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. Xuanlong
    Dec 26, 2011
    0
    I can not express how disappointed I am with this game. Normally I like Bioware and their games, I will admit that I wasn't all that upset with DA 2. This however, is a completely different animal, and I wonder who is to blame for this momentous failure. So what is wrong with this game? For starters, its stiff. By that I mean it is no different that any other MMO on the market. When oneI can not express how disappointed I am with this game. Normally I like Bioware and their games, I will admit that I wasn't all that upset with DA 2. This however, is a completely different animal, and I wonder who is to blame for this momentous failure. So what is wrong with this game? For starters, its stiff. By that I mean it is no different that any other MMO on the market. When one mentions star wars, images of epic dynamic flowing duels between Jedi and Sith, images of smooth Han Solo-esq smugglers getting by with wit and charm while quietly taking their blaster out its holster to take out the check-point guards just in case they decide to take a closer look at his cargo, or of massive naval battles between inconceivably large fleets of ships. This game is sadly none of these. Now I understand that this is a MMO and as such it is limited, I can live with such limits. But the game limits its self in just being what every other MMO on the market is, Kill x many of y mob, or gather so many of these items, etc. Nothing that hasn't been done for the past 6+ years.
    Now Bioware did try to do something different with their almost iconic morality system, which would have been something new and engaging if your decisions meant anything.
    The UI is terrible, rigid and uninspired. The user can't move anything, is unaware of what mob is attacking what beyond what is attacking them, and the Pet UI (and yes that is all the companions really are) is beyond atrocious, I cannot count the number of times mine have dropped an AoE on a group of CCed mobs. Speaking of groups of mobs, pretty much everything attacks you groups and are either really weak and die within two attacks or really powerful and the player will barely make it out.
    Furthermore, the combat mechanics are stated earlier are stiff, the same old recycled hotbar stand still and spam your key combat.
    Healing is slow, and awkward, the lack of any sort of macros really brings this home. How hard is it to enable simple mouse over macros?
    Space combat plays like a Star Fox mini game, though not a bad thing if you enjoyed the Star Fox series.
    The crafting system has much that needs to be improved, The characters aren't even the once doing the crafting its the companions, which would be a plus for them as it does make them somewhat useful if it wasn't for the fact that it takes about a minute for each item that one wishes to craft.
    Character customization isn't even there, preset faces, to be mixed with preset bodies, hair, etc.
    Race choices are pretty much human and human with different skin color and choice of horns. Now there are those who say that its early in the game's life, or that I am a "hater" or "troll".
    This game has been in development for almost 4 years with a rumored cost over $135 million. I know Bioware can put out better product than this. I know they can have engaging dynamic combat look at "Jade Empire" they can have tactical combat, DA:origins proved this. It even had decent AI if one knew how to tell the machine what to do.
    In short this is not a next gen mmo, and will never be a next gen mmo. Bioware wasted a lot of time and money to make this, what they should have done instead is make KotOR 3 and gave it a mutiplayer, multistory option. Maybe something PSO like from way back on the Dreamcast, or even Diablo 2, with the different classes but add in the seperate stories that you could share with your friends if you so wished.
    That would have been a much better game. A single player game with 8 story lines that I could play with my friends online.    … Expand
  2. J45neoboy
    Dec 20, 2011
    10
    Star Wars: The Old Republic has hit all the nice touches. They've taken what has worked and made it better. The questing system? Yeah, it worked, but now your choices matter and you have fully immersive voice overs with amazing animations. The combat? Yeah, tab-targetting works. But now we have dynamic combat with amazing skill and strategy to master. The graphics? Yeah, they're not likeStar Wars: The Old Republic has hit all the nice touches. They've taken what has worked and made it better. The questing system? Yeah, it worked, but now your choices matter and you have fully immersive voice overs with amazing animations. The combat? Yeah, tab-targetting works. But now we have dynamic combat with amazing skill and strategy to master. The graphics? Yeah, they're not like Aion's but they are absolutely amazing. Many are downrating this game for silly reasons, but it's not due to the instancing. The instancing is very little and may I add, YOU CAN ALLOW OTHER PEOPLE IN YOUR INSTANCES. YOU CAN SKIP THE MOVIES IF YOU WANT TO. Definitely a great game.… Expand
  3. Allya
    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
  4. Khurg
    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
  5. 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
  6. Phinix
    Dec 20, 2011
    10
