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. paleale
    Jun 8, 2015
    8
    I played SWTOR the first day it released and kept playing for about a year after launch. The reason I stopped, it got boring quickly, lag issues and so many severs that they felt empty. The story is excellent, gameplay is ok, graphics are fine. It's been a few weeks now, and I resubbed, the game is way different since launch, game mechanics have changed, servers have merged some bugs andI played SWTOR the first day it released and kept playing for about a year after launch. The reason I stopped, it got boring quickly, lag issues and so many severs that they felt empty. The story is excellent, gameplay is ok, graphics are fine. It's been a few weeks now, and I resubbed, the game is way different since launch, game mechanics have changed, servers have merged some bugs and lag issues seem to be resolved. I find that this game has way to much negative reviews, and I should say more like bashing and hate towards EA. For those who left in the beginnning I would tell you that going back is worth it, espacialy if you been planning to, I tried the F2P option first and it's way to limited espacialy if you were a playing sub before. So to all STAR WARS fans out there thinking about playing this game it is worth it, great story, good gameplay, ok graphics, good community ! I do recommend that you check on the forums or sites to see which servers are the most populated before creating a character ! Have fun !… Expand
  2. MenaBanana
    Jun 30, 2015
    7
    This game has many rights, and many wrongs. The main issue is that it is not a typical MMO, where players focus on a single class and enjoy a single story. This is a game designed to encourage players to finish all 8 of the campaign stories. Unfortunately this was an over reach for bioware, resulting in some misguided decisions. The most interested parts of the lore are not exploredThis game has many rights, and many wrongs. The main issue is that it is not a typical MMO, where players focus on a single class and enjoy a single story. This is a game designed to encourage players to finish all 8 of the campaign stories. Unfortunately this was an over reach for bioware, resulting in some misguided decisions. The most interested parts of the lore are not explored enough, while the most basic parts are over explored.

    Too many side quests, not enough end game content. PVP is sorely abandoned.

    That being said it is by far one of the best MMO's you will find out there. It is far more interesting than WOW, and much more re-playable than ESO. The unique classes will keep you entertained as you learn how to play them all. It has by far the most original costumes than any MMO you will find. You will be able to make not one, but 8 distinct characters that are unique to you. This is a prime game for role players.

    That being said, be warned of the community. Star Wars is a wide spread IP, and it draws both the experienced players and the newest of noobs. Expect drama in practically every community you meet, and expect role players to take themselves far too seriously. This is "Star Wars" and the ultimate nerd ego bolster, so the role players tend to be overly brutal in their treatment of other people and there is a lot of guild politics and bullying. There are the "loremaster" types who like to use their "expansive" knowledge of lore to justify god modding and metagaming. Don't fall for it. Walk away if someone makes you feel bad There are great role players in the game, you just have to find them. And if you do it will be one of the best role playing experiences you can have in any MMO.

    If you love star wars you will love this game even with it's flaws. I have been a subbed player for almost 3 years now. I have leveled 10 characters, and have 12 more. I think it's possible this game could become the best MMO out there if bioware does their expansions right. We'll see.    … Expand
  3. Sparkyte
    Jan 11, 2016
    7
    This game is absolutely fun if you play it for the story, avoid all of the multiplayer **** While I do recommend other games before this it's not a terrible or great game.
  4. tehCrazedrebel
    Jun 21, 2016
    7
    It's a great game, really. The storyline is pretty well thought out, companions are memorable, gameplay is just like any other free MMORPG, that doesn't make it any less fun. Now, the reason I'm only giving it an 7/10? The unrelenting free to play restrictions, yes, this is a free to play game and I understand IN-GAME restrictions, but I've never seen a free to play game dev team do this:It's a great game, really. The storyline is pretty well thought out, companions are memorable, gameplay is just like any other free MMORPG, that doesn't make it any less fun. Now, the reason I'm only giving it an 7/10? The unrelenting free to play restrictions, yes, this is a free to play game and I understand IN-GAME restrictions, but I've never seen a free to play game dev team do this: You are denied access to the forums and support if you're free to play or a preferred player. So, basically, if you have an in-game problem that can only be patched by the devs, you better be ready to pay up and become a subscriber.

