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
Buy Now
Buy on

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. Ruzgfpegk
    Apr 15, 2012
    4
    Story (SP content) : 9/10 (at least, if all are as good as the one I played)
    Immersion : 8/10
    Graphics engine : 7/10 Game balance until 1.2 patch : 5/10 (7 PvE, 4 PvP) Pleasure to play until 1.2 patch : 6/10 Game balance since 1.2 patch : 2/10 (4 PvE, 1 PvP) Pleasure to play since 1.2 patch : 2/10 The balance was broken so much in 1.2 that I kept losing in PvP for hours (playing Republic    Story (SP content) : 9/10 (at least, if all are as good as the one I played)
    Immersion : 8/10
    Graphics engine : 7/10
    Game balance until 1.2 patch : 5/10 (7 PvE, 4 PvP)
    Pleasure to play until 1.2 patch : 6/10
    Game balance since 1.2 patch : 2/10 (4 PvE, 1 PvP)
    Pleasure to play since 1.2 patch : 2/10

    The balance was broken so much in 1.2 that I kept losing in PvP for hours (playing Republic healer).
    I'm part of a guild with more than 100 members and since a few weeks if we get more than 3 people online at the same time it's a celebration, and since 1.2 I'm often alone.
    Quoting the Ancient Aliens narrator, "where did they go?". Now I know.

    Healers (I play one) are useless since 1.2, both for themselves and the other players, even with a massive amount of endurance and with a full heal skill tree.
    What do experienced players say to the healers now? "If you see one of these enemy classes, RUN". Are you SERIOUS? Playing PvP to RUN? Is that how BioWare sees a balanced game?

    I wanted to love this game but BioWare disgusted me from playing.
    As it is, I wouldn't want to touch it again even if it was Free to Play.
    I hope it will get better in the future, but in the meantime I'll just stop playing AND paying.
    Did you already feel like you wasted your time playing for months hoping it would get better? I did.

    I just hope they'll release a patch to let us play in single-player mode with more bots, and with pre-1.2 skill trees, as the game seems to have been designed for this.    … Expand
  2. MaestroVolpe
    Dec 29, 2013
    0
    I've never seen a company take such an amazing game and run it straight into the ground so quickly.

    When the game was purely subscription based it was great. Now it's unplayable. You can't take five steps without running into some cheap attempt at getting the player to buy "Cartel Coins". I'm talking about basic functionality, like hiding your character's helmet. Anything you may have    I've never seen a company take such an amazing game and run it straight into the ground so quickly.

    When the game was purely subscription based it was great. Now it's unplayable. You can't take five steps without running into some cheap attempt at getting the player to buy "Cartel Coins". I'm talking about basic functionality, like hiding your character's helmet. Anything you may have earned beforehand is now held from you and unavailable unless you unlock specifically that one thing with "Cartel Coins"

    Way to kill a great thing, guys.    … Expand
  3. abydos
    Oct 9, 2014
    10
    Best, I love it, Star Wars forever with lot of people.
    I don't agree with the haters. This is a very good game with epic and beautiful story.
    Thank you Bioware
  4. JiggyJoe
    Mar 18, 2012
    6
    The game definitely needs some work, but most new MMOs do when they are launched. It is enjoyable, the RPG like gameplay definitely works well, but as an MMO it definitely plays like another big named game of the same Genre. A bit disapointing, as to you needing to pay $50-$60 for the game, and having to lay down a starting subscription fee of at least $15. The game is not optimizedThe game definitely needs some work, but most new MMOs do when they are launched. It is enjoyable, the RPG like gameplay definitely works well, but as an MMO it definitely plays like another big named game of the same Genre. A bit disapointing, as to you needing to pay $50-$60 for the game, and having to lay down a starting subscription fee of at least $15. The game is not optimized well, so those who have an older computer or gaming rig may need to upgrade to run this game even on Low settings. They're fixing a lot of the issues, but that doesn't take away the fact that it plays to much like other MMOs. Great, but not astounding. Fun, but nothing new. Worth a check out if you're tired of other games, but definitely not worth playing over others.… Expand
  5. Auriell
    Jan 21, 2014
    2
    Played this game for the first six months when it was still subscription based. Decided to take a look today at how things are and it looks like a freaking thai market with all the cartel coins requirements to get your game to actually work as a real game. This game is anything else but free to play. They managed to disgrace this game. When it launched it surely had a chance to grow, nowPlayed this game for the first six months when it was still subscription based. Decided to take a look today at how things are and it looks like a freaking thai market with all the cartel coins requirements to get your game to actually work as a real game. This game is anything else but free to play. They managed to disgrace this game. When it launched it surely had a chance to grow, now its just another company milking its fanatic star wars fanbase. Once again, EA managed to run another of their games into the ground. What a waste.… Expand
  6. Ogr
    Jan 21, 2015
    10
    There are a lot of people who dislike this game because of issues with their PC etc.

    I have to admit that swtor is quite bad programmed... it has high requirements for it's casual graphics. Besides that it has a lot of great things to offer now, the best story ever in a mmorpg, playing in a group is well supported even during the leveling phase (that should be normal, but look at    There are a lot of people who dislike this game because of issues with their PC etc.

    I have to admit that swtor is quite bad programmed... it has high requirements for it's casual graphics.

    Besides that it has a lot of great things to offer now, the best story ever in a mmorpg, playing in a group is well supported even during the leveling phase (that should be normal, but look at teso, wow etc.). Some of the classes belong to the most fun classes of all mmorpg, pvp games are fun, there is a "tie fighter game in swtor" etc.

    I have played most of the popular mmorpg (I started with Ultima Online, DAoC, WoW, AC, AC2, EQ1, EQ2, GW2, Rift, Tera, etc. etc.) and swtor definitely belongs to the best of these. You should of course like RPG's with a story and not just simple grind games.    … Expand
  7. DarthNoxxiouss
    Feb 17, 2016
    4
    I'll start by saying that this game really IS worth playing to finish off a couple class storylines (I highly recommend Sith Inquisitor, Imperial Agent, and Jedi Knight). I've been playing this game since beta back in winter 2011, and I only started to REALLY get bored of it after the Fallen Empire Expansion, which was too bad really, because it looked pretty good on paper.

    Back in the    I'll start by saying that this game really IS worth playing to finish off a couple class storylines (I highly recommend Sith Inquisitor, Imperial Agent, and Jedi Knight). I've been playing this game since beta back in winter 2011, and I only started to REALLY get bored of it after the Fallen Empire Expansion, which was too bad really, because it looked pretty good on paper.

    Back in the day before a couple fairly major changes that other people have listed (crafting, unoriginal new quests, companion changes, and changes to multiplayer content), this game used to really hold my attention because of its original, unique story telling, especially the story quests for each individual character class (8 classes = 8 stories). Endgame content when level cap was 55 was pretty good too if you had a good guild to run with.

    But after 4 years of playing this game, it's time to look for something new.

    Sincerely, bored.    … Expand
  8. Gnoblesse
    May 22, 2016
    1
    The original class stories are worth playing through, but past that the game has a real identity crisis. It doesn't know if it wants to be an MMO or a single player RPG and ends up bad at the first, and somewhat okay at the latter.

    Each expansion has brought less actual story - from 8 stories down to 2 and then to 1. If you haven't played the class stories, it will feel at first like    The original class stories are worth playing through, but past that the game has a real identity crisis. It doesn't know if it wants to be an MMO or a single player RPG and ends up bad at the first, and somewhat okay at the latter.

    Each expansion has brought less actual story - from 8 stories down to 2 and then to 1. If you haven't played the class stories, it will feel at first like "hey, there's a ton of content here." After you've finished those though, there isn't a lot of "there" there.