    The Troll is strong with this one... people appear to be rating 0-3 on the DAY OF RELEASE. Anyone who has played an MMO knows that it is impossible to glean insight to the game's worth in a single day. Even those (myself included) with early game access experience have not reached level cap and have not had nearly enough time to explore even a fraction of the whole experience. All of thatThe Troll is strong with this one... people appear to be rating 0-3 on the DAY OF RELEASE. Anyone who has played an MMO knows that it is impossible to glean insight to the game's worth in a single day. Even those (myself included) with early game access experience have not reached level cap and have not had nearly enough time to explore even a fraction of the whole experience. All of that said, I'm casting my vote just to even out the trolls. I'll come back and adjust my rating as I gain more experience with the title, but know this much; I am extremely satisfied thus far. My wife and I had a blast going through the starter zone together and I've been extremely amused solo'ing as I explore each of the classes. Graphics are superb, though you'll want to force AA on [Google it - it's not terribly difficult] and I like playing without shadows. The voice acting is top notch, and the music is wonderfully nostalgic. Gameplay, so far, is as to be expected from an MMO title; I have no outstanding remarks to make therein.… Expand
  7. Flaash
    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
  8. johnnyph12
    Dec 23, 2011
    0
    someone is outsourcing their reviews .below is an excerpt from a paid review. from someone names Yassir. . look up this review yourselves, below is just a brief portion. This is really sad. Also, notice how Gamespot.com and IGN.com are still "reviewing" the game even though the beta has been out for some time. this type of practice indicates something foul as well. It is really hardsomeone is outsourcing their reviews .below is an excerpt from a paid review. from someone names Yassir. . look up this review yourselves, below is just a brief portion. This is really sad. Also, notice how Gamespot.com and IGN.com are still "reviewing" the game even though the beta has been out for some time. this type of practice indicates something foul as well. It is really hard to find an honest review. YassirX
    Dec 22, 2011
    10
    IÃ¢â    … Expand
  9. gamingsince86
    Dec 24, 2011
    8
    i'm not an mmo expert but i have play a variety of them since PSO to diablo FFXI WoW Rift even FFXIV. now i'm playing SWTOR... if your going into this game expecting it to be so different from anything else, your not going to enjoy it. that being said the standard has been set by multiple past mmo's that have become a must for an mmo to be both playable and fun! SWTOR is a very good game,i'm not an mmo expert but i have play a variety of them since PSO to diablo FFXI WoW Rift even FFXIV. now i'm playing SWTOR... if your going into this game expecting it to be so different from anything else, your not going to enjoy it. that being said the standard has been set by multiple past mmo's that have become a must for an mmo to be both playable and fun! SWTOR is a very good game, no it's not the revolutionary game that it was hyped up to be but it took all the right steps to either become or show the next guys how it's done. I think they focused mostly on the authentic feeling of you bind with and feeling your character becoming stronger within the world. the progression and story line are great in my eyes, the only grinding iv'e noticed was the crafting, wich is all done by your companion (you literally click a button and he does his own thing while you continue doing w/e you were doing) he comes back a couple minutes later with a complete product and ready to be sent again. Character creation isnt extremely deep, you can pick between about 4 body types, but! the facial features and skin features are enough to limit you from seeing a clone of yourself easily. i've hit lvl 19 and havn't seen an exact copy of myself yet. also your dark and light side changes your features a bit too. now alot of mmo players are complaining about the way the world is set up, IT IS NOT 100% OPEN WORLD but thats ok :) was diablo open world? how many people loved it and are going to get diablo III? exactly. its not exactly a rail system tho. you get a main hub/city for each planet then outside of that is a smaller yet generally open world with dungeons that route off of that. you can explore to fine datacons wich give you stat boosts you keep forever. i actually enjoy this set up cause it makes it easy to see what people are doing and actually makes it easy to find a group. now the graphics, i'll start with the downside, there are minimal graphic customization built in to the game, wich limits some players and causes performance issues with others. you do however have the choice of shader, texture, foliage density, character detail and bloom options, my only issue (mine only some have more) is that there were no options for anti aliasing but you can write your own line in the setting file wich is what i did and voila no jaggies :) i'm not gonna go into detail on the WoW SWTOR comparisons and gripes but if your just looking for something fresh, new and polished with lots of potential this is a good pick, if you want something completely different from WoW and Rift, dont hype this game you will be let down.

