose to go for the cash-grab. Sadly, this is probably rather fitting for a Star Wars game. Oh well.

    Anyway, it is not worth it.    … Expand
  16. SHAMEFURDISPRAY
    Dec 20, 2011
    0
    The game is essentially World of Warcraft in space.

    It is honestly amazing how Bioware is completely incapable of coming up with a single unique idea for themselves. Do not support horrible developers such as these.
  17. spinspock
    Dec 20, 2011
    0
    This is an absolutely rubbish MMO, even by recent standards. The gameplay is essentially World of Warcraft in Space with zero innovation. The characters are generic, the story is tepid, and the gameplay is slow and boring. It's made all the more painful when you consider Galaxies getting shut down a few weeks ago.
  18. Krichevskoy
    Dec 20, 2011
    1
    Hardly any end-game content.
    Huge world. 90% empty space/useless uninteresting areas.
    Poor pvp balance.
    Hardly any diversity in the armor models. The different races only differ in slight remakes of the human bone structure. No body changes whatsoever (you couldn't tell the different races apart if you covered up the face).
  19. doctorworm
    Dec 20, 2011
    1
    Yeah the game is pretty good and balanced all round, but at the end of the day it's just another wow-clone. Combat is extremely boring and its writing and voice acting (It's biggest selling point mind you) ranges from mediocre to poor. The game also has a distinct lack of end game and leveling a character only takes a few days. Most players are likely to abandon after the first month.Yeah the game is pretty good and balanced all round, but at the end of the day it's just another wow-clone. Combat is extremely boring and its writing and voice acting (It's biggest selling point mind you) ranges from mediocre to poor. The game also has a distinct lack of end game and leveling a character only takes a few days. Most players are likely to abandon after the first month. At the end of the day, it feels like a rushed KOTOR sequel, only you require to pay a monthly fee.… Expand
  20. CazNeerg
    Dec 20, 2011
    9
    Bottom line on TOR is that if you love BioWare style storytelling, and don't absolutely loathe traditional themepark MMO mechanics, you will probably like this game, maybe even love it. But if you think story doesn't belong in MMOs, or themeparks suck, look elsewhere.
  21. shikamaru31789
    Dec 20, 2011
    9
    I have played SWTOR in two Beta Weekends, and every day since I got let into Early Access on Day 1. In total, I've probably logged more than 100 hours, and have played every classes origin world, as well as levelled 2 characters into the mid-high 20's, one in beta and my main now at launch. I've played maybe 5 MMO's previously. SWTOR is the best MMO I've ever played, but that doesn't meanI have played SWTOR in two Beta Weekends, and every day since I got let into Early Access on Day 1. In total, I've probably logged more than 100 hours, and have played every classes origin world, as well as levelled 2 characters into the mid-high 20's, one in beta and my main now at launch. I've played maybe 5 MMO's previously. SWTOR is the best MMO I've ever played, but that doesn't mean there isn't room for improvement. They've taken alot of the features that I didn't like about other MMO's and have fixed them. Crafting for one, no more wasting time doing it yourself, you can send your companions on missions to gather resources or craft for you. The crafting system is plenty detailed, it's better than any MMO I've ever played, though not as good as some other MMO's I've heard others speak of. You gather mats, you craft some greens, you reverse engineer them to get back some mats and have a chance at unlocking a blue quality recipe of that item, then you can make the blues and reverse engineer them for a chance at a purple quality item. There are crafting crits as well, which give you a chance at an extra bonus to an item, such as an extra mod slot. Many items can be modded, and certain crafting professions specialize in mods. The modding system, after having gone through several iterations in the beta, is finally as it should be, just enough mods for things to be simple, but still offer a lot of customization options for gear. Combat is your standard MMO hotkey fare, but Bioware has given abilities the best animations I've ever seen in an MMO, which really helps to spice up combat. Combat is responsive, unlike in many other MMO's I've played, when you hit a key, the ability is used almost immediately. Auto-attack has been removed, which also helps to liven up combat and make it feel more involving. Companions also help to liven up combat, but have much better AI than "pets" in other MMO's, so they don't require babysitting or micro-managing. Difficulty is pretty low throughout much of the game, but there are certain boss encounters in Flashpoints (SWTOR's story-driven version of Dungeons) and in certain points of the class story that are fairly difficult, requiring multiple tries. Death is made easier with an in place revive with a scaling cooldown. Death penalty is your standard item degradation, beware, items can degrade pretty quickly if you're dying alo, and repairig full degredation on all of your gear is somewhat pricey.