    The game is fun! It really is! Even as a free to play player, it's still very fun, try it out! But these restrictions are a real turn off.    … Expand
  5. RevUBrah
    Mar 11, 2021
    6
    This game truly is the epitome of mediocrity. Of the eight storylines available, only two of them are actually well-written and engaging (Sith Warrior & Imperial Agent). Not to mention how it butchers the lore of previous entries in the Old Republic series in order to make the mediocre Jedi Knight storyline look more important. Aside from that, it's pretty much your basic MMO.
  6. Naners
    Jul 18, 2012
    6
    I wanted nothing more than to love this game being a huge Star Wars fan and self-proclaimed Hutt Lover, however take away all things Star Wars and what you essentially have is a pretty mediocre clone of the Game That Cannot Be Killed. Fully voice acted class cut scenes were certainly nice, and rolling alts to unlock all of them was definitely entertaining. But unfortunately, it's simplyI wanted nothing more than to love this game being a huge Star Wars fan and self-proclaimed Hutt Lover, however take away all things Star Wars and what you essentially have is a pretty mediocre clone of the Game That Cannot Be Killed. Fully voice acted class cut scenes were certainly nice, and rolling alts to unlock all of them was definitely entertaining. But unfortunately, it's simply not enough to keep you playing for years on years...or even months. A truly squandered opportunity for Bioware when they have license to a franchise with infinite potential.… Expand
  7. raidet
    Jun 8, 2012
    3
    Entirely lacked the spirit and atmosphere of WoW by allowing you to see the mishmash of (poor) wiring under the board. Lots of stuttering of the graphic engine, lots of artificially convoluted and lengthened journeys to increase play time, underwhelming visuals, repetitive space railshooting sections, unresponsive controls - the list goes on. It all comes down to lack of the requiredEntirely lacked the spirit and atmosphere of WoW by allowing you to see the mishmash of (poor) wiring under the board. Lots of stuttering of the graphic engine, lots of artificially convoluted and lengthened journeys to increase play time, underwhelming visuals, repetitive space railshooting sections, unresponsive controls - the list goes on. It all comes down to lack of the required development effort. Everyone expects some bugs when an MMO first launches, but this had no polish whatsoever. The lack of effort shone through and overshadowed immersion into the world. I had more fun with STO. I no longer subscribe to either.… Expand
  8. SliPs
    May 27, 2012
    1
    The only reason this gets a single point of rating is because of the amazing cinematic's. The rest of the game is just a **** version of WoW build around star wars.
  9. Archibald
    Jun 8, 2012
    3
    After playing this game with a level 50 character on both sides I have to say it really wasn't that fun or amazing as all the critics say it was. A majority of my experience was utter boredom and repetitiveness throughout the story and game play. I don't get what is fun about having a majority of the quests be about killing a certain amount of cut and paste enemies. Heck I love actionAfter playing this game with a level 50 character on both sides I have to say it really wasn't that fun or amazing as all the critics say it was. A majority of my experience was utter boredom and repetitiveness throughout the story and game play. I don't get what is fun about having a majority of the quests be about killing a certain amount of cut and paste enemies. Heck I love action games but this game had too much fighting in it and not enough areas to chat with players or do other activities. The other activities are honestly a joke. Space combat and crafting must have be low priority in production....along with combat and the games visuals/ animation. The only thing I enjoyed was the stories of the classes. Just a big disappointing experience overall.… Expand
  10. TUHD
    Dec 15, 2013
    5
    If you're planning on being an sub the whole time, go ahead. The storyline is neat (it could use some improvement, but it is better then in the most MMO's), gameplay isn't too bad... it's worth your money if you've got the time for it. It easily deserves an 7-8 at least.
    If you're planning on going F2P: STAY AWAY! You'll get nickle-and-dimed every second, and no amount of Cartel Coins    If you're planning on being an sub the whole time, go ahead. The storyline is neat (it could use some improvement, but it is better then in the most MMO's), gameplay isn't too bad... it's worth your money if you've got the time for it. It easily deserves an 7-8 at least.
    If you're planning on going F2P: STAY AWAY! You'll get nickle-and-dimed every second, and no amount of Cartel Coins will make this go away. While sure, you can play the storylines for free, the amount of grinding necessary at later levels is absurd (from level 20+ you're getting an 25% XP penalty!) and the amount of restrictions and 'in-your-face-you're-not-an-sub-thus-not-an-customer'-moments is close to being spiteful of you. There's way too much to say about the F2P option... and with Rise of the Hutt Cartel (the expansion, which you'll need to buy at €17/$20 as F2P-player while subs get it free!) it has become even worse. For the F2P-option I can give an 3, max. Stay. Away.    … Expand
  11. survivor_686
    Sep 25, 2012
    6
    The Old Republic is perhaps the example of when developers fail to address key issues and it drags the rest of the game down. TOR is by no means a bad game, but for price it charge ($15 a month) its bugged by a few issues that drag the rest of the product down.