    Endgame is a mess. If endgame is what you're looking for, look elsewhere.    … Expand
  9. metacrdg
    Jul 3, 2018
    10
    My favorite game ever. So much story, so many characters, an enormous universe, full of adventure. The writers really nailed it. A daring and wonderful project.
  10. LeeVanCleef
    Oct 27, 2015
    10
    One of the best MMO in the market. I guess I am over 1,000 hours of play and I own 8 characters. An awesome story-driven MMO, with PVE and PVP fights. Forget here to find hackers, you can play safe. Now it's also free-to-play. You have play it!!
  11. Slayer_of_2012
    Apr 4, 2013
    10
    This game is just fu**** amazing pal, i'm seriously brotha. This game is perfect i play this when i get sick from the WoW. And man i gotta say in my opnion this game is so epic and perfect can i even describe the feel to play as a Sith and a Bounty Hunter, for example. Made your choices betwen Dark Side/Light Side, Companion approves or desagrement. Flirt, Kill, Torture, PvP, Warzones,This game is just fu**** amazing pal, i'm seriously brotha. This game is perfect i play this when i get sick from the WoW. And man i gotta say in my opnion this game is so epic and perfect can i even describe the feel to play as a Sith and a Bounty Hunter, for example. Made your choices betwen Dark Side/Light Side, Companion approves or desagrement. Flirt, Kill, Torture, PvP, Warzones, Duels, A really nice AI, an amazing balancing, Missions u praticaly just can finish with a group, Social and interactive dialogues from cutscenes with another players. I mean, man this game is epic and perfect, that's it.… Expand
  12. lostsideproject
    Dec 15, 2012
    3
    This game is buggy. Free to play players cannot submit a help ticket. This is a strategy to get subscribers. They let you play until issues inevitably arise, then, the only way to get help is to pay up. Bingo. Another subscriber. When my game kicks me out to windows at the last part of a group instance and I cannot do any other quests because of the order of things being locled up, itThis game is buggy. Free to play players cannot submit a help ticket. This is a strategy to get subscribers. They let you play until issues inevitably arise, then, the only way to get help is to pay up. Bingo. Another subscriber. When my game kicks me out to windows at the last part of a group instance and I cannot do any other quests because of the order of things being locled up, it makes the game unplayable. Get the bottom-line board room execs out of my gaming experience. They are most certainly the main characters in "The Old Republic".… Expand
  13. 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
  14. Pureray
    Feb 8, 2013
    10
    This game is Fun, Massive, and addicting once you get into your story. I'm not enjoying the free to play restrictions that they have since I used to be a paid subscriber. I'm still rating this as a 10 because of all the fun I had during that time, and the quality is wonderful like actually being part of the star wars galexy. Also Their are no quest boxes which is annoying and never readThis game is Fun, Massive, and addicting once you get into your story. I'm not enjoying the free to play restrictions that they have since I used to be a paid subscriber. I'm still rating this as a 10 because of all the fun I had during that time, and the quality is wonderful like actually being part of the star wars galexy. Also Their are no quest boxes which is annoying and never read they actually communicate with you with your own response and decision to make a good or bad choices which makes this game a must get now that its free.… Expand
  15. Wildtaz32
    Aug 27, 2019
    9
    Play it for yourself, I personally think peoples expectations are to high these days when it comes to games "its not addictive enough" and honestly people need to stop throwing that word addictive around so much,if you want something addictive go do drugs lol.
    The stories are really good for the most part, I enjoy the feel of combat, I find I like the pvp in this game more than other mmos    Play it for yourself, I personally think peoples expectations are to high these days when it comes to games "its not addictive enough" and honestly people need to stop throwing that word addictive around so much,if you want something addictive go do drugs lol.
    The stories are really good for the most part, I enjoy the feel of combat, I find I like the pvp in this game more than other mmos I’ve played. Don’t let other peoples opinion determine your own. try it,Besides its Star Wars,and Free To Play.    … Expand
  16. electroRogue
    Mar 8, 2013
    2
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I like this game, yet the restraints placed onto free to play players are immense. The total game killer for me was being limited to 200,00 game currency credits, yet all the things I need'd to "Unlock" my character were well above that :S, so ok you can buy straight from the cartel and not go though the player run economy (GTN) but still the same issue raise's again and again for things not in the cartel and only available though luck of looting or buying on the GTN.

    Other retarded things include skill bar slots you have to unlock via cash, to use all your available skills.
    Only two characters per server reduced XP, reduced gold, less choice in quest awards, only 3 space battles per week instead of infinite, 1/2 the inventory space, no cargo hold space, only so many flash point (special instance) rewards per week, No support only 3 races to choose from, no custom skins for companions, sprint training lagging behind subscribers by 10 lvl's same for speeder training, many more but the total game killer is the 200,000 credit limit. If you think you will subscribe, then may be worth trying, I personally didn't get enough out of it to make it worth losing money every month for. As a dip into game and buy something occasionally direct from the Cartel, would be nice, but too many restrictions on that method.

    The story is a little one dimensional, though nicely scripted with only minor issues in enemies being immune at the wrong time ect, or kills or switch's not activating the next step in the quest. Reasonable voice acting really help set the mood, music is good yet sparse. Planets are confusing, especially Taris with a map from hell I was forever trying to work out 3 dimensions on a 2d mini-map, with no visual clue or arrow system to help point you in the right direction. No voice support for mic which is a bad call for a MMO with PvP.    … Expand
  17. supernaturality
    Mar 14, 2013
    2
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. First of all, I have to congratulate Bioware for giving men very ample buttocks (unlike, for instance, Star Trek Online which doesn't have the ability to make a cute guy). Although sexy backsides are out of place on the uglier guys in the name (and there are plenty), there is plenty of NPC eye candy to go around. However, that brings me to a big problem. Running around massacring cute guys is not my idea of fun. For instance, there's a section of Coruscant where ordinary guys supposedly were given vigilante control. I can't remember the name of them, but it's a very thin plot idea, particularly with the way things are set up. We aren't talking about a small gang here, but a giant sprawling army, spread into little pockets everywhere. The army is equipped in some places with medical guys who are very cute, both in terms of face and body, and it's frankly very sad to be forced to shoot them. In fact, one of them looked exactly like my in-game husband (the Legacy system let me marry my other character), which was not only surreal but offensive. It also makes little sense from a Star Wars morality perspective. I'm supposedly a light side character and I get off on killing vast amounts of people like medical assistants because my character is a "scoundrel"? This isn't Star Wars at all. This is really Massacre Central. The only light and dark morality consists of lame dialogue and lamer plot options. I can't believe so much money was spent to make this game. Shoving big-breasted women at me, one after the other, with flirt options is heavy-handed, too. There is no man-to-man alternative unless you're talking about very limited ghetto options on pay-to-gay Makeb. The inability to run for free players is too punitive, as is the inability to have two function bars visible. It's also lame that you are awarded an item that lets you modify your companion's appearance but can't use it. What kind of game gives people items and says what you were given is completely useless? That's not a reward system. A game developer walks a very fine line between being patronizing to players and motivating them to spend money.

    People say they play the game for the story, but as a gay player, the only thing I'd be interested in at all is finding some romance, and there is none to be had. I got my fill of massacring bored groups of milling creatures and men right away. Plus, even if romance with my companion, Corso, were possible, something would have to be done about his face. Oh, that's right... can't use the customization item that I was rewarded with. It's ironic that the most memorable thing to happen to me in this game was feeling sad when looking down at the fetching body of a medical dude in that Coruscant section. I did not feel like a hero, only a butcher.    … Expand
  18. cidgrad01
    Jan 10, 2014
    6
    SW: TOR is ultimately a disappointment. It’s not going to satisfy the hardcore MMO player and single player gamers are not going to want to continually pay the sub or microtransaction fees the game requires to progress. It was a good attempt at making a hybrid genre RPG but suffers from a few critical failures.

    I’ll admit that I have enjoyed playing this game a great deal and have sunk    SW: TOR is ultimately a disappointment. It’s not going to satisfy the hardcore MMO player and single player gamers are not going to want to continually pay the sub or microtransaction fees the game requires to progress. It was a good attempt at making a hybrid genre RPG but suffers from a few critical failures.

    I’ll admit that I have enjoyed playing this game a great deal and have sunk more hours into it than I care to admit. I played through the stories of five different classes to reach max level and enjoyed them all. If you plan out your characters’ crafting trees, you can have some fun with making your own gear and keep your weapons & armor stocked with strong mods, which makes leveling much less of a grind.

    As someone who mainly prefers single player games, I liked the mix of the MMO elements. I never felt required to group up with other players, but you can reap rewards in tougher areas if you do. I liked the companions, dialogue choices and side missions, as well. If you love Star Wars and the original Old Republic games, you’ll love the narratives for these characters, made all the more interesting by being able to pick light or dark side choices as you play. My Sith Sorcerer, for example, was actually kind of a nice guy.

    PvP was an absolute blast in this game, too. When it first released and they had way too many servers and not enough people, it quickly got terrible due to unbalanced population pools. Once they consolidated the servers, though, it came back better than ever. PvP is where I’d typically gain the bulk of my leveling XP to avoid having to do the same PvE sidequests I’d already done on one or two other characters. I’m surprised to say that it never got old. It was always fun to force leap & stun someone in Huttball right as they were crossing the last fire pit to the goal :)

    Unfortunately, the poorly implemented MMO side catches up before long. For me it is the totally lifeless environments. They are so big and many look nice, yet there is almost nothing to do in them. For example, there is a gigantic casino in one world whose only purpose is for you to visit briefly for a cutscene if your chosen class story requires it. Why not have some sort of gambling system in place to let players win (or lose) in-game currency? Why not have some adaptation of Pazaak, the card game from earlier KOTOR games? And there is no social hub to speak of. There are cantinas and things but again, nothing to do there, so nobody is ever around. What happens is that most people end up congregating around the PvP area in the faction HQ and wandering around in circles or AFKing, waiting for the queue to pop.

    Then there’s the ruthless implementation of the F2P model, which crushed everything I liked about the game. I get that they have to make money but my problem is that if you were an original customer who bought the game and paid sub fees for several months, you get no reward for that. You still have to purchase “cartel coins” to buy an unlock (or pay more sub fees) simply to show your head gear or have more than one quickbar to use, the same as any schlub who DL’d the game for free yesterday. That stings.