    Graphics are better than those of any MMO I've ever played. You'll see some people complaining about the graphics, but those people are generally comparing SWTOR to singleplayer games, an unfair comparison for any MMO, a genre known for lesser graphics. There are few areas that are sloppily done, but that's to be expected in a game SWTOR's size, it may have more total land area than any game ever created except for Daggerfall (which used recycled generated areas). Character graphics are a weak area, as is character creation (but they've steadily added more options to creation throughout the beta and have said that they will contiunue to do so after launch). Story. Now this is where SWTOR stands out. I've played every classes origin world story, and 2 classes well into Chapter 1 (mid-late 20's). There isn't a story that I'm not hooked to, and I find myself having trouble playing choosing which character to work on each day. Writing is pretty good on most quests, there are few awkward moments both in the class stories and in side stories, but in general, they're fantastic. The Side stories aren't quite as good as the Class Stories, but I still find myself engrossed by several of them. Bioware has succeeded in making me feel an emotional connection to many of the charcters, both in Class Stories and Side Stories, so I have major trouble trying to choose dark side choices, even on my Sith characters.

    PvP is amazing, better than in any MMO I've ever played. Combat is balanced, I find myself at the top of one leaderboard or other regardless of what class I'm playing. All the amazing Star Wars themed animations going off at once in a group engagement looks amazing, lightsabers whirring everywhere, blasterbolts and lightning flying past. The Warzones are varied and are quite entertaining. SWTOR's weakest area is social features. Right now, guilds are lacking features (high priority fix after launch), there are no social minigames to get people socializing in Cantinas (another post-launch feature), It's very difficult to find PUGs to run Heroics and Flashpoints with once you get out of the teens, the economy on the Galactic Exchange seems fairly poor (barely anyone are selling items there or are buying items from others). But all in all, SWTOR is an amazing achievement in MMO history. It's the best MMO I've ever played and I fully intend to play this game for at least a year.    … Expand
  22. Arianolese
    Dec 20, 2011
    10
    Star Wars: The Old Republicâ
  23. Rocka1
    Dec 20, 2011
    0
    At first I thought, World of warcraft with starwars? Sounds like crap, but then bioware pulled a bioware and messed the gameplay, the voice acting, the UI, and almost everything else up, so now it's really just A walking simulator with buggy, boring combat.

    Bioware does it again.
  24. CoreDave
    Dec 20, 2011
    0
    Biggest wasted opportunity in years. Who ever was responsible for making this game a WoW clone should be shot and the developers should hang their heads in shame to have created such a blatantly uninspired rip off of a tired and outdated formula. It could of been so different, don't waste your money on this one it deserves to go down and the biggest flop in gaming history.
  25. mxair
    Dec 20, 2011
    0
    Game is over rated. Save your money for Diablo 3. Too many crashes, bugs, and glitches that get ignored at the STWOR forum. Customer service is by far worse than ATT. THE GAME IS BUILT ON FLASH. What you see in the trailors is just for show and advertising of the game.

    When you get to the game content it is lame. Poor PvP concept. Seems like the game is build on PvE. The mobs just stand    Game is over rated. Save your money for Diablo 3. Too many crashes, bugs, and glitches that get ignored at the STWOR forum. Customer service is by far worse than ATT. THE GAME IS BUILT ON FLASH. What you see in the trailors is just for show and advertising of the game.

