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. lgnburris
    Dec 30, 2011
    9
    It is probably too early to review, seeing as MMOs evolve so much over their lifetime but so far I think it is excellent, the voice acting greatly improves immersion. I see a lot of people complaining that the quests are just a cutscene followed by the same old "go kill ten of x". Are we not playing the same game? There have been incredibly few quests where the objective is simply to killIt is probably too early to review, seeing as MMOs evolve so much over their lifetime but so far I think it is excellent, the voice acting greatly improves immersion. I see a lot of people complaining that the quests are just a cutscene followed by the same old "go kill ten of x". Are we not playing the same game? There have been incredibly few quests where the objective is simply to kill a certain number of mobs, usually killing a certain number of mobs is a bonus quest alongside the more story driven quests which grants bonus xp. I can't help but think that many of these negative reviewers have not even played the game or that they are simply trolls. I see people complaining "only 4 body types for men", how many do you have in WoW? Oh that's right, one. The rest of the complaints are basically "this game is an mmo and has mmo style gameplay and we hate that." What did you expect?… Expand
  2. CiaranJ
    Aug 18, 2016
    9
    I played this game roughly from 2012-2014 and then again in 2016. I would say the game back in 2012 offered lots for its money in relation to the class stories; they are, of course, the heart of the game. Yet, especially towards the endgame, the MMO features lacked depth. Since it went free-to-play and they released Knights of the Fallen Empire, the game has since seen a revive: you canI played this game roughly from 2012-2014 and then again in 2016. I would say the game back in 2012 offered lots for its money in relation to the class stories; they are, of course, the heart of the game. Yet, especially towards the endgame, the MMO features lacked depth. Since it went free-to-play and they released Knights of the Fallen Empire, the game has since seen a revive: you can play right through to level 50 and experience all the beautiful and exciting class stories for free. They have an OPTIONAL in-game market where players can buy upgrades, cosmetics, etc - yet a free-player can easily enjoy the experience (free-to-play players are somewhat hampered by receiving reduced XP compared to subscribers, however, the game periodically rewards you with XP boots, so you never feel like your playing catch-up. If your'e looking for a hardcore MMO, then this is not the game. If you're looking for a basic MMO with great story-telling then this is the game for you!… Expand
  3. Manmade3
    Dec 20, 2011
    9
    Im going to start by saying iv'e been a WoW player since 2 months after vanilla was released. Lately, WoW has become abysmal. The funny part is, without the cataclysm, I would still be playing, but Blizzard got to greedy and messed up their big franchise beyond the point of no return. My childhood gaming was classic X-Box, to gamecube, to 360. And I LOVED Knights of the old republic 1 andIm going to start by saying iv'e been a WoW player since 2 months after vanilla was released. Lately, WoW has become abysmal. The funny part is, without the cataclysm, I would still be playing, but Blizzard got to greedy and messed up their big franchise beyond the point of no return. My childhood gaming was classic X-Box, to gamecube, to 360. And I LOVED Knights of the old republic 1 and 2. I lost countless hours in them. Jedi Knight: Jedi academy and Force Unleashed I also enjoyed. But nothing really came close to the epicness that was KOTOR. Until mass effect, I thought that was the game for me after WoW got old but now....This is it. This is going to be one of the greatest MMO's of all time. Its getting the same complaints vanilla WoW got. But what the ignorant low scorer's fail to see is this is an MMO and that means one thing. PATCHS. People complain of bugs in console games, yes, they suck and if you dont have online you dont get them fixed, but in a game like this with so much money already invested in it, there will not only be bugfix patches, but content patches the likes of which we haven't seen since ES: Oblivions Shivering isles. I give this game an 8 because yes, on first look, not to amazing, but I have faith that just like vanilla, it will rise out of the low and become the source of entertainment for me for many years to come.… Expand
  4. Fleeim
    Jan 6, 2012
    9
    I really do love this game. There's so much to do and all the worlds seemed unique. If you like Star Wars mythology you can find all kind of great things to read. Story is amazing (playing as Bounty Hunter) and voice acting is also really cool. Combat system is fun also.
