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. Jybwee
    Jan 11, 2012
    7
    The story/voice acting are really what stand out in this game and what got me hooked. The rest is a different flavor but as usual is still ice cream as with most mmos. I don't really view that as a negative but it's not a plus. I have also noticed alot of people saying it feels like a single player game, i think the biggest cause of this is the companion system. For me, playing my healerThe story/voice acting are really what stand out in this game and what got me hooked. The rest is a different flavor but as usual is still ice cream as with most mmos. I don't really view that as a negative but it's not a plus. I have also noticed alot of people saying it feels like a single player game, i think the biggest cause of this is the companion system. For me, playing my healer type character, they give me a tank companion as my first companion and make it unnecessary to group for most of the content. On that note - it IS an mmo and you have to talk/group to really get the full experience so i feel it's more the players fault for not being social. I like to view the companion system as an alternative if you like to play alone.

    End game content doesn't offer as much as i would like, slightly less than other mmos have when they first comes out. That being said i think i'll stick with it and look forward to what else they give us with updates/expansions.

    Another thing i'd like to touch on is the character creation. It is incredibly lacking when looked at in relation to most other recent mmo releases. Part of my love for mmos and why i stick with games for years come from me getting attached to my character and when i look too much like everyone else it loses it's appeal. Now one thing it does have going for it is the skill trees - i would like to see a little work done on them in the future, but there is a ton of variety atm. So if on the surface your character doesn't look all too unique, he can be totally unique in the skills/abilities he has.    … Expand
  2. R4d1k4lm4n
    Jan 11, 2012
    7
    Finally an online game that does the Star Wars universe justice! Unlike other mmos that I have played this has got to be the most engaging game out of them all, the effort Bioware has put into the voice acting and story is simply fantastic! I was also pleased that the game is not a complete grind fest like past games I have played and as a result I can casually quest without having to killFinally an online game that does the Star Wars universe justice! Unlike other mmos that I have played this has got to be the most engaging game out of them all, the effort Bioware has put into the voice acting and story is simply fantastic! I was also pleased that the game is not a complete grind fest like past games I have played and as a result I can casually quest without having to kill millions upon millions of enemies to level up (this always put me off continuing my subscription with other games).

    The first flashpoint (The Black Talon) that I played was absolutely amazing, I couldn't believe how good it was being thrown head first into this frantic mission with three other eager comrades being met fierce battles and frequent group conversations, I actually had shivers down my spine the entire time. Once I completed this I was completely sold by the game.

    However as with any newly release mmo it is certainly not perfect. The first issue that I encountered (a personal opinion) was the simplistic character creation process. I thought that this was pretty shocking as I knew that there would be very little differences with my character and other players of the same class and low and behold I was right! What were you thinking Bioware? I just think it would be awesome to be able to run around and see lots of crazy looking toons running around the planets. PVP is also in dire need of some TLC as there are no level brackets and the ability delays do prove pretty annoying when you are trying to play at a competitive level. However I'm sure that this will be addressed in later patches so I can cope with this for the time being. As a result of there being no level brackets I've been forced to wait until I reach level 50 before I can start PVPing because at the moment if you're not 50, the 50's you are playing against will completely destroy you! Another issue that I personally have been having problems with is the fact that it can sometimes be rather difficult trying to find members to form a group for Heroic quests, while not impossible it can take a while. I think this will sort itself out eventually when Bioware removes the server instances so all players play in the same one *fingers crossed*.

    While these issues are rather annoying they still aren't enough to prevent me from continuing on with the game. If you're still on the fence about whether to buy it or not I say go for, it's still in its early stages and it's only going to get even better with time!    … Expand
  3. banz
    Jan 12, 2012
    7
    WoW with lightsabres... hard to not like that. Sure, we all had higher expectations, but it's a good game. I, for one, wanted a Dark Forces II, meets KoTOR, meets Wing Commander: Privateer, meets Battlefield 2... but I ask a lot, apparently. (Imagine huge BF2 style pvp maps with AT-ATs, jedi and speeders... ya... quite the immagination... but I digress.) I'm enjoying the story lines ofWoW with lightsabres... hard to not like that. Sure, we all had higher expectations, but it's a good game. I, for one, wanted a Dark Forces II, meets KoTOR, meets Wing Commander: Privateer, meets Battlefield 2... but I ask a lot, apparently. (Imagine huge BF2 style pvp maps with AT-ATs, jedi and speeders... ya... quite the immagination... but I digress.) I'm enjoying the story lines of the different characters, and the voice acting is pretty darned good. It's fun, but I doubt I'll be hooked like I was on WoW (for years).… Expand
  4. Oreus
    Jan 13, 2012
    7
    Where to begin. The game, in concept, is great but there are many problems that Bioware either has not or can not be bothered to address. One of the first is the fact that they blatently lied to us with the Collector's Editon in game items. We were promised a pet, "Training Droid (Virtual Pet)
    A small but advanced training droid to hover at your side for combat assistance." What did we    Where to begin. The game, in concept, is great but there are many problems that Bioware either has not or can not be bothered to address. One of the first is the fact that they blatently lied to us with the Collector's Editon in game items. We were promised a pet, "Training Droid (Virtual Pet)
    A small but advanced training droid to hover at your side for combat assistance." What did we get instead? A useless piece of garbage that IS NOT A PET, it comes out and circles an enemy for a min or two and then disappears. WTF??!! Bioware has not commented on this. They went with the piece of garbage called Hero Engine. This antiquated gaming engine creates games that are competely instanced. Now the game feels dead because, unlike in WOW or Rift, you can see other ppl around you, in this game, you're basically in a deadzone working on a quest with no one around... You want Customer Support (CS) - I hope you know how to pray... it is basically non-existant and when someone does answer - either they have absolutely NO CLUE about the game or can barely but a coherent sentence together in English. If you think I'm exaggerating as to how poor to atrocious the CS really is, please refer to the following threads:

    http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?t=86614
    http://www.swtor.com/community/showt...27#post1023327
    http://www.swtor.com/community/showt...08#post1022308