    When you get to the game content it is lame. Poor PvP concept. Seems like the game is build on PvE. The mobs just stand up and waiting to be killed. The instances are annoying, story telling at times confusing.

    The game was rushed for Dec 20. you can tell the details are not there. Sith is so one sided in battles. If you join this game for PvP you will be frustrated. Light sabers dont even look like light sabers. They look like a piece of stick. Very low key on graphics.

    So do your self a big favor again and wait for Diablo 3. You can not trust bioware to make a decent MMO.

    Quite frustrating really.    … Expand
  26. celerity321
    Dec 20, 2011
    2
    When I heard about this I was disappointed by the fact that they would be turning my beloved KoTOR into an MMO, but, I gave it a chance. Sadly it proved my fears right. Gameplay wise it is a poor WoW clone at best, except it's even more dumbed down. The graphics are just pathetic for a game coming out in 2011, it barely looks like an upgrade over KoTOR. And don't get me started on theWhen I heard about this I was disappointed by the fact that they would be turning my beloved KoTOR into an MMO, but, I gave it a chance. Sadly it proved my fears right. Gameplay wise it is a poor WoW clone at best, except it's even more dumbed down. The graphics are just pathetic for a game coming out in 2011, it barely looks like an upgrade over KoTOR. And don't get me started on the "story". Grade school writing, combined with an utter mangling of everything in KoTOR just led to me hanging my head in shame with bile creeping up my throat.… Expand
  27. SMDRH
    Dec 20, 2011
    10
    I came on Metacritic today expecting that this game would have insanely positive user reviews, however was left disappointed at the amount of hate being thrown around and a shoddy 5.2 User Score. For convenience, I am going to cut right to the chase. Yes, the gameplay is very similar to World of Warcraft, but that is not a bad thing, especially for people who are new to MMOs. Here is why;I came on Metacritic today expecting that this game would have insanely positive user reviews, however was left disappointed at the amount of hate being thrown around and a shoddy 5.2 User Score. For convenience, I am going to cut right to the chase. Yes, the gameplay is very similar to World of Warcraft, but that is not a bad thing, especially for people who are new to MMOs. Here is why; it is very smooth, easy to adapt to and hits the standard that is expected of MMOs. WoW achieves this, and ToR does as well. Features are expanded on with Companion characters, and new mini-games are included (AKA, Space Battles while piloting your very own starfighter). Where the two games differ substantially is in their methods of conveying story. The Old Republic is completely and superbly voiced over, in true Mass Effect fashion. Do not let people fool you into thinking that this is an insignificant feature, because it isn't. It makes the game tenfold more interesting and engaging. Although the missions are your usual run of the mill "collect three of these" or "kill four of those", it feels like much less of a grind because you are given purpose for doing what you are doing in a way that is engaging (because of the voice acting and decision making features). Bioware have miraculously designed the game to make you feel like you are the focus of it. Your choices carry weight, you grow somewhat connected to your companions and you always feel like you are achieving something. Instead of finding myself completing missions in order to level up (as I have done with every single other MMO to date), I am completing them to see what happens next, as the writing is of a quality you would expect in Mass Effect or Knights Of The Old Republic and always manages to keep you curious. This game is superb in every aspect. Don't let yourself be put off by all of these unjustified negative review scores. This game is definitely not anything less than an 8 out of 10, and in my opinion it hits top scores. Star Wars fans, Bioware fans and MMO fans alike all have plenty of reason to love this game, and very little to hate it.… Expand
  28. BeezNeez
    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
  29. Xasf
    Dec 20, 2011
    9
    TL,DR version: If you are an MMO (especially WoW) veteran looking for something entirely else, move along. If you are here to enjoy a very solid Star Wars MMO with a refreshing take on NPC and mission interactions, come on in!
    *************************
    SW:TOR is all about expectations. This is an observation I made during my time in the beta and early-access communities and I'd like to    TL,DR version: If you are an MMO (especially WoW) veteran looking for something entirely else, move along. If you are here to enjoy a very solid Star Wars MMO with a refreshing take on NPC and mission interactions, come on in!
    *************************
    SW:TOR is all about expectations.