  5. agentsvr
    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!    … Expand
  6. renaldowhat2
    Dec 28, 2011
    9
    Awesomeness and then some. Star wars rock my face off. Didn't get into wow but this game hooked me. I'm a freaking Jedi knight for Christ's sake. Blame.
  7. 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
  8. 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
  9. 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
  10. taz08078
    Dec 20, 2011
    9
    Perhaps this game is not the most revolutionary, but it is fun. I am not a hardcore player, but I have played a number of MMO's before. This game is different in that the voiceovers for quests do immerse you in the game, but it may not be for everyone. The core mechanics are designed to simple and easy for non-mmo players to pick-up. If you've never played an MMO before or have neverPerhaps this game is not the most revolutionary, but it is fun. I am not a hardcore player, but I have played a number of MMO's before. This game is different in that the voiceovers for quests do immerse you in the game, but it may not be for everyone. The core mechanics are designed to simple and easy for non-mmo players to pick-up. If you've never played an MMO before or have never felt a "part" of the game...check out The Old Republic...casual players that appreciate a story will have fun.… Expand
  11. OneTimeReview
    Dec 20, 2011
    9
    Great game. There are some very innovative features, such as crafting and multiplayer dialogues, built on top of the proven success of a themepark design. BioWare is masterful in their storytelling and cinematic delivery of content. There's room for improvement, but in their first MMO attempt I think BioWare has done very well. I'm having a lot of fun!
  12. attredies
    Dec 20, 2011
    9
    SWTOR is a very fun MMO, and I truly love bioware's take on it. I am not a fanboy, I have my gripes about it, but all in all, it is extremely well polished for a launch MMO. as a beta tester for many MMOs including WoW, Warhammer, STO, LOTOR, DCUO, and more I can say that it's launch was very smooth. The game is fun and engaging, with the distinctive bioware feel. conversations let youSWTOR is a very fun MMO, and I truly love bioware's take on it. I am not a fanboy, I have my gripes about it, but all in all, it is extremely well polished for a launch MMO. as a beta tester for many MMOs including WoW, Warhammer, STO, LOTOR, DCUO, and more I can say that it's launch was very smooth. The game is fun and engaging, with the distinctive bioware feel. conversations let you customize your character to light or dark, the combat is fun, if a bit drab, but depending on your class that changes. Clothing and gear looks great, once you leave the origin worlds and your starter gear behind you begin to look the epic warrior you are. does this game have some flaws, yes. Do I think this game is worth it? definitely. I had the standard edition preordered, but after playing the beta for a couple months I upgraded to the CE and I'm very happy with it.… Expand
  13. Skrilla
    Dec 20, 2011
    9
    you people are he flat silly. I can't believe the critics..and now i can't believe the users so it's really become just buy it or rent it and try it for myself. everytime a new mmo comes out it's omg a wow clone!! And you people really think WOW pioneered this model? Seriously give me a break!!! You think mmos are somehow going to revolutionize and change everything? I highly doubtyou people are he flat silly. I can't believe the critics..and now i can't believe the users so it's really become just buy it or rent it and try it for myself. everytime a new mmo comes out it's omg a wow clone!! And you people really think WOW pioneered this model? Seriously give me a break!!! You think mmos are somehow going to revolutionize and change everything? I highly doubt it considering todays forms of input so until the tech increases and gets cheaper the model of how our input is taken and translated in game is NOT going to change!!! Also, i played wow from the start and I don't remember it having allll this end game content everyone is fussing about until some expansions came out...and i remember it's graphics were sub par too..but it was fun and it put you in a fantasy world you wanted to be in. That is exactly what swtor does if you are a star wars fan.....and i have yet to see the grind because i'm always doing something new in this game. Tell me this since you wow fanboys are soooo smart. What kinda quests would you have people do in your mmo? LOL!! probably about the same b/c the reality of it is there's only so many varied quest types you can come up with and that coupled with the fact that you must serve up thousands of them for millions of players to enjoy so that things are varied enough they are not fully monotonous is a daunting task in itself. At least a lot of these quests in swtor lend to the story line and the atmosphere which is more than i can say for WOW. MMOs are like wine...they get better with age. The fact that you all are ripping it tells me 1 of 3 things. A: your a hardcore fanboy of WOW and no mmo that comes out within the next 10 years is going to satisfy that itch for something different
    OR
    B: you don't understand anything about human/computer interaction and the possiblities ther are with certain limitations on computing power across the board
    OR
    C: you wouldn't know a good, fun, atmospheric, well built, non launch crashing, engaging game if it punched you in the face (and i've played em all and i must say that this has been the best handled release, and most thought out well developed mmo to ever come out to date taking it for what it is now at release date notwithstanding future expansions)

    That's my 2 cents on the topic since all i read nowadays is nitpicky garbage on these user review sites.    … Expand
  14. re2leons
    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.