    Graphics are well done and look splendid even on a lower end rig such as mine. If its made within the past five years, your    The Old Republic is perhaps the example of when developers fail to address key issues and it drags the rest of the game down. TOR is by no means a bad game, but for price it charge ($15 a month) its bugged by a few issues that drag the rest of the product down.

    Graphics are well done and look splendid even on a lower end rig such as mine. If its made within the past five years, your computer can run it. Bioware's technical team certainly deserves some praise in this regard. The PVE aspect of the game is perhaps one of its strongest suit. Storylines have the trademark Bioware seal of quality, almost all NPC's are voiced over (a rarity in an MMORPG) and it manages the capture the essence of being free to travel the galaxy at ease, something very few games have done.

    That being said the Character selection could use a little bit more diversity. There basically four extremes one has to choose from and facial hair is limited in its selection. The Flashpoints/Operations are one of the game strong points...and its weakness. After the beauty that is "Esseles" (the first one), the other flashpoints feel a bid drab and lack the group interaction and morality that "Esseles" had. Mind you they certainly feel unique from each other, and have different enemies to fight against and require a degree of coordination. Operations are simple Flashpoints on a bigger scale and enjoy the same strengths....and the same weaknesses

    The PVP aspect on the other hand....is a major letdown. With only four maps available at time of review and an staggering imbalance present during play (In general Imperial characters tend to be slightly powerful than their Republic counterparts), even after a year post-launch. Given the slight imperial majority (Have to admit their accents are kinda attractive) and Bioware's lack of PVP experience in balancing classes, one should avoid PVP if one chooses to play as the Republic....especially if as Commando (its all glass and no canon). Imperial characters feel powerful and almighty, whilst Republic character needs local superiority to even get a chance to win. Another sad aspect of PVP is the lack of a proper Matchmaking system. New players will be dumped in the same arena as experience players and be expected to survive. Granted this may be due to the server itself, but one should expect so attempt at balancing this issue. In the end TOR is not a bad game...but its not a great one either. Its a game that has great aspect which are ruined by some shortcomings. At $15 a month...its simply not worth the price of admission. Wait till it goes Free-To-Play then try it out....Unless you're Imperial than have fun. 6/10    … Expand
  12. Stumptail
    Apr 29, 2012
    3
    A slickly-produced but sadly linear and uninspiring MMO, this game is basically a poor man's WoW with lightsabers. Bioware made, perhaps, a savvy marketing choice by sticking to a cookie-cutter model, but it leaves a lot to be desired. It's clear that critics were in love with the "Star Wars" portion of this game long before it hit the shelves, and a number of reviews seem to give it aA slickly-produced but sadly linear and uninspiring MMO, this game is basically a poor man's WoW with lightsabers. Bioware made, perhaps, a savvy marketing choice by sticking to a cookie-cutter model, but it leaves a lot to be desired. It's clear that critics were in love with the "Star Wars" portion of this game long before it hit the shelves, and a number of reviews seem to give it a free pass for that reason.

    Character creation has the same limits most MMOs have. If you had any hopes of a game that would transcend the usual Tank/Healer/DPS paradigm, you'll quickly be disappointed. For some people, hitting the same "rotation" over and over with reliable roles for everyone that are not to be deviated from is fun. For me, it feels like factory work. And Star Wars leaves you feeling its painful redundancy at every step. This is a matter of taste, but for all the hype surrounding this game, you'd think they could do better than use the same MMO model everyone else feels compelled to use.

    There's little or no variety as to how you can equip your character. For instance some classes of Jedi are dual-wield, some single, other double-bladed. This isn't a far cry from how other MMOs do business, but in the world of Star Wars, it feels as though you should have more of a choice. Again, the cookie-cutter approach may appeal to most people, but it's a sad reflection on the possibilities of the franchise. The ease with which you can blow through most of the missions solo makes for a fairly dull environment. The servers are poorly populated - clearly Bioware overestimated the cache Star Wars might have had. It's genuinely difficult to group at times. I don't mind solo, and sadly, it seems the clear alternative for Bioware to address the issue will be to increase the number of group-specific levels.