    Don't get me wrong, I love the game itself but I think that ever since the "Kiss of Death" (EA [Electronic Arts]) bought Bioware, it's been downhill ever since.    … Expand
  5. Fireturnip
    Jan 14, 2012
    7
    Coming from 6 years of WoW (but no other MMO experience) as a moderate PVE player (heroic bosses but not complete heroic raids in WoW, no arena or serious PvP outside of vanilla), I have enjoyed my time in SWTOR so far. Leveling is much better than WoW, the voice work is fantastic and really tells the story well. It's nice to know why I'm killing a bad guy for a change (still have noComing from 6 years of WoW (but no other MMO experience) as a moderate PVE player (heroic bosses but not complete heroic raids in WoW, no arena or serious PvP outside of vanilla), I have enjoyed my time in SWTOR so far. Leveling is much better than WoW, the voice work is fantastic and really tells the story well. It's nice to know why I'm killing a bad guy for a change (still have no idea what Illidan ever did to me....). On hitting 50 (max level), I wanted to see another characters story arc, rather than strengthen my character; when I finished leveling in WoW, I was sick of leveling. The stories and voice work are the really strong points; if these points, or Star Wars itself, aren't particularly interesting to you, you aren't going to enjoy this game. If you love arena in WoW, it doesn't exist in SWTOR.

    There are quite a few comments regarding PvP imbalance. Just like every other game ever with PvP. The warzones are similar to battlegrounds in WoW, and they seem fine to me. One major benefit is that there is a warzone type which accommodates battles against the same faction, which really helps queue times.

    The flashpoints (think instances) are fine, nothing special. Bosses are generally a little simple in mechanics, but nothing terrible. Haven't tried the raids.

    I really feel that this is a good starting point, and it depends where they go with it from here. WoW certainly is more polished, but content has generally been in decline (honestly, we got 2.5 tiers of raiding in the whole of Cata....Firelands was too small to be a whole tier). If content keeps up in SWTOR, and they keep polishing, then it will really be a valid WoW killer. At the end of the day, as long as they are constantly working to make the game better, and they keep content coming out often enough that I'm not bored, I don't see me going back to WoW.

    There are a few things I'm worried about. The game takes surprisingly good hardware to run well (Tom's Hardware did a review in Beta which covered this well); this means for me that I have very long load screens, but nothing I can't accept. However, if this means that people with new computers that don't have at least mid range discrete graphics can't play properly, that could have an impact on subs, which of course effects the whole player base. Also, the crew skills (crafting system) and GTN (AH) are bad. Just bad. Removing the requirement that I sit and watch my toon craft is a plus, but it doesn't make the system fun. Presently, I see no real reason to craft at all (unless you enjoy crafting in and of itself). You can easily do without the small advantages that crafting gives you while leveling, and you aren't going to get rich crafting (you will actually get quite poor). The GTN is a big part of this, but both systems are lacking; having said that, I'm not sure how much most players will mind, I'm looking at this from the perspective of someone who hit the gold cap in both WoTLK and Cata.    … Expand
  6. rexob85
    Jan 24, 2012
    7
    Let me preface by giving my experience playing MMOs - City of Heroes, Earth and Beyond, Star Wars Galaxies, Age of Conan, Warhammer Online, Champions Online, World of Warcraft, Everquest - I have a minimum of 10yrs playing the genre and have a firm understanding of what really works and what doesn't. I have a lv46 Bounty Hunter playing on a PvP server in SWTOR and these are my findings.Let me preface by giving my experience playing MMOs - City of Heroes, Earth and Beyond, Star Wars Galaxies, Age of Conan, Warhammer Online, Champions Online, World of Warcraft, Everquest - I have a minimum of 10yrs playing the genre and have a firm understanding of what really works and what doesn't. I have a lv46 Bounty Hunter playing on a PvP server in SWTOR and these are my findings.

    Overall, this game has a lot of potential and a very good initial effort by Bioware. However, there are glaring basic MMO issues that longtime veterans of MMOs will quickly notice. The single player experience attempts to create a rich story, and while the voice acting is nice, the consequences never seem as real or truly immerse a player into the universe the game attempts to create. Character creation is solid and each class feels unique. One of the biggest issues I have is the game feels "empty"; playing on a "standard" pvp server I rarely encounter opposing forces, furthermore I rarely encounter my own forces. The voice acting is among the greatest strength of the game. However, I cannot say the same for all of the writing, it becomes apparent this was a huge undertaking and the writing starts to feel dull and recycled as progressing through content. Graphically, the game looks pleasing with the stylized realism. However, the game has FPS issues, even on the solid gaming machines, and the game failed to launch with the high resolution settings included during the beta.

    Bioware is responsive to the shortcomings of the game and various issues. However, some of the missed basics of MMOs is disappointing. The Global Trade Network (auction house) is horrible, the searching and options are limiting and cumbersome. The UI is static and unchangeable; while this is not a huge drawback, the default settings are not ideal. MMOs traditionally place the party frames in the upper/mid left side of the game - not the lower left. In addition the chat box is in the upper left-hand corner which is quite unorthodox from traditional layouts. I am not suggesting every MMO copy and paste layouts, but there are certain expectations and proven designs that do work.