  15. Thaltom
    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
  16. nick_of_time
    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.    … Expand
  17. Hyrc
    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!    … Expand
  18. dSharpy
    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
  19. pay4lawschool
    Dec 20, 2011
    9
    Don't get all the hating. I've played LOTRO to level cap...and played WOW to about level 26 but got bored. This is as good of an MMO as any made way way better by the SW content. If you're bored to tears of MMO's this won't rejuvinate that because it's an MMO...it's not MMO 2.0 or anything. But as MMO's go it's a GREAT one and that's at launch. It can only get better. I'm captivated.Don't get all the hating. I've played LOTRO to level cap...and played WOW to about level 26 but got bored. This is as good of an MMO as any made way way better by the SW content. If you're bored to tears of MMO's this won't rejuvinate that because it's an MMO...it's not MMO 2.0 or anything. But as MMO's go it's a GREAT one and that's at launch. It can only get better. I'm captivated. Even the side stories are compelling, crafting options are great...all in all, a win. I dont know how PvP is because I don't particularly care for that anyway but the PvE experience is amazing.… Expand
  20. kdiddy
    Dec 20, 2011
    9
    I don't get the hate. The game is a blast, graphics are really good for an MMO. It's a great BioWare game and on top of that it's a great BioWare game you can play with your friends. What could be better?
  21. Proxeny
    Dec 20, 2011
    9
    Admittedly I was at best sceptical over Bioware's announcement - back in 2008 - that they would henceforth be continuing the Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic franchise (which I adore) as an MMO. I don't like MMOs; I find them more often than not to be shallow and the worst representations of video games as a leisure activity. Also, the communities in-game and over the internetAdmittedly I was at best sceptical over Bioware's announcement - back in 2008 - that they would henceforth be continuing the Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic franchise (which I adore) as an MMO. I don't like MMOs; I find them more often than not to be shallow and the worst representations of video games as a leisure activity. Also, the communities in-game and over the internet attract the worst examples of gamer.

    Yet when I entered the world of SW:TOR, many of my reservations were put aside. The game fits right in with the Star Wars RPG standard set by KOTOR, with extraordinary voice acting and an engaging story from the get go. The dialogue mechanics in particular make grouping up a rather fun experience. This was all to be expected from Bioware and the RPG elements are where this game really shines above the competition (MMO or otherwise). The combat is a definite improvement over KOTOR 2, which could be rather sluggishness and frankly quite boring at times. In SWTOR the hotkey-based combat mechanics add more strategy and depth, yet perfectly accessible. It's not innovative in itself but is a great solution for this particular franchise.

    Gameplay outside of the story is of the familiar MMO archetype, and is also for the most part optional. If you don't like PvP, grouping, you can easily avoid these elements and still have a huge game to enjoy. But you can't ignore the fact that SW:TOR is an MMO. Server queues, lag, and less than optimal framerate (with respect the the graphical fidelity) make sure of this. Oh, and yeah a monthly fee. Yet it's worth tolerating this to enjoy the larger game that SW:TOR is, larger perhaps because of the fact that it is an MMO...    … Expand
  22. crazysam87
    Dec 20, 2011
    9
    Very good game, launch was smooth for me, the game is very fluid. Content is very refreshing, deeply immersive caracter stories with the fully voiced and video conversation making it even more amazing.