    Space combat is an utter joke. In you space mission, you have only the ship you are assigned at one point in the game and are led along a flight path during which you shoot as much as you can without getting blown up. It's nothing but a sad arcade mini-game, not an opportunity for players to buy new ships, fly around at will or actually get a sense of being in space. Star Wars Galaxies, for all its flaws, at least recognized that this was a crucial component.

    I quit after about 3 weeks and don't think I'll look back. If you're into staid, generic MMOs that don't challenge you too much, then you might like this. It's hard for me to imagine what kind of major overhauls they'd end up doing to make thins game worth my time, but I doubt they will. Bioware is a changed company in recent years, and rather than giving us an exciting new KOTOR offering, we're left with a lifeless ripoff with great sound effects. Disappointing.    … Expand
  13. heerobya
    Aug 3, 2012
    5
    The experience is polished. However, that experience is the same type of grind-heavy content we've seen in every MMO since 2004. PvP is tacked on, companion-focused PvE is a chore, crafting is tacked-on and useless as well. The stories range from OK to awful with no feeling of impact on the game or your character. Choices in the story feel more like selecting a quest reward in WoW thanThe experience is polished. However, that experience is the same type of grind-heavy content we've seen in every MMO since 2004. PvP is tacked on, companion-focused PvE is a chore, crafting is tacked-on and useless as well. The stories range from OK to awful with no feeling of impact on the game or your character. Choices in the story feel more like selecting a quest reward in WoW than they do like a compelling story choice from Bioware's other games. All that being said, now that it's going F2P it's worth a free download if you are a Star Wars and Bioware fan - but don't expect to stick around long after you finish your story - if you can stomach it that long.… Expand
  14. X0R
    Jun 11, 2012
    0
    For spending so much money & time to develop, this game was really disappointing. I played the beta and knew it was going to be a 50/50 chance at washing out, but had hopes that it would develop & improve over time. Well, it improved a little... unfortunately not enough for me to stay subscribed after two-months, of which I probably only played for 15-hours total. Not sandbox in any way,For spending so much money & time to develop, this game was really disappointing. I played the beta and knew it was going to be a 50/50 chance at washing out, but had hopes that it would develop & improve over time. Well, it improved a little... unfortunately not enough for me to stay subscribed after two-months, of which I probably only played for 15-hours total. Not sandbox in any way, which is something that really made this game a dull grind.

    I'm a Star Wars fan, and willing to endure imperfections, however of all of the servers I had characters on - most were barren within 6-weeks. This might be fun for some people, but was really boring in my experience. Another lame MMO, or single player MMO.    … Expand
  15. ryinca
    May 1, 2012
    3
    Let me start by saying I was eagerly awaiting this game ever since it was first announced and had faith that Bioware would truly deliver an innovative take on the MMO genre. Unfortunately, what they delivered was a cookie cutter version of WOW with a slightly improved story line and voice over work. The fact that critics are creaming over this title only shows the influence and marketingLet me start by saying I was eagerly awaiting this game ever since it was first announced and had faith that Bioware would truly deliver an innovative take on the MMO genre. Unfortunately, what they delivered was a cookie cutter version of WOW with a slightly improved story line and voice over work. The fact that critics are creaming over this title only shows the influence and marketing dollars that EA wields over the mainstream gaming media. I really wanted to like this game and played my Sith Warrior to level 50 only to find myself grinding through boring dailies and PVP battles that almost always took place in the Hutt Ball arena due to the huge disparity between Republic / Empire players. Seriously, don't waste your money on this title - even the 1.2 update that Bioware swears includes the bells and whistles they wanted to have ready at launch, has been a miserable flop and added very little incentive to continue subscribing.