    Loading times are sorely disappointing and borderline aggravating. In addition there are pointless time sinks traveling from one location to another, a common example to leave a planet - board a transport, ride an elevator, enter an airlock & board your ship, finally select a new destination which then repeats the process in reverse when arriving. Crafting in the game provides few unique bonuses, and no real benefits aside from Biochem currently. However, unique crafting systems are rarely in place at launch of most games, and this is not a bad foundation for later updates.

    The PvP is not horrible, but far from ideal. Both sides can partake in "battlegrounds" simliar to Arathi Basin and Strands of the Ancients from WoW. Then the Empire has Huttball, which has a very steep learning curve for newcomers and the zone itself creates significant imbalances among the classes. The Republic has its own "battleground" too, but I have not participated in it. The PvP can be fun, but on servers with greatly imbalanced populations between the sides, you play your sides "battleground" the vast majority of the time and it gets old very quickly. Leveling throughout the game remains constant once hitting level 20. I did not experience a significant slow-down at any point and I leveled as a healer at all times. Stay focused on the missions (quests) and each level seems to average 150minutes, sometimes more or less depending on what is accomplished.

    Overall presentation is very nice when you can get it to run properly and smoothly...the sound is perfect and Bioware did not miss anything there. However, the constant sound of lightsabers and blaster fire does get old after the initial awe fades away.

    The game offers a lot of potential, but some glaring basic gameplay issues sorely stick out to longtime MMO veterans. Longtime Star Wars fans will greatly enjoy the game and universe though with familiar settings - Tatooine, Hoth, Correlia. Overall, SWTOR has a solid foundation to build upon. The speed and execution of the next few months will undoubtedly set the tone for the game's future. Personally, I do not recommend the game to anyone looking for a fun MMO with a strong community, I typically feel very alone in the game. However, if you really enjoy the Star Wars universe this game is for you.    … Expand
  7. WeekendGamer33
    Jan 30, 2012
    7
    My MMO experience; I played WoW for about a week when it first came out, ditto for Everquest (though a bit later to that party). In both cases I gave up because they felt like huge time-sucks with no substance, but I love RPGs (like KOTOR) and I grew up wearing Star Wars underoos. I played a Powertech to level 50 (max) in SWTOR and enjoyed almost every minute of it. The dialog-driven playMy MMO experience; I played WoW for about a week when it first came out, ditto for Everquest (though a bit later to that party). In both cases I gave up because they felt like huge time-sucks with no substance, but I love RPGs (like KOTOR) and I grew up wearing Star Wars underoos. I played a Powertech to level 50 (max) in SWTOR and enjoyed almost every minute of it. The dialog-driven play feels like an RPG, but the game world feels expansive. It's also beautiful; I often scroll the camera around while on a speeder just to see the details in the sky/horizon. Space combat is nice a break between planet-based play, which can devolve into button-mashing. The thing about SWTOR--and the reason it is so polarizing--is that it isn't built around group-play, guilds, raids, and buzzing mom on the intercom to bring down more hot pockets and a bedpan during a twelve-hour proxy for a social life.

    I leveled without doing any flashpoints, minimal heroic (group) quests, and no PVP because I'm a grown-up with a busy schedule and tend to play on Sunday mornings (often with single-digits of other players on a particular planet). But SWTOR doesn't force me to play at 11PM on Saturday, when my server is jammed; sure, I wouldn't mind doing more group-based stuff, and I'm sure the Sunday morning population will pick up as the game matures, but at least having to solo everything wasn't a bottleneck. And by the end, I felt that my little toon had a personality, and a history; he is different than all the other Powertechs in the universe.

    Now, at level 50, I spend much more time crafting and trying to earn credits on the Galactic Trade Network; here you can really see the dynamics of a new MMO. Every weekend some commodity shoots way up or crashes; for a while I was the only one making a few purple-quality mods, and I could make a killing. Then, one day, there were dozens of others and I couldn't sell at a profit, so I had to reverse-engineer my way to a different purple, and so-on. If you then head to the forums, it is a non-stop complain-fest about how "broken" the economy is because something fell in price or because a commodity became extra-rare--but that is what makes a market-based economy dynamic and fun! On the other hand, I won't pay a monthly fee just to make fake money in a virtual commodities market; this is where the lack of facile group-play does start to become a bottleneck.

    The big question, and the reason I rated this game a 7, is what happens next? What do I do with my little Powertech after he has the fast speeder and all his bling? I suspect the answer is that Bioware will continue to patch and expand the game to give me something to do, and to keep the server population increasing so that I can find others to do group quests with. In the end, that will determine whether or not I extend my subscription. But when you read all the complaints and negative reviews ask two questions: 1) Does the complaint boil down to "I want a game that is just like WoW, but way better, and nothing at all like WoW" and 2) Does the negative review criticize anything that cannot be changed in the future by patches and/or an increasing user base. And then ask yourself if you think Bioware employs stupid people that don't know how to listen to customer feedback and that are incapable of evolving SWTOR into a really great experience and attracting more users. (Also note that 99% of people claiming that you will be banned for X are not basing that opinion on verifiable facts.)