    PROS: dialog and story keeps your head in the game very colorful all classes feel look and performe differently with alot of over the top flare authentic star wars feel, looks and sounds epic space flight missions flashpoints and heroic missions are a blast crew skills (crafting and savaging) are convenient CONS: space flight is on rails (still fun tho) and i don't think there is space pvp limited open world (if thats what your lookin for) limited graphic setting options character creations isnt very deep im sure im missing alot here guys this being my 1st mmo review but i hope this atleast helps a few of you looking for a decent non bias rating seeing only wow praising and wow bashing. i still have yet to try pvp and probly a bunch of other things but from what ive done so far i myself love it.    … Expand
  10. 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
  11. Goosebump
    Dec 23, 2011
    7
    *** Pros (in no specific order other than as they come to me): Fantastic voice acting throughout. Decent graphics. Star Wars! Nice twist on professions by letting your companion(s) grind em while you get on with other stuff. Decent stories and class chains. Good travel options (only let down by the ridiculously long fleet recall cd). Various levels of mob difficulty for their*** Pros (in no specific order other than as they come to me): Fantastic voice acting throughout. Decent graphics. Star Wars! Nice twist on professions by letting your companion(s) grind em while you get on with other stuff. Decent stories and class chains. Good travel options (only let down by the ridiculously long fleet recall cd). Various levels of mob difficulty for their respective level. Bioware, Lucasarts are two greats in the industry. Reasonable UI options but can get very cluttered with frames overlapping side action bars and the likes. Your own space ship is cool and some space fights are great fun. Two options to take on how you want to res when you die - this is really good. Everyone can resurrect people out of combat. Nice chat choice roll system when in a group on quests. Dark and Light side is another bit of fun to focus on when levelling. *** Cons: PvP - just don't bother. Dire combat mechanics for melee - WoW is light years ahead in terms of combat fun for a melee class in this regard. Ranged combat seems ok and doesnt feel anywhere as awkward or clunky as melee combat. The deposit scaling with buyout price and auction time is insanely high and totally discourages people posting things on the auction house - especially while levelling where credits are tight. The taint of EA is in the back of players minds that have been stung by their awful support and/or dollar-grabbing previously - I truely wish Bioware would cut all ties with these guys. *** Summary: From my six years of WoW, this is not a WoW killer imho for those interested in it as a potential challenger. It's something that can be played alongside WoW purely for the whole Star Wars thing goin on but I have my doubts about the longevity of the game unless Bioware can keep it interesting - we'll just have to wait and see. The frustrating combat mechanics, bad deposit system on the auction house and after thought PvP are enough to make me cancel my sub when my 30 days are up however. This is not a bash at the game by the way - it's an honest opinion - there's alot to love in the game too as you can see in the pros above and maybe the cons are things that you can live with - if so, great - have a blast! 7/10… Expand
  12. civildude892
    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.
  13. spankusmaximus
    Dec 26, 2011
    0
    I was really hoping that this game would live up to the hype but alas it has fallen far short, which is not to say that mmo's do not have a rough birth - i beta tested and then played WoW from vanilla to cata and the first 2 years were the most outrageous including server instability, 3 hr bg waits and 1-2 hr queues just to log, only to have the server crash. But it's been 7 years sinceI was really hoping that this game would live up to the hype but alas it has fallen far short, which is not to say that mmo's do not have a rough birth - i beta tested and then played WoW from vanilla to cata and the first 2 years were the most outrageous including server instability, 3 hr bg waits and 1-2 hr queues just to log, only to have the server crash. But it's been 7 years since WoW hit and anyone paying attention, as Blizzard had obviously been doing to everquest in creating WoW, could make a quick cheat sheet of things to work on that would make an outstanding mmo. Let's begin there. 1. Use the star wars universe. Great idea. I do not know a single person that wouldn't enjoy running around as a han-type, luke-type or vader-type running quests and bgs, killing things w/ a blaster or a lightsaber. not to mention using the star wars universe as a backdrop must have been a relief for bioware knowing that there is no way possible to **** up the star wars anymore than lucas has already.