    Buyer beware    … Expand
  16. KaliberX
    Jul 8, 2012
    3
    I played SwTor from 0 to max, and well it has nice Quests for some Classes. But all in all it's just another MMO on the Market with the same Stuff like others (WoW, EQ etc) nothing new except the Voice Over.
    You are not free in that Game, all the Way to the max is totally straight. Even the choices between Dark or Light does not changes the Story. Only thing why i give the Game a 3 was    I played SwTor from 0 to max, and well it has nice Quests for some Classes. But all in all it's just another MMO on the Market with the same Stuff like others (WoW, EQ etc) nothing new except the Voice Over.
    You are not free in that Game, all the Way to the max is totally straight. Even the choices between Dark or Light does not changes the Story. Only thing why i give the Game a 3 was the PvP in some Way.    … Expand
  17. glam
    Dec 13, 2013
    0
    Another mindless WOW clone wannabe. instead of sticking to their strong sides like KOTOR1 and such they go on and copy whatever is goes on the market right now throwing all their integrity for quick buck, well guess what lucas, your clone sucks, all you ever had was the old games which were quality made and you trying to take a market with whole new audiance just puts you in a lameAnother mindless WOW clone wannabe. instead of sticking to their strong sides like KOTOR1 and such they go on and copy whatever is goes on the market right now throwing all their integrity for quick buck, well guess what lucas, your clone sucks, all you ever had was the old games which were quality made and you trying to take a market with whole new audiance just puts you in a lame position. im sure you can see how this game fails in sales maybe it will teach you a lesson.… Expand
  18. Coeurdacier
    Sep 5, 2013
    0
    That's not star wars...
    It's just a rpg with laser sabre.
    Very very boring...
    I had the courage to level up to lvl 50 and hop bye bye the poorly crapy cartoony game.
  19. MrJurgens
    Nov 13, 2013
    0
    Worst MMORPG in existence. I love Star Wars, but for the sake of your wallet do NOT buy this game. If you're a hardcore player, whether you PvP, PvE or both, just do NOT buy this game. It's the worst.
  20. DaMo
    May 2, 2012
    4
    How this game got such positive scores from proffessional reviewers is beyond me. I can't help but wonder if another developer & publisher combination had released this game the scores would be different.
    The game has it's qualities, including great sound, story and the fact that its based on STAR WARS but this is a game, not a movie and its here where Old Republic dramatically falls    How this game got such positive scores from proffessional reviewers is beyond me. I can't help but wonder if another developer & publisher combination had released this game the scores would be different.
    The game has it's qualities, including great sound, story and the fact that its based on STAR WARS but this is a game, not a movie and its here where Old Republic dramatically falls short of expectations.
    The issues started with the release. Rushed to achieve a Christmas release the game was launched barely finished with little of the polish expected from a subscription based game. Open world PVP is broken, Graphically the game is poor and nothing has been done to refresh the genre. It will be interesting to see what the subscriber numbers are in the next few months. For a premium subscription players expect a premium product and service. This game achieves neither.    … Expand
  21. mikey42782
    May 28, 2012
    4
    Knights of the old republic, was groundbreaking for me..i had never even heard of it, and i will never forget the day i saw it in walmart, looked at the box and said to myself? this looks awesome i must have it..
    ..and the gods smiled on me for it was awesome. Then Kotor 2 came out..which wasn't nearly as good..
    But then years ago i heard a rumor about KOTOR becoming an MMO. I was    Knights of the old republic, was groundbreaking for me..i had never even heard of it, and i will never forget the day i saw it in walmart, looked at the box and said to myself? this looks awesome i must have it..
    ..and the gods smiled on me for it was awesome. Then Kotor 2 came out..which wasn't nearly as good..
    But then years ago i heard a rumor about KOTOR becoming an MMO. I was upset. I didn't want them turning one of my favorite games into a game that all of a sudden now tons of people were going to play who really didnt give a **** nor appreciate the Star Wars universe the way that true fans do. Most of my life people made fun of me for loving Star Wars and being a nerd..and now people play it..anyway so the MMO came out..i was skeptical at first and i purchased it..which brings the first bad point-
    You have to pay for the subscription when you purchase the game..so a 60 dollar game automatically becomes a 75 dollar game..you can't install it unless you agree to those terms and set up a subscription. that was my first beef..but i fought through it.
    I install the game, cut scenes were pretty bad ass i must say, got me into it..i used to play star wars galaxies and loved it, and they got rid of galaxies FOR THIS...i love being a smuggler..so natrually that was my first guy..i wanted to be a half ass han solo, exploring the galaxy, trying to beat the infamous Kessell Run. I'll tell you this much tho..if you want to be a smuggler?? don't expect to do any smuggling what so ever. The second bad point? the graphics..its pretty much DA2. Same sound effects, same animations save for the blasters. Same faces. And Dragon Age 2 compared to the first was just a botched abortion. Game play is the same as any other MMO..While my subsciption is still active, i have not played the game in almost 2 weeks. I am tired of it. i am tired of the repetitive grinding, i am tired of being on a planet with a lotta players because if they are doing the same quest as me, sometimes i will fight through all the **** to get to the objective, then some asshat will come out of stealth, and do it before me, then i have to wait..but that is a common issue with MMOS i guess..what some people have said on here is correct..its a single player game with mmo elements...a star wars wow if you will