    The ability to make other players in your group join you in your "story" and "class" quests is making the grouping part of the game really interesting. Flashpoints and warzones are very good    Very good game, launch was smooth for me, the game is very fluid. Content is very refreshing, deeply immersive caracter stories with the fully voiced and video conversation making it even more amazing.
    The ability to make other players in your group join you in your "story" and "class" quests is making the grouping part of the game really interesting. Flashpoints and warzones are very good as well.Some minor issues with being dc'd and some long queue times, but very decent for the first launch day!
    Actually one of the smoothest launch i've seen im my gamer life. Bravo to BW and EA who did an awesome job!    … Expand
  23. Sherkat
    Dec 20, 2011
    9
    A quality game, good voice over, story and combat. Fun group content, the crafting is very enjoyable and the story keeps questing from feeling like to much of a drag/grind. Does the game have problems? yes but overall a very smooth and entertaining game with a good art style. I have thoroughly enjoyed it.
  24. Kameleonical
    Dec 20, 2011
    9
    First off, important point: This is Star Wars, not that Blizzard game called World of something. People that cannot stop making the comparison are clearly so deep rooted in it that it blinds their opinion of anything else. This game is very much akin to Knights of the Old Republic, but online, and it is very good. You have a variety of playable characters with differing abilities e.g.First off, important point: This is Star Wars, not that Blizzard game called World of something. People that cannot stop making the comparison are clearly so deep rooted in it that it blinds their opinion of anything else. This game is very much akin to Knights of the Old Republic, but online, and it is very good. You have a variety of playable characters with differing abilities e.g. Bounty Hunter or Jedi Knight. You have a huge amount of dialogue, a huge amount of missions to pursue, you have a huge Star Wars universe, companions who interact with you, not simply follow you blindly: you can also have them go off & do their own quests. You also have a very fun PvP element which is pretty mad, nonetheless fun.

    If you want story, variety, and fun come here. Unfortunately you also have an endless amount of chat in your chat box re: WoW. These people are literally sad.    … Expand
  25. Galius
    Dec 20, 2011
    9
    Fans of Bioware RPGs should play this for sure. Those that are used to grinding or just ignoring content on the way to max level should pass this one by as this is NOT the game for you. The only thing stopping me from rating this a ten is the silly space combat, should have been free flight not a tunnel shooter.
  26. Thorkir
    Dec 20, 2011
    9
    My experience with SWTOR is a Sith Inquisitor Sorcerer up to level 31. The gameplay was enjoyable, I loved the music, and the option to make everything much more difficult by leaving your companion behind. The story for the Inquisitor is exceptional. I did several flashpoints, which were very interesting, and each one a challenge to my ability to heal. I enjoyed my attempts at PvP, despiteMy experience with SWTOR is a Sith Inquisitor Sorcerer up to level 31. The gameplay was enjoyable, I loved the music, and the option to make everything much more difficult by leaving your companion behind. The story for the Inquisitor is exceptional. I did several flashpoints, which were very interesting, and each one a challenge to my ability to heal. I enjoyed my attempts at PvP, despite not winning usually. All in all, it seems a very well put together game. The only thing that keeps it from a 10 in my view is the instancing keeping people separated up. It makes the world feel empty.… Expand
  27. 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.
  28. shalott
    Dec 20, 2011
    9
    I'm rather shocked to see so many negative reviews here. I've been loving the game so far (playing it since Early Access), and all the friends with which I'm playing seem to be having a blast as well. I admit that it started off a bit slow, and the graphics threw me off at first, but the quests became more involving as the game went on, IMO, and by the time I reached Coruscant, I wasI'm rather shocked to see so many negative reviews here. I've been loving the game so far (playing it since Early Access), and all the friends with which I'm playing seem to be having a blast as well. I admit that it started off a bit slow, and the graphics threw me off at first, but the quests became more involving as the game went on, IMO, and by the time I reached Coruscant, I was hooked.