    2. Take all logical controls and make them exceedingly clunky. I don't know what bioware was thinking but controlling your character is like trying to drive and do your taxes. Super fubar.

    3. Make certain that only nvidia hardware works correctly w/ the game. I built a friend a rig, using my old whs parts, which included a 3 year old nvidia 220, 3 gigs of ram and a duo core and swtor runs like glass on his machine. While i have a ~6 mo old core i7 w/ 8 gigs of ram and a 6880 and certain parts of the game look like a slide show. I still get ~120 fps in WoW on high settings. So chalk that up to a "rough birth" but it would be nice for bioware to at least acknowledge these issues and let people who are paying $ to play their game, that they are working on resolving the fps issues. So far, no dice.

    Thus far, this mmo has gotten 1 out of 3 things right - the backdrop and quest lines. following that it has utterly screwed the pooch. People will tell you that all the cut scenes are voice acted and blah blah blah - you don't play an mmo so that you can get a single player game out of it., so the fact that the cut scenes are voice acted by the second coming of Alec Guinness makes not a lick of difference. Avoid this mmo at all costs, or at least until they release the first few patches. I have no doubt that George Lucas had his hand in this, as this game is nothing more than the return of jar jar.    … Expand
  14. Tent27
    Dec 20, 2011
    4
    I can't stop shaking my head in disbelief. Am I supposed to be impressed with a 300 million dollar game that looks, plays and feels like a game from 2004? So glad I played it on my friends computer and didn't get it myself. Textures in Knights of the Old Republic look better. Don't believe me, put them side by side and compare. The new bioware destroys everything it touches, and Star WarsI can't stop shaking my head in disbelief. Am I supposed to be impressed with a 300 million dollar game that looks, plays and feels like a game from 2004? So glad I played it on my friends computer and didn't get it myself. Textures in Knights of the Old Republic look better. Don't believe me, put them side by side and compare. The new bioware destroys everything it touches, and Star Wars is it's next victim.… Expand
  15. Ravager
    Dec 20, 2011
    5
    I want you to imagine World of Warcraft back in 2004.

    Now replace the Warcraft universe with the Star Wars universe and add in a lot of voice acting.

    Thats all The Old Republic is.

    If you enjoy MMOs, I'm not going to deny that you will enjoy The Old Republic. If you are looking for something a little different, you wont find it.
  16. HateApe
    Dec 20, 2011
    1
    You know how they always tell you that the endgame is the best part in any MMO? Well, that doesn't hold true for SWTOR. The best part is the leveling experience when you're still engaged in your own quest. Once that is over and you have nothing to look forward to but grinding the same flashpoints and battlegrounds over and over things quickly grow stale.

    Wasted potential sums it up. While    You know how they always tell you that the endgame is the best part in any MMO? Well, that doesn't hold true for SWTOR. The best part is the leveling experience when you're still engaged in your own quest. Once that is over and you have nothing to look forward to but grinding the same flashpoints and battlegrounds over and over things quickly grow stale.

    Wasted potential sums it up. While the game has exciting mechanics like the personal quests and the companion system both of these are gradually phased out in favor of an uninspired and derivative metagame which leaves you longing for its much more polished rivals. Stay away. At least until it has enough content to justify a purchase.    … Expand
  17. jumajin
    Dec 20, 2011
    9
    Very fun, fast paced game. Great questing, fantastic voice-acting, plenty to do in a game that promised a true Star Wars MMO experience and delivers. Not without minor problems (like any launch month MMO), but most polished game to come along since World of Warcraft in 2004. SWTOR is most definitely worth the box price and subscription investment. Very much recommended.
  18. sams
    Dec 20, 2011
    10
    If you've ever liked world of warcraft, or if you've ever liked a bioware game like mass effect, you will really enjoy star wars the old republic. You can't go wrong buying this game. At worst, you can play this game to max level a couple times and uninstall. At best you'll play it for many many hours.