    I hate to say this, but i think that EA ruins everything it touches. When Bioware sold out to ea, i ranted and raved and said watch **** bioware is going to go the way of the buffalo. and i seriously think it is going to be. when dragon age 3 comes out i will probly not buy it..i refuse to buy mass effect 3 because of origin. i am going off on a tear...If you have played star wars galaxies, you know that you got your own ship when you started out..which is awesome..you could get into space combat, deliver cargo, you could spend hours flying anywhere in the galaxy..you could also have someone make a new ship for you with a brand new chasis design, upgrade your ship, paint your ship..it was awesome..
    space combat here? sure you can upgrade your ship half ass..but the space combat is on rails and linear, the missions are just variations of the ones you did at earlier levels. it was a very big dissapointment for me because i was expecting something more along the lines of tie fighter..for 60 bucks? i thought it would..
    anyway, the goods to it? the envirornments are pretty cool. Some of the ablities. the voice actings decent, the combat is pretty fluid..
    cons? i have a decent rig and sometimes the lag is atrocious. sometimes when i go to get quest it will take me about 5 minutes for the npc to give it to me due to buffering..another con being a smuggler, killing a high level boss and recieving a light saber with dark side affilation which i cannot use at all..
    i hate to say this but i do believe i will be cancelling my subscription..    … Expand
  22. Gixer1976
    May 9, 2012
    3
    Waited with anticipation for this MMO to be released, bought the game, installed it.... cried at the character creation nonsense!! You can play multiple races ... just as long as they are humanoid but different colours....ok so i created a character then cried some more at the linear cookie cutter combat system cloned straight from every other mmo circa 1990. Graphics and textureWaited with anticipation for this MMO to be released, bought the game, installed it.... cried at the character creation nonsense!! You can play multiple races ... just as long as they are humanoid but different colours....ok so i created a character then cried some more at the linear cookie cutter combat system cloned straight from every other mmo circa 1990. Graphics and texture resolutions are shocking for a game released in 2011, Considering the amount of money spent developing this game, its a very poor attempt. I guess all the money went on paying voice actors, i would have preferred Bioware to spend the money on a decent game engine and better combat system, decent quest lines and customizable characters. I used to be a big fan of you Bioware, you let us down with this....However if you are 8 years old or Korean, you will love this MMO.… Expand
  23. vandana
    May 3, 2012
    5
    Now that nearly 6 months passed and I experienced all that SWTOR has to offer I can repeat a phrase that so often comes up when people review SWTOR: "I really wanted to love this game". That's because I was excited for Star Wars MMO and the game launched with much success and made a great first impression fuelled by amazing, fully voice-overed questing experience which made even "kill 10Now that nearly 6 months passed and I experienced all that SWTOR has to offer I can repeat a phrase that so often comes up when people review SWTOR: "I really wanted to love this game". That's because I was excited for Star Wars MMO and the game launched with much success and made a great first impression fuelled by amazing, fully voice-overed questing experience which made even "kill 10 boars" quests interesting and adding emotional touch to them. It also seemed that the game had all the ingredients for success: proven developer, big budget, legendary IP (setting) and plenty of time for development. The developers were not pioneering and could have learned from the experience of others. Only they didn't. The money was spent on marketing, voice-acting production and (I guess) IP rights. The proven developer turned out to have absolutely no experience in MMO. The learning from mistakes of others turned to copying from World of Warcraft in a state it was when the development of SWTOR started 5 or so years ago - it seems like they stopped in time at that moment and didn't move forward, sometimes going backwards (archaic talent system, no swimming, no real world PvP due to design decisions - just to name a few examples). Since the money was not spent primarily on the technical development itself Bioware adapted a "do it yourself", cheap, licensed engine to create the game which to this day results in lags and low fps even on more modern computers due to lack of optimization. That already resulted in a fiasco of removal of world PvP zone from the game which simply was not working for majority of people. As its stands today most embarrassing bugs have been fixed, the difficulty of PvE endgame content is improving, rated Warzones are coming and things start to look better. There is a potential for positive changes - as a Star Wars fan and passionate computer gamer in my 30s I especially look forward to space combat (I won't even start on the current one) which is on the devs' table. Currently, I give this game a 5. The only reason I am still playing it is my guild and friends I brought and made in the game. I still want to love this game only I donâ… Expand
  24. VeNaH
    Aug 25, 2013
    0
    This game suffers from a gamebreaking issue the Free 2 Play model it uses.
    Now, the game can be easily dismissed as a WoW clone (which it is) with some Star Wars twists thrown into the mix.
    I got to play the game for about 2 days and all I can say is this: it is boring as hell and it is frustrating as well. Why is it frustrating? Well, where do I start: - Do you want to do anything    This game suffers from a gamebreaking issue the Free 2 Play model it uses.
    Now, the game can be easily dismissed as a WoW clone (which it is) with some Star Wars twists thrown into the mix.
    I got to play the game for about 2 days and all I can say is this: it is boring as hell and it is frustrating as well.
    Why is it frustrating?
    Well, where do I start:
    - Do you want to do anything in this game beyond running around like a fool? Pay us money.
    - Do you want to display a useless title near your name? Pay us money.
    - Do you want to play certain instances more than once every 100 years? Pay us money.