    There is a fun game lurking inside SW: TOR, but you have to claw through several layers of frustration & hidden fees to find it. And if you want a "real" MMO, you won't find it here. I have some good memories of time spent playing this game and I would like to play through the remaining stories I didn’t experience yet, but I’m done spending money on it. There are too many other games out there with one-time fees I can play.    … Expand
  19. 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
  20. aatassi
    Jul 31, 2014
    5
    What ruins this game is fight and action. The interface or background during fight is awful. Doesn't matter if you play pve or pvp. Besides that, the cinematic was very nice. Graphics is better when we zoom in. I liked the innovation and different style. A lot of idea. Different from others MMO and WoW. Some people will like this game.

    Good things : story lines, cinematic, graphics    What ruins this game is fight and action. The interface or background during fight is awful. Doesn't matter if you play pve or pvp. Besides that, the cinematic was very nice. Graphics is better when we zoom in. I liked the innovation and different style. A lot of idea. Different from others MMO and WoW. Some people will like this game.

    Good things : story lines, cinematic, graphics (zoom in), sound, no need for classic quests

    less : game play, fight, action, movement, background, skills interface, too mush dialog

    it is free to play now.

    Game play : 4/10 , Graphics 6/10, Background 6/10, Lifetime 6/10, Sound 7/10    … Expand
  21. Zahrada
    Feb 24, 2014
    8
    This game does quite a few things quite well. Story-telling being on of them. It feels friendly and welcoming and it has its own unique style and setting. I spent many hours having loads of fun. I leveled few characters to level 30-40. I was never into end-game content in this game, because it wasn't what I played it for. See this game or as a Mass Effect game with MMO features. That isThis game does quite a few things quite well. Story-telling being on of them. It feels friendly and welcoming and it has its own unique style and setting. I spent many hours having loads of fun. I leveled few characters to level 30-40. I was never into end-game content in this game, because it wasn't what I played it for. See this game or as a Mass Effect game with MMO features. That is what it feels like. And it is not so bad as you may think. Leveling is the real deal here, not the end game content. The story telling is pretty cool too. The MMo formula based on grind is still present, but it is elegantly packed into cut-scenes and dialogue and it is also flexible. Most of the "kill X of Y" quests are optional and are progressed/finished authomatically as you go. I expected more of this MMO. I expected it to be much more open, but it still is a good one.… Expand
  22. babaganush
    Apr 21, 2014
    4
    i liked the game and pre-ordered it like loads of people, i love the missions and quests and story along with each, it gets a 4 mainly for going free to play, for not having that great of PVP, for the houses and space combat being a joke, i like having my ship be my house but that limits me creating the space into something unique, star war galaxies, and rift i could/can buy something andi liked the game and pre-ordered it like loads of people, i love the missions and quests and story along with each, it gets a 4 mainly for going free to play, for not having that great of PVP, for the houses and space combat being a joke, i like having my ship be my house but that limits me creating the space into something unique, star war galaxies, and rift i could/can buy something and make the inside something no one else has, also flying freely through space would have been much better, no those arcade missions which were fun but no where near as fun and free space could have been, if they ever make enough money again and start adding those features, then i will start up my account again and probaly even pay for it again, since i was willing to do so in the 1st place and hate free to play stuff cuz everything is so limited, makes me think they will never add anything awesome to it again. forgot to add i had a level 50 sith sorcerer, so and made 6 other characters, next highest was 30-40 commando, so i played the game plenty before i judged it.… Expand
  23. Panserbjorne39
    Aug 3, 2014
    9
    I've been trying to find a new MMO to play after deciding to leave Star Trek Online. I tried a few other F2Ps and have landed on SWTOR and am not looking back. I'm sorry I hadn't found this game sooner. I remember all the hype surrounding the game when it came out and all the negativity.
    I remember back then not wanting to try it because you could only play as a humanoid character and not    I've been trying to find a new MMO to play after deciding to leave Star Trek Online. I tried a few other F2Ps and have landed on SWTOR and am not looking back. I'm sorry I hadn't found this game sooner. I remember all the hype surrounding the game when it came out and all the negativity.
    I remember back then not wanting to try it because you could only play as a humanoid character and not a wookie, ewok, droid etc. and got turned off by all the stuff I was hearing.
    I still do wish that you could play as some of the iconic non-humanoids from the movies but the quality of the game and the fun I'm having cannot be stated enough. The story is top notch and voice over is so well done. The cut scenes are great and I look forward to the story as it unfolds.
    The game runs very smoothly on my old laptop which was also a pleasant suprise. After playing a few days and getting my character to level 10 I decided to sub for a month. People (leechers and FotM F2Pers) complain about the free to play restrictions but I actually think they're very fair considering the quality of the game and the story it provides. Better than any MMO I've played so far. I was happy to pay the $15.00 to help keep the game going.    … Expand
  24. Donotplayswtor
    Feb 26, 2015
    1
    Do not pay to play this game. Their customer service is horrible and unresponsive. I took a break from the game for a few months and when i returned I couldn't access my account. I called customer service and kept getting people from some kind of outsourcing... I could tell by the way they talked and by the fact that they couldn't even give me information on what was the issue. The firstDo not pay to play this game. Their customer service is horrible and unresponsive. I took a break from the game for a few months and when i returned I couldn't access my account. I called customer service and kept getting people from some kind of outsourcing... I could tell by the way they talked and by the fact that they couldn't even give me information on what was the issue. The first person I talked to even gave me the wrong email address to email about my issue. But after hanging up and recalling 4 times I got someone from the UK and they were at least able to tell me what was the problem and even opened a ticket so "my issue could get resolved sooner." I found out that my account had been banned for gold spamming, apparently someone had compromised my account and used it while I was taking a break. So I've sent them a few emails to 2 different email addresses asking for my account to be unbanned and I have yet to even receive an automated response. I was a regular subscriber for two years straight, and I was there when the game was first released, yet I cant even get a response from their customer care? Take my advice, find a different mmo... there are several out there where their customer service at least cares about their customers. I've had to deal with several MMO's customer services and only ToR has been this bad by far. Blizzard is excellent. The same thing happened to me there, my account got hacked then banned.... it took blizzard 2 days to get my email(they sent an automated reply when i first emailed them) and to unban my account. Not only that, the GM I spoke to actually gave me free game time to apologize for the inconvenience. Now THAT is customer service. DO NOT PLAY THIS GAME. Anyone who cares so little for their customers does not deserve to be paid by them. I hope this game is shut down like City of Heroes was.… Expand
  25. AceOfDymonds
    Apr 23, 2015
    8
    The F2P model is a definitely on the restrictive side, but there is a lot to love about this game for subscribers.

    If you are a fan of story in your video games, this is the single best MMORPG for you in particular. It weaves a strong narrative and compelling characters throughout the leveling experience and into many of the end-game areas and group encounters. Most of the negative    The F2P model is a definitely on the restrictive side, but there is a lot to love about this game for subscribers.

    If you are a fan of story in your video games, this is the single best MMORPG for you in particular. It weaves a strong narrative and compelling characters throughout the leveling experience and into many of the end-game areas and group encounters.

    Most of the negative reviews here come from the state it released in - which had two glaring problems: [1] Not a lot of end-game content (the developers came out and admitted they thought it would take most players months to get to max-level, which they believed would give them time to release most of the end-game content in the first few patches without any harm done... it was almost cute in its naivete), and [2] lack of a group finder and some other 'basic' MMO features. (Some of the negative reviews also came from Star Wars Galaxies fans who are bitter over their Sandbox MMO closing down as this Themepark Star Wars MMO came out.)

    Both of these problems have been rectified. There are multiple raids (called Operations in SWTOR), all of which have fun and engaging encounters, and most of the standard MMO features have been added - the biggest feature still missing is an in-game Guild Calendar. (I also wouldn't complain if they implemented Cross-Server queuing.)

    The underlying gameplay design doesn't stray too far from WoW's basic formula, which will make the game particularly accessible to current or former fans of Blizzard's mega-hit. The biggest deviation is the presence of 'companions' - which basically function like combat pets. While you play through the leveling content, every class gets five unique companions specific to the story and gameplay of that class, plus one companion that is shared by all characters (a 'ship droid' which has a different name and appearance depending on which faction you play, but is functionally the same). Currently there are also two more shared companions that were added in Updates over the years, which can be unlocked on any character (one can be purchased, the other acquired by a unique quest chain). All these companions have their own personalities and back-stories, and add a wonderful amount of personality to the game.

    New 'Content Updates' are released around every nine weeks, which add new Daily Areas (which usually continue the game's story the first time you play through them, before the quests become repeatable), small group PVE encounters (called 'Flashpoints' - equivalent to WoW's 'Dungeons'), instanced PVP maps (called 'Warzones'), reoccurring Events (some seasonal, like the X-mas themed 'Life Day', some that occur sporadically, and one that returns every month) or large group PVE instances (Operations, as mentioned above).

    To date, there have also been two 'free expansions'. Galactic Starfighter, which added a PVP space dog-fighting minigame that is a lot of fun once you get over the initial hump of learning it (they admittedly need a better tutorial, but if you stick with it through the first couple frustrating attempts as you learn the ins and outs, then you will probably find it a rewarding, fun aspect of the game), and Galactic Strongholds, which added Player Housing and Guild Flagships to the game.