    If you are looking for a sand box mmo, keep looking (if you want an AAA sand box    If you've ever liked world of warcraft, or if you've ever liked a bioware game like mass effect, you will really enjoy star wars the old republic. You can't go wrong buying this game. At worst, you can play this game to max level a couple times and uninstall. At best you'll play it for many many hours.

    If you are looking for a sand box mmo, keep looking (if you want an AAA sand box mmo, sorry, they don't exist).    … Expand
  19. Foxxey86
    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.
  20. CashewsOfChaos
    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
  21. dial
    Dec 20, 2011
    1
    Very boring and uncreative. Combat is basically the exact same you'll find in any other themepark. You get a lot of skills at a low level(this is a good thing), and many of them are quite flashy. The downside however is that the combat is slow and sluggish compared to most themepark games. Graphics are subpar, yet stylistic in order to function on more systems. However, the game isVery boring and uncreative. Combat is basically the exact same you'll find in any other themepark. You get a lot of skills at a low level(this is a good thing), and many of them are quite flashy. The downside however is that the combat is slow and sluggish compared to most themepark games. Graphics are subpar, yet stylistic in order to function on more systems. However, the game is surprisingly unoptimized, which seems counter intuitive to that design decision in the first place.

    The biggest selling point to the game would seem to be the story and voice overs. At first I was attracted to the novelty of it. but it gets old very very fast. Most of the story twist are extremely predictable (as of all bioware stories of late), and you will found yourself space baring through the cutscenes fairly quickly. While the main storyline vo's were cool, I found myself wondering at times : 1) Why was my hero, that goes through so many epic story plots, doing so many mundane task. 2) Despite openly betraying the sith every chance I got, disrespecting my superiors every chance I got, I continued to become a more prominent sith even though everyone knew what I'm doing...it was completely stupid and immersion breaking. 3)Does EVERY side quest need cutscenes? This may sound cool to an outsider, but trust me it's horrible. Having to sit through cutscenes for people to tell you to travel ten feet to collect scraps off the ground...it's annoying. And finally. The world is utterly static. A combination of minimal ambient noise, huge open spacing with nothing in it, the lack of animation present in the world, and all the npc's standing still and silent. Every planet I went to besides one (and I went to most of them) looked liek a nuclear winter just hit. Still, lifeless, static, and boring. Crafting is automated, so this game isn't for crafters. The system was made for people who don't want to craft but want the benefits. It's essentially a automated lootbox. Rewarding the "crafters" for micromanaging timers. Pvp is what it is. The combat becomes loose and glidey against other players, similar to rif'ts pvp, so i your looking for something competitive, this is most likely not the game. Overall, very uninspired. The game takes no risk, amazes briefly, then became glaringly shallow. I have serious doubts about the longevity of the game, and most of my guildies are already bored to tears with it (starting in the headstart).    … Expand
  22. Sgtcrispy
    Dec 20, 2011
    3
    Had high hopes for this game, but today they were dashed. One of my biggest issues with the game is the morality system. It has the same issues I thought Mass Effect series had. There's no gray area, you're either a raging sociopath or a heroic god who can do no wrong. It's not even a morality system, it's a point grind. For example. In the game there is a quest where you haveHad high hopes for this game, but today they were dashed. One of my biggest issues with the game is the morality system. It has the same issues I thought Mass Effect series had. There's no gray area, you're either a raging sociopath or a heroic god who can do no wrong. It's not even a morality system, it's a point grind. For example. In the game there is a quest where you have to find medical supplies that were taken from the military. You find the culprit, who actually took the supplies to help refugees at the refugee camp. It turns out however, that somebody took the supplies from her. She will tell you where the person that took the supplies went if you take the supplies back to her. At this point I had two choices if I wanted to get the supplies back to the military. Lie to her. Or put a gun to a nearby kid's head and hold him hostage. I chose to lie. Upon getting the supplies back to the military officer I was rewarded with fifty dark side points. Wait, what? Both sides are gray, and there's no real right or wrong answer I think. People are hurt and injured and both factions need the supplies. So, why do you get awarded with the obvious bad or good points? Especially since you need a certain amount of these points for gear. The entire system turns it from a morality game to a currency game. Why should someone be punished for being neutral or in the gray morality like most actual people are? Instead, you're forced to be a one dimension piece of wood. There are other issues I had with the game that generally just left me bored but that was one of the main ones I had. Overall this game isn't completely awful, but it's just so bland and dull I can't find it enjoyable. Hopefully BioWare will fix the numerous problems this game has. I find that unlikely however, as any legitimate complains are buried under pages of BioWare fans crying that they're just a WoW fanboy or console trash and this game is too difficult or deep for them.… Expand
  23. Vihazur
    Dec 20, 2011
    1
    The story is a nice touch, but it doesn't make up for the rest of the game being so subpar. The combat especially - most of the game is combat, but it's just really dull. The environments have great backdrops, but stark lifeless play areas. Sound effects and music are minimal, customization is a joke, players and their companions look like clones - but I could live with things likeThe story is a nice touch, but it doesn't make up for the rest of the game being so subpar. The combat especially - most of the game is combat, but it's just really dull. The environments have great backdrops, but stark lifeless play areas. Sound effects and music are minimal, customization is a joke, players and their companions look like clones - but I could live with things like that, if the combat were more fun, at least.… Expand
  24. crackedlogic
    Dec 20, 2011
    10
    I can only base a review on my own experience, to all those having issues I can understand the low scores and frustration but I haven't had any issues, quite the opposite.