    I suppose combat is similar to WoW, but that's not a turn-off for me (I'm still a semi-hardcore raider) -- your mileage may vary, of course. Honestly, I don't really care about the combat at this point. It might be an issue at end-game once I've run out of quests, but that's a long way off. What I love is the sense of immersion, of wonder while running through the avenues of Coruscant, uncertainty while wrestling with one of the game's many moral dilemmas, cheer when sauntering into a cantina with trippy music and pole-dancing girls. I love the companion system, which adds an extra level to each dialogue choice, since every companion has their own personalities and value systems and will pass judgment on your decisions according to them. I love the crafting system, which allows me to do something constructive even when I'm idling in a city, alt-tabbed out or chatting in Vent.

    Is the game perfect? No. I would like to see more NPCs to interact with -- not quest-givers (I already feel like there are almost too many quests), just people that might spout off a random, hilarious line or two, same as in the Dragon Age/Baldur's Gate series or, of course, my beloved Planescape: Torment. I'd like some more humor in the quests and companion banter, although perhaps I've been shooting myself in the foot by playing an ultra goody-two-shoes Jedi; I really enjoy grouping with less determinedly virtuous friends and listening to the responses they can toss out without losing my own Light Side points.

    I'm only about a third of the way through my first character playthrough so far, so I can't guarantee that the bloom will last, but thus far, I feel like the game is giving me a really solid single-player experience while also allowing me to reap the benefits of grouping with friends (dungeons aren't scary anymore! I don't have to micro-manage every member of my party, or worry about their pathing, or about them running ahead bravely to get themselves killed!)

    I appreciate that others clearly didn't find what they were looking for in SW:TOR, but I've just been getting so much enjoyment out of the game, it's ridiculous, and that's with the core game as it stands -- the thought of what updates and expansions can do for this world makes my heart go pitter-pat.    … Expand
  29. Veimi
    Dec 20, 2011
    9
    This game is the first MMO I have vastly enjoyed since the early days of World of Warcraft. It just feels so new even though most of the basic functions are already similar to other mmos. No it is not complete but yes, it has the content and the design that anyone will enjoy. Do not, I repeat, do not let this game pass by because of the 0 reviewers, they clearly don't have no idea how toThis game is the first MMO I have vastly enjoyed since the early days of World of Warcraft. It just feels so new even though most of the basic functions are already similar to other mmos. No it is not complete but yes, it has the content and the design that anyone will enjoy. Do not, I repeat, do not let this game pass by because of the 0 reviewers, they clearly don't have no idea how to rate a game. I am currently standing @ level 22 with my Jedi Shadow and don't want to shut the game down even though I go to work every morning. Try it, you won't regret it.… Expand
  30. Vega
    Dec 22, 2011
    9
    First off & most important of all is to not listen to the blatant trolling/game bashing by the upset Wow community players out there! I was lucky enough to be involved in the beta last year and have already been involved with game since the early access began on the 13th & I can confidently say without any hesitation that this game is fantastic! Yes of course that are a few minor issuesFirst off & most important of all is to not listen to the blatant trolling/game bashing by the upset Wow community players out there! I was lucky enough to be involved in the beta last year and have already been involved with game since the early access began on the 13th & I can confidently say without any hesitation that this game is fantastic! Yes of course that are a few minor issues here & there but that's to be expected at launch - these will of course be addressed in good time, no doubt along with adjustments following player feedback. But if your looking for a MMO with a deep, rich narrative, some fantastic voice acting & interesting quests then look no further. This game simply oozes class & is everything I had hoped for from a Star Wars game. Leave the Wow players to troll all they like, this game will shine brightly despite some of the **** being written here. Pick it up, you wont be disappointed :)… 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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