    This is, by definition, a dynamic game that will evolve and wax and wane in popularity; if you enjoy the Star Wars universe, dialog-driven questing, predicting mandalorian iron futures, and occasional group-play, then SWTOR will be fun. If you want "WoW, but not WoW" then go eat some mushrooms and play WoW.    … Expand
  8. btowtow
    Mar 7, 2012
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I do overall like this game and could come to love it and find while this game has some flaws e.g. the lack of major end game content, some serious bugs, some class imbalances and too many servers being drafted in too quickly that need to be quickly for this game to realise its full potential the game remains true to what bioware said it would be , a mmmorpg with heavily involved story and they have however this may not be to some peoples tastes and that is ok as for some just want to get on levelling the character that they have made with the array of different and interesting companions . However for those that choose to step back and analyse the game fully the story element is very good with 8 differentiating class quests that weave through some famous and not so famous planets. The quests on those planets that everybody has access to are reasonably good with some interesting variations but in some places becoming too grind like however for the overall majority that is not the case. PVP people are very divided about this and once again it comes down to personal preference but if you enjoy being able to go in the wow way with brackets then you will be disappointed the bracket only encompasses level 50's. However in 10-49 this does add a level of competition and there is a reasonable level of fairness which people at higher levels do not like their characters at level 49 being killed by a level 10. Also the pvp maps are similar of that to wow which is not particularly surprising as they came out with videos about it months before launch. Instances when you get in them are very good with some nice star wars music , wit and smooth combat mechanics ( well now smooth with decreased ability delay) and the added story lines making them feel more epic not just like large group quests as well as having some nice graphical features like the asteroid launcher in Hammer station and if you stop and look at it properly you will see they have not just spent all the money on voice acting which seems to be the belief from many low scoring reviews. Graphics are good but again personal taste in the type of graphics you want making a difference with some uncalled for reactions about the stylised realism that relates to the kotor days which I like. The sound features and music are also excellent and really take you into the universe. This immersion aspect has been bashed beyond belief and im not sure why because having been in wow and lotro this is the first time i have been able to want to see what happens to my character and this keeps you playing. Endgame not good but not a game breaker as I can make new chars with the 8 class stories and two factions on different planets and quest lines. The endgame raids are extremely difficult to get people for and loot bugs and boss bugs to provide frustration this then needs to be fixed and hopefully new endgame content in 1.2 will provide more entertainment but people seem to put reviews out based solely on endgame which is only one of the features you need to consider. Guild features are severely lacking and inhibit the feeling of community which you need but is apparent elsewhere throughout with the large numbers of group quests which you can mostly get a group for. I hope that this game realises its full potential and moves from a good game to a great game and with high profile releases such as Tera and GW2 coming out . Also I hope that people will give this game some time and seemingly trying to put off people by over exaggerating and that also goes both ways for those who give it 10's as it is not the best game ever but with time it could be. I just hope the unjustified level of vitriol and praise will dies down with a lot of low + high reviews at this early stage to allow the game to develop… Expand
  9. NinjaCrow
    Mar 7, 2012
    7
    I'll keep this short, the story is perhaps the strongest point in this game however it is let down by the MMO aspect. I find that as stand alone stories go this is up there with it's engaging and interesting story lines. For instance the Bounty Hunter is a separate and interesting campaign to say the Sith Inquisitor. While I have found no real overlaps in terms of one classes campaign evenI'll keep this short, the story is perhaps the strongest point in this game however it is let down by the MMO aspect. I find that as stand alone stories go this is up there with it's engaging and interesting story lines. For instance the Bounty Hunter is a separate and interesting campaign to say the Sith Inquisitor. While I have found no real overlaps in terms of one classes campaign even being referenced in the other campaign which is a shame since the stories overlapping would have provided a reason to find out how they got there and what they would be doing after they departed. All in all, it's a solid game with a great story. Shame that the MMO aspect just about ruined the experience because you don't feel as if your getting stronger in the world, just that the world is growing stronger with you. However I suppose you would have to keep some check on the powers as to not to break the game. Graphics are dated, however for a MMO this is expected because of the approach that everyone should be able to play this game and not have their experience diminished as a result of poor frame rate or glitching.… Expand
  10. WJS6495
    Mar 9, 2012
    7
    Pros: SWTOR is a very fun and refreshing look from other MMO's. Huge game for a launch mmo, nice graphics, the largest voice-over in mmo history, space ship missions, refreshingly different PvP zones and LIGHTSABERS!! Cons: feels like a single player mmo, still some bugs that need to be ironed out, needs more social tools like flashpoint finder and heroic mission finder.
  11. Khalisto
    Mar 10, 2012
    7
    The game is good till you reach top level, then it dies...the game will be better if it had a Looking For Group feature which it doesn't and also I wish it had Dual Spec then I would have given it a 9.
  12. MrDaikon
    Apr 28, 2012
    7
    ... This is a product of a developer that is experienced in making RPG but not a MMO. The class quests are good with some Bio ware "good" and "Bad" decisions but as a MMO is broken. PVP gets repetitive real soon and there just isn't enough end game content. The classes aren't balanced and play style is either DPS or Healing. 1.2 patch didn't help the game one bit. Ultra Ugly armor... This is a product of a developer that is experienced in making RPG but not a MMO. The class quests are good with some Bio ware "good" and "Bad" decisions but as a MMO is broken. PVP gets repetitive real soon and there just isn't enough end game content. The classes aren't balanced and play style is either DPS or Healing. 1.2 patch didn't help the game one bit. Ultra Ugly armor were added. If you like the SW universe, roll some characters and play the class mission. If you spend to spend the next 5 year on an MMO, SWTOR isn't the best choice.… Expand
  13. BeatHour
    Jul 7, 2013
    7
    I reviewed this in 2011, but now I'll review it again.

    This game is a prison. Its somewhat addictive, but not enough to keep me away for whole weeks while still subscribing. Before they did the server swaps, the game was a ghost town. Now the servers have pops akin to what a medium pop on the old 50+ server system had. The main character storyline is good most of the time, and your    I reviewed this in 2011, but now I'll review it again.