    I am loving this game, I am almost a level 30 Jedi guardian and can't believe how good the story is, I can confidently say this is the first MMO where I haven't skipped the text to just get to objective, it makes you    I can only base a review on my own experience, to all those having issues I can understand the low scores and frustration but I haven't had any issues, quite the opposite.

    I am loving this game, I am almost a level 30 Jedi guardian and can't believe how good the story is, I can confidently say this is the first MMO where I haven't skipped the text to just get to objective, it makes you care about the characters, story and goal's and that's something this genre has been lacking. The gameplay's not going to set the world on fire but there's nothing wrong with it, it works. MMO's are constantly evolving and I'm sure the balancing and general issue's will be worked out quick enough but my Jedi Guardian is fun to control, I never find myself just hitting something with a lightsaber until its dead, (After the first few starter worlds) It get's challenging and I find myself having to use cooldown's, shields and the force to defeat enemies.

    Crafting in this game is a strong selling point, it's got a lottery feeling about it, there's the chance of getting a "Rare" that you can actually use and make's crafting like spinning a roulette wheel.

    All in all ill be subscribing and hope enough other people do to keep this game going.    … Expand
  25. redfish53
    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.
  26. Lazerius
    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
  27. Luniara
    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.    … Expand
  28. 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
  29. Vervayne
    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.
  30. Rintor
    Dec 20, 2011
    10
    I've played many MMOs: WoW, DDO, LOTRO, Star Trek, Champions Online, EVE, etc. I spent several years playing WoW. This, by far, is one of the best MMOs I have played. It's is incredibly immersive. The story-lines pull you in and keep you wanting more. The combat is smooth, active and enjoyable. This is the Star Wars RPG I have always wanted. Like any good MMO developer, Bioware has triedI've played many MMOs: WoW, DDO, LOTRO, Star Trek, Champions Online, EVE, etc. I spent several years playing WoW. This, by far, is one of the best MMOs I have played. It's is incredibly immersive. The story-lines pull you in and keep you wanting more. The combat is smooth, active and enjoyable. This is the Star Wars RPG I have always wanted. Like any good MMO developer, Bioware has tried to implement some of the best features and elements of any MMO. The comparisons to WoW are only surface deep. Anyone claiming it is "WoW with lightsabers" has not spent any significant time with either product.… 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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