    The game is not without its flaws. While new content comes out every two months or so, the pacing for individual types of content has sometimes left long gaps in between new Operations or Warzones,which can be frustrating to Raiders or PVPers (a current long gap between new Warzones shows that the developers still haven't quite gotten a handle on this issue). Most new Content Updates come with a few notable bugs which have to be worked out over the course of a few maintenance patches in the weeks that follow their release. And as mentioned above, the Free-to-Play model is pretty restrictive - there is no doubt the game is best enjoyed as a subscriber. But the good far outweighs the bad.

    Despite the restrictiveness of the F2P mode, the Cash Shop has a lot to praise: the content is almost exclusively cosmetic or convenience items, so you won't be hobbled if you choose not to spend any money on the Shop. Almost all of the items from the Cash Shop can be traded or sold on the in-game auction house - allowing you to get most of them for credits (just expect the rarest items to fetch a hefty price if you go that route). And subscribers get around 500 free 'Cartel Coins' (the Cash Shop currency) each month, with an additional 100 Coins a month if you use the free Security Key app to secure your account (getting friends to subscribe through the Refer-A-Friend program and even completing some in-game achievements can also net you additional Coins without having to pay real money).

    SWTOR is a Themepark game through and through, so Sandbox fans may not care for it, but if you enjoy solid storytelling, a great leveling experience, fun mini-games, and the Star Wars universe - this is a fantastic game!    … Expand
  26. AiurDJS
    Jul 14, 2015
    4
    This game is empty. You don't want to play an an Empty MMO game... or EMMOG for short.

    I was playing it at launch, and I quit after finishing the main storyline for one character, because this game is just a pathetic copy from World of Warcraft but without any open world PvP. They created so many planets, and there is nothing to do on them. There are no people there. All you can do in    This game is empty. You don't want to play an an Empty MMO game... or EMMOG for short.

    I was playing it at launch, and I quit after finishing the main storyline for one character, because this game is just a pathetic copy from World of Warcraft but without any open world PvP. They created so many planets, and there is nothing to do on them. There are no people there. All you can do in this game is play the instanced content. This is just stupid, and a waste of time.    … Expand
  27. DeDoctor
    Sep 17, 2018
    6
    SWTOR is a good MMO as a new player: great stories and pretty fun game-play. But I've been playing this game for 5 years now and yes, it does give out new updates pretty much every month, it still has little to no content, unless you count the few raids, an alright amount of flashpoints, but you'll get to the point where you'll redundantly do them over and over again, and the PvP that isSWTOR is a good MMO as a new player: great stories and pretty fun game-play. But I've been playing this game for 5 years now and yes, it does give out new updates pretty much every month, it still has little to no content, unless you count the few raids, an alright amount of flashpoints, but you'll get to the point where you'll redundantly do them over and over again, and the PvP that is pretty much broken, but let's admit, no MMO will ever get PvP right. The F2P is a bit restricted, but you do get 1-50, so basically all the class stories. Also, most of the time it doesn't even feel like a MMORPG.

    Summary: In all, it's an alright game. Fantastic for new players, but once you play for quite a while like I have, it gets stale and you go on to better games.    … Expand
  28. dobserver
    Oct 8, 2013
    7
    I did have fun playing this game as I do like Star Wars Lore and do prefer solo-ing MMOs unless I have to group up. Thus this may not be a game for everyone if you like the more MMO aspects of it. I have a feeling EA and Bioware were trying to be greedy in targeting both sets of audiences and charging a premium for it.

    Story: Was decent with the voice acting and the quests seem to try    I did have fun playing this game as I do like Star Wars Lore and do prefer solo-ing MMOs unless I have to group up. Thus this may not be a game for everyone if you like the more MMO aspects of it. I have a feeling EA and Bioware were trying to be greedy in targeting both sets of audiences and charging a premium for it.

    Story: Was decent with the voice acting and the quests seem to try and tie into the main story a lot better than some other MMOs I played. It's a bit weak at times, but not bad for an MMO.

    Gameplay: I like the variety of skills that you can choose to use on your toolbar or expanded toolbar, BUT the animations do not link very well with the key press and the cooldowns are all over the place. Combat seemed to be just punching buttons and hoping for the best. IF the key presses matched the animations, it would have been okay.

    Sounds and video were decent. Sometimes a bit glitchy. I would say the gameplay is a bit slow, it takes forever to get past the initial hold your hand levels and I found travelling to be slow, even when I had a speeder. Was surprised to find so much voice acting in an MMO, a nice bioware touch.

    Found classes and character limitation to be a bit limiting. Though it was kind of cool that each character had a distinct story (sadly not very customizeable) but quite deep good effort.

    Recommend this game if you have patience, are a Star Wars fan and prefer solo PVE. Else, pass.

    Not worth buying at all since the core of the game has some problems.    … Expand
  29. coth
    Dec 17, 2020
    8
    A good feeling of that Star Wars - untouched by Hollywood. Though combat system is quite boring and monotonous.
    The game keeps evolving. It's freemium now and subscription prices are fine for developing countries.
  30. 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.
  31. 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
  32. MyPetMonkey
    Apr 18, 2013
    8
    Despite the amount of trolls who will go out of their way to tell you that this game killed their first born and molested them inappropriately, THE GAME ISN'T BAD.

    It's not genre breaking. It's a MMO it does what most MMO's do. That means it has issues like all MMO's. People will moan about class balance in PVP whenever they are getting slapped around. Strong server populations. And    Despite the amount of trolls who will go out of their way to tell you that this game killed their first born and molested them inappropriately, THE GAME ISN'T BAD.

    It's not genre breaking. It's a MMO it does what most MMO's do. That means it has issues like all MMO's. People will moan about class balance in PVP whenever they are getting slapped around.

    Strong server populations. And you can play the story for free. So all those moaning about wanting KOTOR 3 can get their fill.

    If you pay for $60 worth of unlocks then you get the near full experience without a sub.

    It's not the greatest but it's far no where near the worst.    … Expand
  33. pennstateguy
    Apr 26, 2013
    6
    Great Storylines, Great Gameplay, Great Class Balancing, Good PVP

    Think this game lacks is end game. End Game Raiding semi challenging, End Game Ranked Style PVP terrible as it deals with primary server versus a global characteristic. Once you get into ranked you start to realize you and one other team are truly competitive amongst the random pugs that try and play. This game needs    Great Storylines, Great Gameplay, Great Class Balancing, Good PVP

    Think this game lacks is end game. End Game Raiding semi challenging, End Game Ranked Style PVP terrible as it deals with primary server versus a global characteristic. Once you get into ranked you start to realize you and one other team are truly competitive amongst the random pugs that try and play.