    This game is a prison. Its somewhat addictive, but not enough to keep me away for whole weeks while still subscribing. Before they did the server swaps, the game was a ghost town. Now the servers have pops akin to what a medium pop on the old 50+ server system had.

    The main character storyline is good most of the time, and your choices do mean something. But the main story is too few and far between. The planet stories can be okay, but more often than not its bad. Sometimes, like Imperial Taris, its a sort of "anything you can do I can do better" sort of thing, which was really lame. The side quests can be cool, but usually set you up for some disappointment. The companion stories are all usually very cool, but a lot of content was seemingly cut and you can not go on their adventures. Its always a matter of "I have to do this alone."

    The main story is the only thing I find enjoyable about the game, and yet one must wade through tons of sub-par content to get there. This makes the game a massive time sink. The developers intentionally forced people who enjoy a standard fair game to play with MMO diehards, WoW 'heretics' who wanted something better.

    I do play MMOs, too, and have gotten to endgame PvE in WoW a few times (though I tend to prefer PvP), but this was much the same monotony from WoW. This is really EA's fault for allowing the rebel WoW community to dictate how the game was made, and yet the WoW crowd wanted something better instead of a carbon copy.

    The game was better in Beta. None of the beta testers were complaining as far as I saw. The game was significantly difficult, yet people enjoyed the pace of progress. We had some disappointments, like design story decisions on the planet Taris. And then right before the game released, they changed how PvE worked. No longer hard and few fights, but lots of boring ones. Endless trash mobs instead of stuff that was fun to fight. The game changed from being a hero to being a jogger, trying to get through areas as fast as possible.

    Anyway, the game is now a smoldering ruin. The cash shop model is very bad, especially the unfairly priced stuff like 'pvp tickets'. The game may be worth $20 for the game and a free month, just to see one storyline (which you may accomplish if you're dedicated). The game is boring and repetitive after your first through playthroughs, but it has its moments.

    PvP is good if you're in to that, but most people aren't and utterly stink at it. The 50+ stuff is extremely gear based, which defeats all semblance of fun for anyone not geared out.

    Haven't played the newest stuff, but before the expansion, the endgame content was severely lacking. Raids were short but too hard for the average player, flashpoints use the same tilesets from the earlier flashpoints (its like they assumed nobody would play the earlier ones).

    All in all, the game seems like it might have changed direction in developement, and certainly did after its initial financial crisis.    … Expand
  14. Rugi
    Dec 4, 2012
    7
    Ok, it's been a year since release and the free to play patch is out. Time for a new review! Let my start by saying that this is NOT KOTOR. The writing is better than your standard MMO, but they are a little below the quality of our favorite Star Wars RPG franchise. The stories for each class are very entertaining in their own right. Don't listen when people tell you that the Agent is theOk, it's been a year since release and the free to play patch is out. Time for a new review! Let my start by saying that this is NOT KOTOR. The writing is better than your standard MMO, but they are a little below the quality of our favorite Star Wars RPG franchise. The stories for each class are very entertaining in their own right. Don't listen when people tell you that the Agent is the best story in the game or that the Consular story is a snoozefest. It's all opinion and different people will enjoy different things. Now on to gameplay. You're probably going to what a mid range machine to get enjoyment out of this game. I run 8GB of DDR2 RAM with a dual core CPU and a GTX 620 graphics card. A tad dated but I can run most settings on high. Except for shadows. I turn shadows off on every MMO I play simply because it is such a huge drain on processes and disabling them gives a massive performance boost. The enviroments which you will be running around in are very detailed and fun to look at. Except Tattoine. That place is mostly sand, so not much going on there. ToR goes for a more realistic look compared to MMO's such as WoW which are more cartoony. Persoanlly I prefer the realistic style, but your mileage may vary. Speeder training has been brought down to level 15 and makes running around between misssions so much faster. This was a complaint brought up by players as it used to be level 25, 10 levels after you get your starship. Doesn't make much sense, huh? Well, BioWare listened! There is also the Legacy system now. Through this system you can purchase character specific perks such as XP boosts as well as unlock things for all of your characters account wide. For the roleplayers you can also assemble your various characters that you have made into a family tree within your legacy. Now your Sith Warrior can have that Jedi son he's always wanted! There are also bind to legacy items now, so once you get a character to 50 you can gear out your next ones so that they fly through the beginning content. End game there is PvP, daily missions, and Operations (better known as Raids to the WoW crowd) so you will always have something to do once you reach the level cap. All in all the game is solid, but not perfect. If you want an MMO with voice acting, great story, and solid gameplay then give The Old Republic a shot!… Expand
  15. kane148
    Dec 13, 2012
    7
    I went into this game with very high expectations but was significantly let down. It's not a bad game, and in fact I would call it a good game, but it has some serious issues which bring it down a lot. There were numerous features lacking or underdeveloped such as auction sorting, group matching, and chat options. These oversights are inexcusable in my opinion, because they have long beenI went into this game with very high expectations but was significantly let down. It's not a bad game, and in fact I would call it a good game, but it has some serious issues which bring it down a lot. There were numerous features lacking or underdeveloped such as auction sorting, group matching, and chat options. These oversights are inexcusable in my opinion, because they have long been implemented in other MMOs, especially WoW, and since SW:TOR seems to copy so much else from that game, they should have done a little more stealing and at least had a decent auction house and chat system. On top of that, the character creation is pretty lousy with very few customization options for an MMO--especially if you don't want your character to look silly. I did however like that the racial bonuses are pretty much just cosmetic, so you don't have to choose between the race with the best stats and the one you want to play for aesthetic or role-play reasons. Where the game really shines is in its fully-voiced quest dialogue and relatively-strong storylines, which do a decent job of making your actions seem significant. However this becomes time-consuming after awhile--especially when you are re-running instances or playing a second character--and I felt that, in the end, Bioware had not done such a good job of blending their signature singleplayer RPG dialogue/story with the demands of an MMO. I played for a couple months and then quit, having already leveled 2 characters and gotten bored. Hopefully it has improved a lot since then, but even as a big Star Wars and Bioware fan, I don't miss it enough to give it a second try.… Expand
  16. hakblood
    Oct 11, 2012
    7
    Fun game from 1-50 with interesting stories and voice acting, game is hindered by a terrible game engine / design and get boring very quickly at max level. I found it was more fun to level a new toon to max rather than grind the same old same old everyday at end game. After lvling 3 toons to max and beating all the raids i moved on with the intent of returning later, but to be honest theFun game from 1-50 with interesting stories and voice acting, game is hindered by a terrible game engine / design and get boring very quickly at max level. I found it was more fun to level a new toon to max rather than grind the same old same old everyday at end game. After lvling 3 toons to max and beating all the raids i moved on with the intent of returning later, but to be honest the game engine is so bad, i doubt i will ever return now that my sub has lapsed. I did enjoy the time i played it however, just done with it now.… Expand
  17. Zackis
    Dec 19, 2012
    7
    F2P review. much more polished than the original release. Pro: More people on the world to interact with, new content seems consistent,PvP keeps getting added war zones, fully customizable gear and clothes. Con: after the end of you story line it becomes a gear grind, not a ton of end game content. Still worth a look as it is free.
  18. BalicanBreeze
    Jan 20, 2013
    7
    The game was pretty fun when it was first released, albeit a bit too similar to wow in how combat worked. The space combat was really disappointed, and dwarfed by SWG that's a lot older. The questing is fun on your first chars, but having to redo the same quests on alts is very boring. They dropped the ball on this game, it could have been awesome. I still recommend playing it onceThe game was pretty fun when it was first released, albeit a bit too similar to wow in how combat worked. The space combat was really disappointed, and dwarfed by SWG that's a lot older. The questing is fun on your first chars, but having to redo the same quests on alts is very boring. They dropped the ball on this game, it could have been awesome. I still recommend playing it once since it's gone free to play.… Expand
  19. Bmane
    Sep 29, 2016
    7
    A fantastic mmo experience, especially if you love narrative story telling. While the narrative here isn't on the same level as the Knights of the Old Republic or Mass Effect, it is on a far higher level than any other MMO currently in existence. It's also enjoyable to take part in if your co-opting with your friends, being able to participate in conversations with other players isA fantastic mmo experience, especially if you love narrative story telling. While the narrative here isn't on the same level as the Knights of the Old Republic or Mass Effect, it is on a far higher level than any other MMO currently in existence. It's also enjoyable to take part in if your co-opting with your friends, being able to participate in conversations with other players is certainly innovative. But... it's not perfect, and there are several parts of the game that leave me scratching my head, such as certain quest giving npcs which are solo/same class only, meaning your friends can't take part in the dialogue.