    This is an observation I made during my time in the beta and early-access communities and I'd like to elaborate on that rather than futilely give a final verdict to an online game that has been officially live for less than 24 hours right away.

    There is a group of players (I won't call them "minority" just yet, but they are certainly more vocal then they ought to be) who came to SW:TOR expecting groundbreaking new features, cutting edge technological feats and never-before-seen, game-changing innovation.
    They were counting on SW:TOR to make right all the failings and shortcoming they perceive in other MMOs (especially WoW) and if not that, then at least vastly improve upon already existing features. The absurdly negative reviews you see on this site, as well as other sources, will for the most part be their doing.
    I've been following SW:TOR since 2008 and I never got that " *everything* will be brand-new" vibe from all the announcements, news and ads I've seen / read during this time, so frankly I'm at a loss where all these baseless expectations are coming from. However, it's undeniable that a considerable group was thinking otherwise so I'm sure they must have their reasons. So honest warning: If you expect this game to greatly deviate from the trodden path, to have such features and gameplay that you, as a MMO veteran, will be astonished with something new at every turn, then SW:TOR is sure to disappoint you, and if you can't alter those expectations to match reality you'd be better off to stay away.

    HOWEVER, SW:TOR is a great game in its own right. Quite similar to what Blizzard did when they were making the most successful MMO ever, Bioware takes the established Star Wars name, blends it with tried-and-true best practices copied from numerous other games, does some fine-tuning improvements where necessary, and then adds their original flavor on top of that. And what a flavor it is, in my 10+ years of MMO gaming, I never though that there could such engrossing storytelling and character interaction in a online game.
    If you want your game to be different not in combat mechanics or talent trees or class system etc. but in the way of how you become a part of an epic world along with other players, SW:TOR more than delivers: It excels above all others. (Sure, sandbox games such as EVE Online -of which I'm an avid fan- can challenge that, but "making up your own story" isn't quite the same as taking part in the tales of a master storyteller).

    So if you came to SW:TOR hoping to find quests with moral choices and multiple outcomes (that contrary to some uninformed accusations have greater effect on your character than purely cosmetic), to feel personally involved in completing the next mission or killing the next big bad, to take your own starship to the far reaches of a wonderfully "Star Warsy" galaxy, to interact with and influence NPCs almost as much as you can with human players, and if you want to do all of these based on rock-solid MMO mechanics instead of wild experimental ideas that might just fail and ruin all of the above, then look no more, welcome home.    … Expand
  30. ColdestForever
    Dec 20, 2011
    5
    My SWTOR experience has been limited to a few months of beta testing; My last experience with TOR had been in the beta weekends spanning from September to October. Although SWTOR does offer something new to the MMORPG genre it hardly offers any innovation. SWTOR essentially utilizes the same old stale MMORPG formula that we've all grown to love and loath. The cutscenes did not add much toMy SWTOR experience has been limited to a few months of beta testing; My last experience with TOR had been in the beta weekends spanning from September to October. Although SWTOR does offer something new to the MMORPG genre it hardly offers any innovation. SWTOR essentially utilizes the same old stale MMORPG formula that we've all grown to love and loath. The cutscenes did not add much to immersion and seemed like a novelty at best. As SWTOR hardly offers anything new to genre, aside from another Star Wars title to replace SWG, I've decided to opt-out and hope for something better in the future.… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

19
#19 Best PC Game of 2011
8
#8 Most Discussed PC Game of 2011
9
#9 Most Shared PC Game of 2011

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
85

Generally favorable reviews - based on 73 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 68 out of 73
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 73
  3. Negative: 0 out of 73
  1. RPGamer
    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.
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  2. GameCritics
    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.
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  3. NZGamer
    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.
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