    This game needs an arena concept wher eyou can play a 1v1, 2v2, 5v5 game play like deathmatch versus objective play as well as possibly a capture the flag style of play or even a guild versus guild concept like int raditional guild wars 1. That and if you could include a dodge roll this game would be uber amazing and it be crosshair based attacking versus tab targeting    … Expand
  34. Wizzsama
    Jul 31, 2013
    9
    Good game for 1-50 lvl. Story, voicing and characters are good and fun.
    About end-content I play many MMO and it's all the same: some dungeons to clear, some PvP gear, some something... So I don't bother about it, just clear the story and move to another game.
    After all the Good PvP can be only in high-PvP oriented games. And most of them are pay-to-win..
  35. galactafunk
    Oct 12, 2015
    9
    I've had a great time with this game. Good story lines, great voice acting, fun pvp. I've given it up for awhile only to return and find more and more to do. The developers have put a lot of time into this game and supported it for years now. Highly recommended.
  36. 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
  37. yo_mama_so_fat
    Oct 23, 2014
    6
    Huge Star Wars fan. HUGE. This game could have been great, majestic even, but for some or other reason Bioware just didn't bring it home this time. It's a damn shame actually.
  38. zombieman00
    Mar 1, 2015
    5
    While undoubtedly fun and well put together, the ill mannered community and lack of moderators drove me away in the end. This game is a roach motel of Star Wars excitement for every potty mouthed gamer who can afford it. It also chases after the casual gamer market too heavily by fully exploiting capitalist agendas with the Cartel Market and pay to play options (mo' money mo' money moWhile undoubtedly fun and well put together, the ill mannered community and lack of moderators drove me away in the end. This game is a roach motel of Star Wars excitement for every potty mouthed gamer who can afford it. It also chases after the casual gamer market too heavily by fully exploiting capitalist agendas with the Cartel Market and pay to play options (mo' money mo' money mo money!!!) Character progression as a result seemed cheap and too fast, sacrificing memorable game play moments for a quick release of endorphins. Even though a lot has changed since release I felt that the character customization system was too restrictive for an mmo. I don't hate the game and I won't say it sucks, but I stopped playing due to poor chat moderation, players that seemed immature or anti-social, a gameplay experience that felt fast and cheap, and corporate greed? maybe? I want to play and like this game but each time I come back to it one of the aforementioned reasons causes me to quit in a flash of fiery rage.… Expand
  39. snootchie
    Dec 18, 2020
    10
    Best MMORPG of all time. Fully voice acted, all of the missions have substance (they aren’t just random fetch quests like most “cheap” MMO’s), and the choice system definitely causes you to be more invested in the story.
    The combat is superb and fast-paced and you can easily play through an entire character solo if you really wanted to. Each class has it’s own story, so the replay value is    Best MMORPG of all time. Fully voice acted, all of the missions have substance (they aren’t just random fetch quests like most “cheap” MMO’s), and the choice system definitely causes you to be more invested in the story.
    The combat is superb and fast-paced and you can easily play through an entire character solo if you really wanted to. Each class has it’s own story, so the replay value is huge here. There are voice actors for each class, and male and female choices for the latter. The sheer quantity of detail throughout this game is unparalleled. I highly recommend it to any RPG and/or Star Wars fan. Plus it can be free if you don’t care about having a limited experience. Gp try it out!    … Expand
  40. TruthSeer
    Dec 23, 2011
    8
    *WARNING* This is an RPG MMO, with intricate story telling, with you (and your friends) as the main characters and is meant to be played as such. So all of the complaints about Endgame content, because someone chose to grind their char to max lvl the same day the game was released, instead of actually having fun playing the game... this game is obviously not intended for you. On to the*WARNING* This is an RPG MMO, with intricate story telling, with you (and your friends) as the main characters and is meant to be played as such. So all of the complaints about Endgame content, because someone chose to grind their char to max lvl the same day the game was released, instead of actually having fun playing the game... this game is obviously not intended for you. On to the game review:
    First, I would like to acknowledge the fact that SWTOR did borrow heavily from WoW. Which so happens is the most successful MMO out in the US. WoW however, had also borrowed heavily from other games, most notably EQ and Warhammer at the time and was far less stable then SWTOR is now.
    2nd, SWTOR is fun. It blends the traditional Bioware SWKOTOR/MassEffect/DragonAage RPG as we have come to know, with multiplayer instanced zones and battles. These zones are a blessing and a curse. A blessing in the respect that you don't have to wait in line for hundreds of people who are killing the same boss over and over, plus a curse because the world seems (on the surface) less populated then it really is.
    The story telling is great, for it is wonderfully engaging, well voice acted and even feels epic at times. Truly immersing you in to their StarWars universe and making you feel as if you play an important role. Light and Dark side moral choices and traditional Bioware companions/relationships are excellent additions as well (if not already expected).
    3rd the original musical score is Epic and everything you would expect from any StarWars movie.
    4rth I am not traditionally a tradeskill/farming type of player and I truly enjoy the companions doing all the tradeskill "legwork" for you. Both on and offline.
    5th PVP still needs balance. They have some creative ideas for the PVP battles, like normalizing hit points and damage, so all lvls can compete. But class bias, chaotic zerg style of fights and dieing before you can even figure who hit you, seriously needs balancing. Mind you I have not seen maxed lvl pvp. So take that from a 30 something.
    Lastly, there are a handful of minor bugs, that are noticeable, but not game shattering. Although, for some reason Bioware disabled AA during the beta and has not brought it back yet. So for now you either have to either put up with jagged edge graphics, or use Nvidia/ATI tools to force it until they patch it.
    My Rating for SWTOR: 8.2
    Gameplay: 9 (-1 for WoW esque)
    Story: 9 (Voice Acting and YOU are the main character, -1 for periodic obscure chat dialog choices)
    Sound: 10 (Traditional StarWars sound effects mixed with truly movie worthy soundtracks)
    Graphics: 7 (until they patch AA)
    PVP: 6 (Balance issues)    … Expand
  41. Fyn56
    Dec 21, 2011
    0
    It works, but you will not find anything new in this game. It's a silly clone with VO and light sabers. World seems very dead, not much to explore. Very poor char creation, almost no choices, I. The end you get everyone looking the same. Pop is very dull same type of combat and maps same scenarios nothing new and impressive.
  42. Redwyne
    Jan 21, 2012
    0
    Note: any "marketing" ingame screenshots from Bioware/EA have been using HIGH texture/game settings that have been DISABLED and UNAVAILABLE to users in the actual game. Below is the response from BW AFTER several weeks of the community hunting down why the graphics quality ingame have been so poor. Basically, it's "spin" and "excuses" and the idea that users are not smart enough to controlNote: any "marketing" ingame screenshots from Bioware/EA have been using HIGH texture/game settings that have been DISABLED and UNAVAILABLE to users in the actual game. Below is the response from BW AFTER several weeks of the community hunting down why the graphics quality ingame have been so poor. Basically, it's "spin" and "excuses" and the idea that users are not smart enough to control what experience their OWN machines can handle. FAIL… Expand
  43. Loosestool
    Dec 23, 2011
    9
    I played WoW off and (mostly) on for seven years. WoW was successful because the gameplay struck the right balance between complex and fun, while the content struck the right balance between casual and dedicated. As the Blizz people often said, they strove to make the game easy to learn but difficult to master. Similarly, there was a ton to do whether you wanted to level every alt or focusI played WoW off and (mostly) on for seven years. WoW was successful because the gameplay struck the right balance between complex and fun, while the content struck the right balance between casual and dedicated. As the Blizz people often said, they strove to make the game easy to learn but difficult to master. Similarly, there was a ton to do whether you wanted to level every alt or focus one or two toons in endgame. Or for the unemployed, all of the above. So far, SWTOR is the clearest heir to WoW's throne and actually improves on the general concept by the enhanced story aspect. But as many reviewers have mentioned, whether people will still be playing SWTOR in seven years from today depends on how well and how quickly (like w/in six months max) Bioware rolls out enough new casual and endgame content. While I am thoroughly enjoying the game now, and will probably play at least one or two alts with the status quo, I can see getting tired of the game faster than I did WoW. Some of this is not SWTOR's fault. Frankly, I'm older now and have less disposable time. But standing on the shoulders of giants in the MMO world comes with the price of diminishing returns. We may not have seen this precise movie before, but the genre is familiar. Bioware adopted and in some ways improved on the right formula, but SWTOR's ultimate longevity will require additional substance with innovation beyond greater than average story elements/voice acting.… Expand
  44. Valorian
    Dec 22, 2011
    10
    For everybody who loves Star Wars and wants to be a part of it, this game offers a wonderful opportunity do to just that. The world is beautiful and created with much love for the detail, the Gameplay is easy to learn and there a lot of possibilities to specialise your character if you want to. Furthermore the people who are playing TOR are all very very nice, which may not be entirelyFor everybody who loves Star Wars and wants to be a part of it, this game offers a wonderful opportunity do to just that. The world is beautiful and created with much love for the detail, the Gameplay is easy to learn and there a lot of possibilities to specialise your character if you want to. Furthermore the people who are playing TOR are all very very nice, which may not be entirely attributed to Biowars policies, but nonetheless is important for a game to be really funny and enjoyable.
    Finally the best part: The Story! I love Games with a good Stories and TOR has loads of it. So lean back, play and may the Force be with you!    … Expand
  45. Morring
    Jan 24, 2012
    0
    Plain awful. Skill trees copypasted from wow. Single threading, terrible graphics, and disgusting politics from the devs and publisher, including the misterious malfunctioning of the "unsubscribe" button a moment before the free month was over. I can't figure out why critics gave such high scores- Oh wait, I can. This game required an insane amount of money to be developed, and I can't seePlain awful. Skill trees copypasted from wow. Single threading, terrible graphics, and disgusting politics from the devs and publisher, including the misterious malfunctioning of the "unsubscribe" button a moment before the free month was over. I can't figure out why critics gave such high scores- Oh wait, I can. This game required an insane amount of money to be developed, and I can't see how they managed not to obtain ANY result. This is indeed a remarkable feat, the kind of talent I'd reward with a zero.… Expand
  46. EJ107
    Dec 25, 2011
    8
    The game is good overall. Not great, as it has only just been released and there are several issues to work out, but it isn't bad. Certainly not as bad as some people are making it out to be. The combat isn't very new or interesting, and the characters creation is downright bad, but the voice acting on quests is very good, and the way quests are handled in general is better than most MMO'sThe game is good overall. Not great, as it has only just been released and there are several issues to work out, but it isn't bad. Certainly not as bad as some people are making it out to be. The combat isn't very new or interesting, and the characters creation is downright bad, but the voice acting on quests is very good, and the way quests are handled in general is better than most MMO's I have played. It is refreshing to see an MMORPG with a decent story and good characters, something that most of these type of games lack. The crafting system, with crew skills, is very well done, and very different from what I have experienced in other games. The companions are also not only very useful in combat but are also good characters, with interesting stories that make it worth talking to them. Overall the game is good. There may be some issues, but that is to be expected from a game like this upon release. I would certainly recommend at least giving it a attempt.… Expand
  47. shingoukieh
    Dec 26, 2011
    8
    This game is what you would expect it to be. It is a standard mmorpg with a twist...Star Wars!! Now in all fairness this game is very different from World of Warcraft. Yes it has the skill tree like WoW, for the most part similar quests, and also classes but what it does different is combat..The combat in SWTOR is very fast paced..it is similar to titles such as DCUO and COH. So in thisThis game is what you would expect it to be. It is a standard mmorpg with a twist...Star Wars!! Now in all fairness this game is very different from World of Warcraft. Yes it has the skill tree like WoW, for the most part similar quests, and also classes but what it does different is combat..The combat in SWTOR is very fast paced..it is similar to titles such as DCUO and COH. So in this game you will be swinging ur light saber away in fast thrilling combat sequences. The game story is very impressive! It is particularly impressive when you are in a group doing a story. All of your group members get a chance to speak and sometimes its funny to see what your team mates say. The game is very immerse and you feel like you feel connected to the starwars universe. The only negative thing i can think of so far is the side quests....some of them are just boring to do..the main quests are fun and has good plot to it but the side ones make me want to skip the talking. Im not the furthest in the game but what i can do is recommend this to any starwars or mmorpg player looking for the next big mmorpg....I have to warn you the game starts off a lil slow...but once you leave the starting area it gets alot more fun!!!… Expand
  48. Mehowee
    Jan 5, 2012
    7
    A decent MMORPG that has followed in the footsteps of WoW but created a separate world with a range of innovative features and items, i.e. pvp, pve, spacebattles that die-hard stars wars fans will definitely appreciate. The focus is on the story lines while involving characters, this makes levelling up interesting.
  49. AlpsStranger
    Jan 24, 2012
    0
    This game is nothing but a cheap, tacky WoW knockoff propped up by a popular IP.