    I play this as a Free-to-Play game, I'm not a subscriber. As a Free-to-Play game the restrictions are not heavy, if anything they are rather generous, with the max level you can reach being 50 for F2P (60 for subs). But perhaps the most criminal aspect of this game is their support for F2P players. There is no support for guys like me, even ones with preferred status (something you get when you buy off the market). I have never known a game to completely shut off any customer support to F2P players, and not just that, but to do it to even preferred status players. It's a complete joke and the only reason why I'm not giving this an 8. Bioware is not exactly known for its stellar support, nor is EA, but they've gone too far this time. Your pretty much screwed if you run into a bug, a technical issue or even have trouble logging in (something I've had).    … Expand
  20. mijxero
    Feb 8, 2017
    7
    The questing is excellently voice acted and the story is actually quite good. I think it plays pretty good as an MMO, but it still gets weighed down by the MMO style combat and running back and forth. I mean as an MMO I would give it a middle of the road 5, but its voice acting, story, and atmosphere really boosts it up. Activated for one month and enjoyed my time, just don't feel likeThe questing is excellently voice acted and the story is actually quite good. I think it plays pretty good as an MMO, but it still gets weighed down by the MMO style combat and running back and forth. I mean as an MMO I would give it a middle of the road 5, but its voice acting, story, and atmosphere really boosts it up. Activated for one month and enjoyed my time, just don't feel like the endgame stuff is for me.… Expand
  21. orctown-troll
    Oct 20, 2013
    7
    SWTOR is pretty good. Despite that: This game is, was and may forever be, the BIGGEST failure, the BIGGEST disappointment, and the BIGGEST lost opportunity in the history of Game design up to this point. I'm not saying that what we got at publication, or what they have patched it up to now is bad. Its not. the problem with SWTOR is what it could and should have been. What it failed to be.SWTOR is pretty good. Despite that: This game is, was and may forever be, the BIGGEST failure, the BIGGEST disappointment, and the BIGGEST lost opportunity in the history of Game design up to this point. I'm not saying that what we got at publication, or what they have patched it up to now is bad. Its not. the problem with SWTOR is what it could and should have been. What it failed to be. The budget was there but the vision was lacking. For those of us who saw the first Star Wars movie in the cinema back in 1977 This IP was a life changing influence in the same way as Tolkein was in the field of literature. We all know how George Lucas had a gift for failing with Star Wars, for wrecking things, or rubbing the luster off it. But Bioware had a good track record of doing Star Wars well. KOTOR 1 and 2 were great. Mass Effect, though a unique IP showed that the Canadians were capable of great things here. So WTF happened? My guess is they played it way too safe, and tried to copy WOW as closely as possible with a few fatal dashes too many of Bioware's legendary (And in this case diasterous) 'STORYTELLING'.! Hey guys a little advice after the barn has burned down: GAMERS WANT TO WRITE THEIR OWN FACKING STORIES! We don't want to get dragged around like marionettes on strings you pull, or strapped into chairs of the scenic railroads you lay for us! We want to be the heroes of the story in our own terms! SWTOR could have ignored WOW. It could have got a few ideas from EVE and X3, heaps of inspiration from the best of the movies and then a glorious freewheeling sandbox in a galaxy, where you can play any of dozens of races, on dozens of planets explore the galaxy and pursue any numbers of skill sets developing the kind of hero you wanted to be. Luke Skywalker had a thing for droids remember! We could have all been free to develop all sorts of fun non-combat skills for the purposes of ROLE PLAYING. Eventually, after many adventures in many places the players might even have got introduced to the force, or its dark side and found the option to choose to become a Jedi knight or a Sithe warrior. Sadly that was all to 1995 for Bioware. This game offered ZERO EXPLORATION. ZERO meaningful race choice, near ZILCH in character development. Near NOTHING in player choice. You start off affiliated to one of two factions, and well on your way to mastery of skills which in the lore of Star Wars were supposed to be rare and special. Bioware designed a game, and planned for a situation where there would be literally millions of high level Jedi's and Sithe running around! A mad dream that has nothing to do with Star Wars lore. Built without vision, this game fails to impress where it should. It suffers a Bioware malaise: No sense of place. Each area you go to is a sterile set, where you plod about waiting to be cued on a conveyer belt to your next fixed 'plot point'. You don't become a bounty hunter or anything in this game by trial and error, by wandering about and earning the membership rights to a skill set. Instead you make a single choice with character creation that then becomes a RAILROAD OF SUBSEQUENT non choices. Which can also be described, when you think about it (as I so capably do) THE ANTITHESIS OF ROLEPLAYING. What some of the targets of these reviews need to understand is that I was designing games at a professional level at the age of 16, back in 1982. I'm not blowing bubbles out of my arse. The game still scores 6/10 because it has plenty of fun content. You can't burn $300 million without getting nice assets, animations, sincere efforts, good voice acting and a lot of good content, which this game DOES offer. It's pretty well a game everyone should look into when it goes free to play. it may even get patched up enough to earn a green score. I hope so. But it will always be too late. SWTOR cannot now become the masterpiece it should have been. When they set aside the budget for this game, it was a grand chance to be daring and to redefine role playing forever. What we got instead was a boring version of WOW in space. Lost in Space, where is that robot waving its arms crying "warning, warning"? TOO LATE.