    EA wants your money for basically everything you do. Today I received an item in a quest which was, I kid you not, just something that said "Become a subscriber today!" and then disappeared. What the hell EA? You money-hungering, greedy bastards. Why can't you follow a successful model like the one League of Legends, World of Tanks, Guild Wars 2 (and many others) use? There are only 2 big MMOs that still use the subscription model WoW and EVE Online (where you can actually extend your subscription using the in-game currency).
    I got news for you, EA: your MMO is never going to succeed.
    Instead of delivering on their promised KOTOR3 or maybe an actual fun, interesting MMO that doesn't try to rip you off every time you open your inventory, they made this Silly BioWare and EA.

    After all, you can't spell "Steal" without EA.    … Expand
  25. Vladaimmortal
    Jun 25, 2012
    5
    This game even tho it has really interesting story (one of rare Mmorpgs that really made me WANT to read all quests) and pretty graphics...still cant hold you stuck to if for long time. I got bored and quit after just 2 months of playing somehow this whole genre got bit boring as all games are totaly same ..they also failed with puting ton of servers at start of game insted of much lessThis game even tho it has really interesting story (one of rare Mmorpgs that really made me WANT to read all quests) and pretty graphics...still cant hold you stuck to if for long time. I got bored and quit after just 2 months of playing somehow this whole genre got bit boring as all games are totaly same ..they also failed with puting ton of servers at start of game insted of much less amount..thus making many players end up on servers that have like 3 players per area..or something...its ridicilous… Expand
  26. pheroras
    Jul 31, 2012
    3
    SWTOR has been hyped as a 'Story Driven' MMO. I admit that story is the best feature of the game. The major problem with this is that the main Class story is a bit thin, merely serving as a pretext to hop from one planet to the next. The story in SWTOR is nothing like the story of KOTOR and is not even as good as that of the somewhat baffling KOTOR II. Planet quests are largely presentedSWTOR has been hyped as a 'Story Driven' MMO. I admit that story is the best feature of the game. The major problem with this is that the main Class story is a bit thin, merely serving as a pretext to hop from one planet to the next. The story in SWTOR is nothing like the story of KOTOR and is not even as good as that of the somewhat baffling KOTOR II. Planet quests are largely presented in the 'story' rubric with voice acting and animation cut scenes, but these are typically disconnected and provide little if any overarching theme. *It would be great if the studio had the resources to tie these secondary story quests into an overarching whole, since these comprise more content than the Class story in the leveling process. Another minor gripe is that I have to always wonder why I can pilot an interstellar space craft before I can pilot my scooter. I get my spaceship at level 15, but I can't use my scooter until I am level 25. Something seems backwards in this sort of progression but it is only one of the many illogical things that break the continuity of the game. There is now a free trial up to level 15. These early levels seemed like some of the best in the game, though perhaps they would be judged mediocre in contrast to other games. I can't see recommending the game as it is on a pay to play basis.… Expand
  27. jigme
    Jul 9, 2012
    6
    Started at launch, had fun playing up to 50, then it got boring fast. I tried to level a few alts, but the repetitiveness was just too much. Dropped out. I also never could accept the cartoon style art.
  28. gummyrabbit
    Jul 13, 2012
    2
    I tried to like this game, but it's basically a stripped down version of WoW.  The NPC dialog was ok at first, then it got tiring and I started to just spacebar through it all.  Graphics were nowhere near what I expected it to be.  Being released in 2011, I expected much better graphics after seeing Rift.  Characters...you have 4 classes...and they're cloned from RebelI tried to like this game, but it's basically a stripped down version of WoW.  The NPC dialog was ok at first, then it got tiring and I started to just spacebar through it all.  Graphics were nowhere near what I expected it to be.  Being released in 2011, I expected much better graphics after seeing Rift.  Characters...you have 4 classes...and they're cloned from Rebel side to Empire side. Only the names are a bit different. Trying to get a group for some of the quests was the worst (though I've heard they finally added a LFG option).  This game is also a bit too idiot-proof.  You can… Expand
  29. MrZ
    Dec 1, 2013
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. MMO wise, this game is solid. If you enjoy Star Wars, even better! However, if you were a fan of the original KOTORs, then this game is a let down. Although it has many interesting features, it truly is as some would say a "WoW clone." Bioware had promised something that they couldn't deliver. They preached it would alter the MMO scene. This never really caught on. The worst is what they did to Revan. He goes mad and dies an unsatisfactory death in one of the flashpoints. It truly was saddening. But, if you enjoy MMOs, I guess that you could manage to like this game. I still play it simply because I am a Star Wars fan and because I enjoy MMOs.… Expand
  30. Troublewalking
    Mar 6, 2014
    6
    Sadly this game had great potential but the ball was dropped on so many levels that it just ended up being an average MMO.MMO is Massively Multi-player Online, If you are not familiar with these types of games. Usually RPG's with several thousand players. I played till cap with 2 other members from my family. I played pretty much all classes on both sides. I played this game when itSadly this game had great potential but the ball was dropped on so many levels that it just ended up being an average MMO.MMO is Massively Multi-player Online, If you are not familiar with these types of games. Usually RPG's with several thousand players. I played till cap with 2 other members from my family. I played pretty much all classes on both sides. I played this game when it first came out, you had to pay for the game and pay for the subscription each month. The game fell quickly from it's pay to play hopes. Falling faster than any AAA MMO that I know of, to the failed Free to play realm MMO's. Especially for one designed to be a AAA pay to play MMO. And which is probably one of the most expensive MMO's ever made. Because of it's high expectations, and high development cost most MMO fans consider this game an epic failure.