    -Clunky combat
    -Blurry textures
    -No API for addons
    -Super-super-super casual difficulty
    -Single-player oriented -Hub and instance based to the point of feeling empty
    -Faction population balance is extraordinarily bad
    -Remaining subscribers take "fanboy" to a whole new level

    Save your money.
  50. proscure
    Jan 17, 2012
    7
    Narrative(story) wise this games tops WoW by far. But unfortunatly the questing is dreadfull. Most of the same after a few lvls. The Ship/Companion/Gatherings are also things i feel very positive about.
    Also the flashpoints are nice cause there is a story in it which evolves as you progress.
    But I still feel like i want to skip quests and just experience the story. So there is where it    Narrative(story) wise this games tops WoW by far. But unfortunatly the questing is dreadfull. Most of the same after a few lvls. The Ship/Companion/Gatherings are also things i feel very positive about.
    Also the flashpoints are nice cause there is a story in it which evolves as you progress.

    But I still feel like i want to skip quests and just experience the story. So there is where it fails for me.    … Expand
  51. nzh
    Dec 20, 2011
    6
    Fun game, worthy of playing through at least once. If this were a singeplayer or coop title, it would be deserving of a higher score. Trying to call this an MMO is the problem. It lacks some of the key features commonly found in other MMOs that are essential to creating a healthy community. The excuse of "they'll be added later" is unacceptable. Many fans have expressed their opinionsFun game, worthy of playing through at least once. If this were a singeplayer or coop title, it would be deserving of a higher score. Trying to call this an MMO is the problem. It lacks some of the key features commonly found in other MMOs that are essential to creating a healthy community. The excuse of "they'll be added later" is unacceptable. Many fans have expressed their opinions about the lack of dungeon system and addon support, only to be met with hostile criticism from so-called "true fans" of MMO gaming. If ToR is to become successful, it will need to open doors for all players. In its current state, it offers very little for competitive players. If anyone is on the fence about buying this game, I say go for it. You get a free month with your purchase, which is plenty of time to playthrough once and experience the main storyline.

    Sorry for the repost, but my original score was meant to be a 6.    … Expand
  52. Shaggywookiee
    Dec 21, 2011
    10
    This is a fun game. The inclusion of story to an MMO is brilliant. The sense of immersion is awesome. It doesn't take long to completely forget the world around you while playing. There is tons of content in this game. A player would have to try really hard to get bored while playing.
  53. Przemo
    Dec 21, 2011
    10
    I was not sure about this game in early beta but after thelast beta test I liked it. I played wow, rift, aion, STO, and many others. None were as fun as this one and it is in SW universe. It has grown on me. I do not think it is a WOW clone even that the interface is similar. I think it just made it easier to get in to. It has some small problems but it was just released. IT is FUNI was not sure about this game in early beta but after thelast beta test I liked it. I played wow, rift, aion, STO, and many others. None were as fun as this one and it is in SW universe. It has grown on me. I do not think it is a WOW clone even that the interface is similar. I think it just made it easier to get in to. It has some small problems but it was just released. IT is FUN overall and that is what games are about.
    HATERS ARE GOING to HATE    … Expand
  54. Hushups
    Jan 1, 2012
    7
    This game is a solid MMO and if you enjoy MMOs and Star Wars you'll be fine. The voice acting is great and the story lines are very enjoyable. However, that's about as far as this game goes in terms of giving you something new and refreshing. The voice acted story lines still give you quests that you've been doing for the last 10 years in MMOs. Go kill, go gather, go destroy structure, goThis game is a solid MMO and if you enjoy MMOs and Star Wars you'll be fine. The voice acting is great and the story lines are very enjoyable. However, that's about as far as this game goes in terms of giving you something new and refreshing. The voice acted story lines still give you quests that you've been doing for the last 10 years in MMOs. Go kill, go gather, go destroy structure, go retrieve/place/find item, go talk to/locate/rescue person. As you progress further into the game and the story comes up less and less you're left with any other MMO on the market. Throw in some early launch bugs and a lot of load screens (traveling especially will require you to load from screen to screen to screen) and it's easy to lose interest. I give this rating an extra point for the smooth launch, placing it at a 7 overall and 6 in terms of being an "innovated MMO experience."… Expand
  55. IkariBattousai
    Jan 11, 2012
    8
    I played WoW for a few months, but really felt the experience lacking because it just felt like a grind. This game has done an amazing job of keeping me interested by incorporating a story. A lot of criticism I've seen points to a lackluster endgame, but the nice thing about this title is that you can always start a new character and experience a different class's story. The game playI played WoW for a few months, but really felt the experience lacking because it just felt like a grind. This game has done an amazing job of keeping me interested by incorporating a story. A lot of criticism I've seen points to a lackluster endgame, but the nice thing about this title is that you can always start a new character and experience a different class's story. The game play mechanics are probably the most lacking part of the game, and I do get a little bored at times in combat when I'm just sitting back and hitting a different number to do the next action, but I feel like the overall experience makes up for that.… Expand
  56. Slartibartfast
    Jan 28, 2012
    8
    The game is quite entertaining and really tries to give a feel of the Star Wars universe. It does however have quite some strange issues and lacking features that one wonders why were not fixed/implemented before the launch.

    I am very much enjoying the game though and I will remain patient to give Bioware time to correct and improve the game, so we will all have an enjoyable game for    The game is quite entertaining and really tries to give a feel of the Star Wars universe. It does however have quite some strange issues and lacking features that one wonders why were not fixed/implemented before the launch.

    I am very much enjoying the game though and I will remain patient to give Bioware time to correct and improve the game, so we will all have an enjoyable game for years to come.

    It is definitely worth a try for anyone who enjoys Star Wars, MMOs and emphasis on story. But if you need fast paced action and smooth gaming from day one, then you should probably wait a few months.    … Expand
  57. MJreview
    Dec 29, 2011
    8
    This is one of if not the best AAA mmo launches I have ever experienced. It's a great game and ( To the WoW fanbois) yes it is very similar to wow in mechanics, but it brings an unusual twist to the MMO world. It is not completely without its flaws or bugs. The majority of which are easily fixed or can be ignored. The story is compelling and enjoyable. The combat animations look great.This is one of if not the best AAA mmo launches I have ever experienced. It's a great game and ( To the WoW fanbois) yes it is very similar to wow in mechanics, but it brings an unusual twist to the MMO world. It is not completely without its flaws or bugs. The majority of which are easily fixed or can be ignored. The story is compelling and enjoyable. The combat animations look great. There are many different areas to SWTOR that add a change of pace. With a few months of patches and updates, I'd easily put this as one of my Top 5 mmo's ever.… Expand
  58. darkcerb
    Feb 27, 2012
    2
    I can forgive the lack of content, it is after all a brand new game.

    What I can't forgive is a game engine that would be outdated 4-5 years ago that struggles desperatly and in vein on a decent rig, a complete lack of innovative features we've come to expect from the genre i.e a decent auction interface, decent grouping tool and cross server pvp. The full voiced questing system will WOW    I can forgive the lack of content, it is after all a brand new game.

    What I can't forgive is a game engine that would be outdated 4-5 years ago that struggles desperatly and in vein on a decent rig, a complete lack of innovative features we've come to expect from the genre i.e a decent auction interface, decent grouping tool and cross server pvp. The full voiced questing system will WOW you until you realize that there are only three quests, destroy objects, kill dudes, loot dudes no escorts bombing runs or vehicle sections to be seen and to top it all off your actions have no effect on the world whatsoever so all that wonderful fluff every npc vomits into your ears is wasted.

    To say the gameplay borrows from wow implies any work beyond cutting and pasting was involved right down to the trees of each class being re-written tooltips.

    If you want kotor 3 then this is your game, if you want a star wars mmo with a beautifully and handcrafted story for your class and easy to jump into group play then tough cookies because this isn't it.