    Orctowngrot    … Expand
  22. Neravarine
    Nov 17, 2015
    7
    If we look it just as a video game, now in 2015 its a good video game, but its not a good mmo. Let me explain: swtor is probably one of the best "video games" of all mmorpg games, but its not good mmo game at all, coz of multiple reasons: Its free to play game in which you have to subscribe in order to do anything, Do not advertise it as a f2p if its p2p, Its content is a bit simple, veryIf we look it just as a video game, now in 2015 its a good video game, but its not a good mmo. Let me explain: swtor is probably one of the best "video games" of all mmorpg games, but its not good mmo game at all, coz of multiple reasons: Its free to play game in which you have to subscribe in order to do anything, Do not advertise it as a f2p if its p2p, Its content is a bit simple, very interesting but still simple, and every single thing in the game is made primary for EA to make money on and not for players to enjoy. PvP is a lot of fun, but I do not think that they ever cared about balance in this game, well I understand, it takes a lot of money to research a proper balance and EA being EA did not see it as a priority to spend money on. As for PvE content its fun, it makes you feel like you are playing single player or co-op game.

    Now its not all that bad, if you want to pay for sub in free to play game, and then pay again for cartel coins:
    It has awesome storyline for every class, and additional storyline for every planet and expansion, it has Starfighter PvP and Starship PvE, those Flashpoints(Dungeons) are real fun and character customization is nice, even if 70% things ingame are cosmetic.    … Expand
  23. Dragon_Fly
    Jul 17, 2014
    7
    This is a great game, however it has come to my attention that ever since it has become "Free to Play" it has been plagued with idiots who just can not comprehend how to play together as a team. It is so bad that the Developers made these crazy easy Flashpoints called : "Tactical Flashpoints" that do not require a tank or a healer; all this in order to accommodate the idiots into playingThis is a great game, however it has come to my attention that ever since it has become "Free to Play" it has been plagued with idiots who just can not comprehend how to play together as a team. It is so bad that the Developers made these crazy easy Flashpoints called : "Tactical Flashpoints" that do not require a tank or a healer; all this in order to accommodate the idiots into playing the game with virtually zero tactics. They ruin the atmosphere of the game with their inability to listen and communicate...

    They bring the enjoyment of the game down; it makes one have to abandon flashpoints due to their lack of team play and listening.

    If these are children of the future... I fear for the future... these people will never be able to do anything in life without being told step by step... they have absolutely no sense of creativity or critical thinking skills. Heaven forbid the day they become "voters."