    This was because the game was spun by the PR people at EA to be 3-10 of the KOTOR series. As a sequel to the Knights of the Old Republic games this game fails epically. The game does not even come close to delivering the story, the mini games or replayablitiy, of the KOTOR series.

    However, if you were looking for an average MMO, with no real ties to the KOTOR series and was set in the Star Wars universe, set way before the Star Wars stories, that is super easy to play. Then this might be the game for you.

    As far as MMO's go, SWTOR seems to be very weak and buggy on it's PVP. The PVE story is fine and the classes are interesting enough. It has a on "rails" space ship mission series that is an okay mini game. And the game is very soloable for an MMO. The graphics, playability, UI, and everything about the game are average at best for an MMO.

    The only thing to make this different from any other MMO is it's class story instances. It tried to copy choices meaning something from the KOTOR series but fails epically. In the end people just choose all light or dark side choices to get sets of gear. Neutral choices actually punish you, as there was no neutral gear rewards when I played. But in truth the only thing that makes this game unique in MMO's is it's based in the Star Wars universe. And sadly, Star Wars Galaxies was a Star Wars MMO that was much more loved than SWTOR was. SWTOR forced SWG out, only because George Lucas only gave the rights to the Star Wars Universe to one real MMO at a time. So SWG had to have it's plug pulled. Thus SWTOR is the only Star Wars MMO standing by virtue of a newer more lucrative pay out to Lucas. Not because it was a better game.

    But in the end it is very disappointing because this game was supposed to be multiple sequels to the KOTOR series, and just doesn't even come close to being half as fun or have the replayability of the single player and much older KOTOR series of games.

    Though I have to rate the game fairly. And as an MMO it is average at best. And that is in the very run of the mill World of Warcraft rip off theme park MMO's category. Which makes it very generic. Honestly the game had huge potential, but ended up being just another face in the crowd, of what most consider failed MMO's. Forced into the niche and free 2 play market, way before it's time. Because EA didn't even come close to delivering the KOTOR MMO in a Star Wars universe they promised.    … 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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