    This will of course come across as harsh but to have my expectations raised so high only to be shattered into a thousand poorly copied world of warcraft pieces feels like a betrayal and a waste of my money.    … Expand
  59. NovaSix
    Dec 22, 2011
    9
    Best themepark MMO ever. If that's not that your thing, don't buy the game. Bioware does an excellent job incorporating tried and true themepark elements, great VO, beautiful graphics and engaging story. On top of that, they have had the best launch in MMO history - way more polished than WoW, EQ2, Lotro, or Rift. If you liked those games, or you like Bioware games in general, then youBest themepark MMO ever. If that's not that your thing, don't buy the game. Bioware does an excellent job incorporating tried and true themepark elements, great VO, beautiful graphics and engaging story. On top of that, they have had the best launch in MMO history - way more polished than WoW, EQ2, Lotro, or Rift. If you liked those games, or you like Bioware games in general, then you have nothing to lose in checking this game out. If, on the other hand, you like sandboxes like Eve Online or SWG then this isn't your cup of tea. Nothing wrong with that.

    Just please stop trying to judge a themepark as a sandbox. That's like complaining "Shawn of the Dead" wasn't scary enough. -1 point for missing guild features and UI, LFG tools, and an auction house that all need work. I expect all those issues to be ironed out within the next few months.    … Expand
  60. riot_gun
    Dec 21, 2011
    10
    I'm being completely honest when I say this is the best game I have ever played. Nothing else has ever sucked me in so completely. The bond with your character that BioWare fosters with their in depth story lines is entirely unique in the MMO world. Some people will draw parallels to other successful MMOs while forgetting that WoW copied most of the features it had at launch and most ofI'm being completely honest when I say this is the best game I have ever played. Nothing else has ever sucked me in so completely. The bond with your character that BioWare fosters with their in depth story lines is entirely unique in the MMO world. Some people will draw parallels to other successful MMOs while forgetting that WoW copied most of the features it had at launch and most of the features it has now. Either way, TOR is far and away more engaging than anything I've played before it. If you like BioWare games, you'll love this one.… Expand
  61. Berzerker556
    Mar 16, 2012
    7
    Very typical MMO in that it plays very similarly to wow.

    I like the specialization of classes, except that you cannot undo that decision, so if you go with one sub class you have to re-roll and level the same character to swap to the other sub class. This is a design oversight in my eye. II found that overall the story was very generic, and the Empire side was to evil for evils sake and    Very typical MMO in that it plays very similarly to wow.

    I like the specialization of classes, except that you cannot undo that decision, so if you go with one sub class you have to re-roll and level the same character to swap to the other sub class. This is a design oversight in my eye. II found that overall the story was very generic, and the Empire side was to evil for evils sake and the republic felt very vanilla, in a goody two shoes way. Technically, the game looks good and has a good level of polish, but I did run into stability issues and some setting and the game has lowish frame rates on a high-end system. I also noticed that you don't really have to interact with other players and found that as with most MMOs the other players usually make the experience worse so this was a plus or a minus depending on your point of view. One interesting mechanic I loved was the space combat, It was a good idea that needs refinement. I would like to see it evolve into a full "flight sim" implementation as opposed to the current scripted track implementation. Overall if you are tired of fantasy MMOs and want something with a different flavor give this a shot, just be prepared because to me it felt like wow with lightsabers.    … Expand
  62. LoneDutyer
    Apr 17, 2012
    0
    EA's customer service and management of this game has been spectacularly awful. In too many ways to go into here, this has been a disaster thus far, and it's no wonder EA is laying off employees and their stock is plummeting even more. Just google 'Tortanic'.
  63. Verus76
    Dec 23, 2011
    9
    With Star Wars: The Old Republic BioWare has manages a revolution in the mmorpg genre. They have added solid storytelling and voice and many small innovations such as companions and choices to what in other mmo games are a bunch of random text quests with no real meaning.

    The game perfectly captures the atmosphere of Star Wars with the music and graphics and lovingly recreated Tattoine,    With Star Wars: The Old Republic BioWare has manages a revolution in the mmorpg genre. They have added solid storytelling and voice and many small innovations such as companions and choices to what in other mmo games are a bunch of random text quests with no real meaning.

    The game perfectly captures the atmosphere of Star Wars with the music and graphics and lovingly recreated Tattoine, Hoth and other well known planets to Star Wars fans.

    Sidenote if you are giving this game 0-2 or something you are really wasting time. I can´t even think of a game bad enough to get a rating such as that. Simply go back to playing world of warcraft instead..    … Expand
  64. tazzon22
    Jan 4, 2012
    3
    At lvl. 40, 20 levels past the time i turned off all movies and becan extremley board of this wanna be mmo , rpg. It actually fails at both, the combat is verry lame, just point and smash hot keys, no pesky tatics to worry about. It was suppose to be a great story, really? give me a freaking break..blue sun and justicar? hope you trekkies didnt play the vastly supperior game mass effect.At lvl. 40, 20 levels past the time i turned off all movies and becan extremley board of this wanna be mmo , rpg. It actually fails at both, the combat is verry lame, just point and smash hot keys, no pesky tatics to worry about. It was suppose to be a great story, really? give me a freaking break..blue sun and justicar? hope you trekkies didnt play the vastly supperior game mass effect. Me and me2 were great DAO is also stellar, but DA2 was god-awful and now with swtor is another failure , bioware has ben loosing alot of points latley, thankfully i have Skyrim to play untill a real mmo comes out ..GW2.… Expand
  65. Desie01
    Dec 20, 2011
    8
    Its an ok game. High production value. Good customer service. Bad community. Still some non game breaking bugs at launch. An MMO with a story along with multiple options. Its not a WoW clone. Graphics are on par with this generation of MMOs if not better. The Old Republic isnt a perfect game. No game is. Its fun and actually brings you back to what a Role Playing Game should be.Its an ok game. High production value. Good customer service. Bad community. Still some non game breaking bugs at launch. An MMO with a story along with multiple options. Its not a WoW clone. Graphics are on par with this generation of MMOs if not better. The Old Republic isnt a perfect game. No game is. Its fun and actually brings you back to what a Role Playing Game should be. It draws you into the story like no other MMO has done.

    The story elements make this game what it is. Its not a linear story, unless you make it one. Each conversation has multiple choices which branch out for each chapter you move through. Its an attempt to actually have a story in an MMO that you feel a part of and not just some average citizen who is one grunt in an army of billions. The game is as balanced as they could make it at launch. Forcing you to know your role and your skills if you are going to compete. PVP is about the most balanced PVP I have experienced over the history of MMOs. PVP still needs a lot of work and content, it just wasnt the focus of Bioware before launch.



    Crafting is OK and useful. Its not as indepth as SWG was. It has an appeal to it. You, yourself, doesnt craft. Your companions do while you are out questing. The only thing you have to do is gather and queue up their crafting and crew skill missions (which give you various rare and other items which can be used for crafting).

    The Crew Skill system sets this game apart and is singular to The Old Republic. Over your leveling experience you gain companions who can assist you with their different abilities and companion type. You get tank, healer, and DPS companions. Each companion comes with their separate story line which is gained by gaining or loosing affection with them. Companions also come with their own specific bonuses to different crafting types. Some may give a bonus to a gathering ability, others may give a bonus to a crew skill mission type, others may give bonuses to physical crafting types. Each class has a different set of Companions which are gained through your main story arc. You have the same choices you do, during the companion story lines, that you do in regular stories. You can treat them poorly and get negative affection. You can praise them and gain it. You also gain affection, with your companions, when they are out with you on your missions through which dialogue choice you select. And you can gain affection by giving them companion gifts.

    There are a lot of elements to this game that borrows from its predicesors. I said earlier, this is not a WoW clone. A clone would imply a direct copy. This does not copy WoW. WoW doesnt have a story that you are drawn into, you have the feeling that you are part of a massive army and you watch other peoples story be revealed before you. You dont have active companions in WoW unless you are a Hunter and even then, a bear can not heal you and you cant send a bear into fight a champion difficulty boss mob and heal it continuously. The Old Republic does borrow a lot of the basic functions which most people have mistakenly labled these as belonging to WoW. Quick Travel, mounts, story progression, raids, etc. Its really up to you on what you think about this game. A lot of people built up their own personal pedestal for this game and became jaded when they realized that Bioware is making a game to make money, borrowing from successful models and adding in their own flare to it (Item moding, Companions, an immersive story line, voiced acting, etc.) The base of this game is the same old same old. Everything else isnt. If you are looking for a game that solves all your problems, issues, and boredom from the same as usual MMO style and dont like a story line you can get into; look somewhere else. If you like a good story that you can direct down several different paths, the IP, or newer graphics; they this may be the game for you.