    I like this game but... right now I enjoy playing Fifa 14 on "Legendary" setting more...    … Expand
  24. vexarez
    May 29, 2015
    7
    To me Star Wars: The Old Republic is one of the best Free 2 Play MMORPG´S out there. It has nice graphics, an amazing story and very solid combat and skill systems.
    Only negative aspects to me are boring and sometimes repetitive quests and the advantages a subscriber has in comparison to a free player are too vast, for Instance a "premium" player can have three different crew skills at    To me Star Wars: The Old Republic is one of the best Free 2 Play MMORPG´S out there. It has nice graphics, an amazing story and very solid combat and skill systems.
    Only negative aspects to me are boring and sometimes repetitive quests and the advantages a subscriber has in comparison to a free player are too vast, for Instance a "premium" player can have three different crew skills at the same time, while free players can only have one and that´s just stupid from my point of view !    … Expand
  25. 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
  26. 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.
  27. 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
  28. OldGamer99
    May 2, 2021
    7
    This game is worth is if you love star wars and a respectable RPG story line (some classes are better than others).

    TL;DR: fun enough for someone looking for some star wars action, but well past its prime. By 2021 standards graphics are mediocre with a very poor color scheme which will leave you playing your PCs in every shade of brown, but hey, the movies are pretty much jedi=brown,    This game is worth is if you love star wars and a respectable RPG story line (some classes are better than others).

    TL;DR: fun enough for someone looking for some star wars action, but well past its prime.

    By 2021 standards graphics are mediocre with a very poor color scheme which will leave you playing your PCs in every shade of brown, but hey, the movies are pretty much jedi=brown, sith=black, so it is true to the franchise.

    Aesthethics aside, the game had a far amount of enjoyment, less so for returning players, but very much so for new to the game.

    It's respectable even as creaky and out of date as it is. Hopefully, there will be a decent, up to date successor eventually.    … Expand
  29. Corefitz
    Feb 15, 2020
    7
    Seriously one of the best MMORPGs out there, and can we just take a moment to appriciate that everything is voiced!

    You even get to chose your own moral compass, not at lot of games let you do this these days!

    BUT BUT BUT

    It IS full of EAs slimy microtransactions.
    The game IS from 2012, so it's not the prettiest of games, still really good considering!
  30. Scritty
    Feb 19, 2012
    6
    I love it when others tell me why I don't like a game. "You are a hater" - "You know nothing about MMO's" and the best one "Go back to WoW". I don't hate this game at all. It's ok. It has a very solid combat mechanic and decent graphics. I have no problem with lag (and BTW the word "lag" should be reserved for talking about your internet connection not your GFX hardware's inability toI love it when others tell me why I don't like a game. "You are a hater" - "You know nothing about MMO's" and the best one "Go back to WoW". I don't hate this game at all. It's ok. It has a very solid combat mechanic and decent graphics. I have no problem with lag (and BTW the word "lag" should be reserved for talking about your internet connection not your GFX hardware's inability to render at an appropriate speed..that's just "underpowered" hardware).

    Anywho - I had a pleasant gaming experience for the most part. But the issues are rather big when you've played for 100+ hours. Firstly, while accepting it's a theme park MMO (like WoW and many others) it is very "light" in terms of things to do outside combat. Crafting and harvesting has no real depth. YOu don't even need to risk your own neck to harvest "above your level" just press "N" and send your companion out "Bye - see ya later" He or she will pop back (while you are in the middle of combat normally) and without looking up from what you are doing you will likely press "N" then a number from 1-3 then hear said companion mutter something about "Back later" and that's it. Crafting is exactly the same as harvesting "Off you go companion"....."Oh you're back with........ nothing of any value what-so-ever" Yes you can reverse engineer everything you make (and you should do this) but I am still yet to find a single item or mod worth using ( I craft appropriate to my level - if not a little beyond - I always have any spare companions out gathering or crafting, yet still have found nothing worth using) I've read that maybe I picked the wrong profession..Oh well.

    I LOVE MMO trading. I DO NOT MEAN I indulge in RMT, never had, never will. But to get any fun out of a trade network it needs to be developed a little. SWTOR's is so basic you'd be better off selling anything of value over the trade channel. Even the filters seem not to work very well, All in all, pretty dull and not much extra. Add to this, no secondary professions, no "side goal" quests to get stuff (like a X faction mount or something decorative) and you have a game that relies far to much on combat and combat alone. And after killing your 4000th group of mobs, going through the same rotation over and over and over again gets VERY dull. I would like to just stop and feel obliged to go somewhere to gather materials to make an item I actually need, or to go "asteroid fishing" or see what the items I have in my pack are fetchin X faction..noe of this (and any of the other things that add a little depth to a theme park MMO) are available.

    Perhaps wore than this is rolling Republic on just about any server. Forget multiplay. You're on your own. Well of course you're not totally on your own, but watching guilds evaporate as even the true blue republicans decide to leave to look for a better served server for th republic (which is guesswork) or give up and roll an Imperial (just so they can do the multiplayer content) or in many places, just give up and do something else instead

    The much vaunted story for my class (Jedi Counsellor) is terrible. Planet one. Rescue (ahem - I won't spoil it) protect (ahem)...then what? Go to planet 2 and do the exact same thing...then what..Oh I know, why not go to planet 3 and do the exact same thing..then what ...... It's more like an episode of "Dora the Explorer" than an epic space quest. Again I'm told other quest lines are better - guess I just picked wrong again. SWTOR is a theme park with one ride...Combat..it's a good one, but it's the only one in town.
    I don't hate the game - I give it a 6, if it was a single player game (which while I'm playing it seems to be) iwould probably give it an 8. It probably does have a future, it needs more "stuff to do" and maybe free character migration for those with Republic characters sitting on their own waiting for a groujp that's never going to come. Please Bio give us more than combat. 6 is fair, it's higher than the average score this game has on this site at time of posting, and that probably sums up my feelings. Could be a great game, but needs a lot more content, not just "depth" (i.e more end game content added) but content width as well. More than just combat ...PERLEAAASE    … 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.
    Read full review
  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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