    People need to look at this game without rose or jaded colored glasses. Its worth giving it a try.    … Expand
  66. Bithammer
    Dec 22, 2011
    9
    Having played both WoW and WAR, I feel SWTOR is superior to both. WoW feels like a cartoon compared to SW's rich textures and lighting. PVE gameplay has been engaging and I like the fact that you can duel your own side. Other than that, I haven't had the chance to get into PvP, so we'll see how that pans out. I've encountered a few terrain (stuck) and graphic glitches, but all in all aHaving played both WoW and WAR, I feel SWTOR is superior to both. WoW feels like a cartoon compared to SW's rich textures and lighting. PVE gameplay has been engaging and I like the fact that you can duel your own side. Other than that, I haven't had the chance to get into PvP, so we'll see how that pans out. I've encountered a few terrain (stuck) and graphic glitches, but all in all a great launch for a complex game.… Expand
  67. ctacconi21
    Dec 23, 2011
    10
    Do u like, star wars? do u like a freaking huge word, with the most immersive story driven quest u ever seen in any mmorpg out there? do u like a deep pet system? do u like lighstabers? this game is for u, just go out and buy it.
    Star wars take all of the good and bad of the mmorpg genre, and fuse them in a unique way, his way.
    Don't expect anything ultranew, u still have sidebar, tab    Do u like, star wars? do u like a freaking huge word, with the most immersive story driven quest u ever seen in any mmorpg out there? do u like a deep pet system? do u like lighstabers? this game is for u, just go out and buy it.
    Star wars take all of the good and bad of the mmorpg genre, and fuse them in a unique way, his way.
    Don't expect anything ultranew, u still have sidebar, tab targetting, hotkey for using skills, fetch sidequest "kill 10x" etc. But the level of polish, the soundtrack, the combat animation, is just jaw dropping.
    This is the first time in 13 years of mmorpgs play, that i actually don't mind my level, i want to play just to know what happen next: is my master really trying to deceive me? i am really the new hope of the sith empire? im not bound anymore, to check my xp to the next lvl, hoping to never ever kill another 200 boars to level up.
    Im just traveling space back and fort trying to rise from a slave to a dark lord of sith, this and many more is STWOR, im playing my story, im finally playing my character the way i want to, not bound anymore, to kill everything on sight to gather xp, and proceed to the next area with no real motive other than get another lvl up.
    If u like multiplayer games, don't lose this one, i think we are not gonna see something like this for years to come.    … Expand
  68. Ouin
    Dec 21, 2011
    1
    Ever wanted to play an incomplete version of World of Warcraft, while taking breaks to play Star Fox? That's more or less what this game is. It's very linear, but is advertised as the opposite. I guess that's because you can choose a differant class storyline to play linearly. Sort of like reading a differant book in the same series. Only I enjoy reading books more than playing this game.Ever wanted to play an incomplete version of World of Warcraft, while taking breaks to play Star Fox? That's more or less what this game is. It's very linear, but is advertised as the opposite. I guess that's because you can choose a differant class storyline to play linearly. Sort of like reading a differant book in the same series. Only I enjoy reading books more than playing this game. At least those are interesting.
    If you played Star Wars Galaxies, you were probably disapointed with the updates that "ruined" the game. Well good news is, they won't need to do that here. It's like it was based around those game ruining updates along with a "how could we take this to a new level of what MMO fans don't want" attitude behind it. On the plus side... I don't know, I guess it's got some pretty colours. Good Job Lucas Arts, you got alot of fans to give you alot of money, then instantly regret it. Again.    … Expand
  69. VorpalCheese
    Dec 23, 2011
    9
    There are a lot of trolls and shills for other games piling on TOR here, which is expected. TOR is one of the most polished and most well-realized games I've seen at a launch and BW has really hit it out of the park with this one.

    Most criticisms revolve around TOR using MMO mechanics, which is ridiculous considering it's akin to griping about how an FPS might use guns and first-person    There are a lot of trolls and shills for other games piling on TOR here, which is expected. TOR is one of the most polished and most well-realized games I've seen at a launch and BW has really hit it out of the park with this one.

    Most criticisms revolve around TOR using MMO mechanics, which is ridiculous considering it's akin to griping about how an FPS might use guns and first-person view and deal with ammo and the like. MMOs have MMO mechanics, and no matter how much "prettying up" a developer does, the base mechanics will be what they are. Even my beloved sandbox MMOs must bow to this convention.

    TOR takes what makes an MMO great and improves on it with a fine level of polish and updating. BW has managed to remove the dreaded grind (from crafting to quests), weave top-notch story-telling throughout every corner of the game, and bring the Star Wars universe to life.

    I have been playing since the first day of Early Access. In spite of running into a few bugs (none of which are game-breaking), I have had an incredibly pleasant gaming experience. I have reached level 30 with a Sith Juggernaut and I actually care about my character and companions (well, Vette not as much, but that's what the shock collar's for :p).

    Combat is very smooth and the animations superb. I love that you aren't merely striking at empty air but are shown actually striking your opponent and blocking. I love the fast-paced combat and I love the art style, which is also beautifully realized. The planets start from "respectably-sized beginner's box" to massive "Oh, God, I need my speeder right now." They only get larger as you go. The game packs content to the brim, from soloable missions to engaging group content (and there are built-in benefits to grouping in the form of things like social points).

    I can't gush enough about TOR and if I do this will take all day to write (and I'd rather get back to playing so I'm going to wrap this up shortly). Yes, there are some minor hiccups, and thus this game doesn't get a perfect score. There are improvements to be made, but they will come in time (space combat--while passable, BW is already working to improve it--I'm looking at you). This is one of the most solid and fun foundations to an MMO I've experienced yet, and I can see really good things coming from this game with future content patches and expansions.

    If you like MMOs, BW, Star Wars, or any combination of the above, I urge you to try this game. If not now, then sometime in the future. If a sandbox lover like me can come to love a themepark game (and this might well become the pinnacle of that sub-genre), well...I think a lot of people will be surprised going in.    … Expand
  70. bluejay3463
    Feb 1, 2012
    6
    If you overlook the numerous bugs and incomplete elements, you still have a game that has terrible graphics, serious faction balance issues, a mostly useless crafting system, and a broken end game.

    Some of these issues can be fixed with time, but the faction balance is an issue of quality of content as well as balance and can not be fixed easily. This contributes to the broken end game.    If you overlook the numerous bugs and incomplete elements, you still have a game that has terrible graphics, serious faction balance issues, a mostly useless crafting system, and a broken end game.

    Some of these issues can be fixed with time, but the faction balance is an issue of quality of content as well as balance and can not be fixed easily. This contributes to the broken end game.

    Of particular note is how bad everything looks. The graphics are pixelated and blurry, and the armor designs are amazingly bad. I was shocked to see a game released in 2011 that had graphics this poor. The armor, particularly the end game, high level pieces, are so bad it's laughable. Truly amateurish.

    The only positive is the story based leveling. Grinding has been mostly removed from the game.    … Expand
  71. Riddlefang
    Mar 20, 2012
    9
    Star Wars: The Old Republic manages to bring good storytelling and decisions in to the mmo genre, but at the same as you want to experience the great story you also want to level up as fast as you can to get to level 50. The quests are good because you get all the voice acting, but I would have liked to see more quests with different ways to go like in the kotor games. The instances areStar Wars: The Old Republic manages to bring good storytelling and decisions in to the mmo genre, but at the same as you want to experience the great story you also want to level up as fast as you can to get to level 50. The quests are good because you get all the voice acting, but I would have liked to see more quests with different ways to go like in the kotor games. The instances are good and offers some challenges. The combat and progression is much like any other mmo out there, and I would've liked to see a new combat system that is more based on skills. Having some flaws it's still the best looking mmo out there and offers a lot of content to the players.… Expand
  72. Miir
    Dec 22, 2011
    8
    Ok, this is not the second coming of Jesus or a mmo revolution. But it is a very good and solid game nevertheless. It is a themepark MMO and Bioware did the same thing that WoW did 6 years ago. Took a already existing and well tested gamedynamic, added a famous IP, fine tuned some things and added the companies main strength, the story element. I'm looking forward to seeing where BiowareOk, this is not the second coming of Jesus or a mmo revolution. But it is a very good and solid game nevertheless. It is a themepark MMO and Bioware did the same thing that WoW did 6 years ago. Took a already existing and well tested gamedynamic, added a famous IP, fine tuned some things and added the companies main strength, the story element. I'm looking forward to seeing where Bioware will take this game in the future, it has so much more potensial, just like wow did when it first released.… Expand
  73. Kortirion
    Dec 23, 2011
    9
    After months of watching this pitiful downvoting of good games for pathetic fanboy reasons, I've decided it's time to contribute.

    The criticisms about linearity and 'lobby' gaming are understandable (the lobby instancing really turned me off from GW, but it was only part of it, and the rest of the game didn't make up for it unlike this game), but poor. I have played many MMOs (WoW, Aion,    After months of watching this pitiful downvoting of good games for pathetic fanboy reasons, I've decided it's time to contribute.

    The criticisms about linearity and 'lobby' gaming are understandable (the lobby instancing really turned me off from GW, but it was only part of it, and the rest of the game didn't make up for it unlike this game), but poor. I have played many MMOs (WoW, Aion, CoH, SWG, EvE, Warhammer Online, Rift, Vanguard, etc) and I honestly can't think of any *good* utterly sandbox MMOs. And SWTOR is *not* any more linear than any of the games I've listed. If you wanted a sandbox MMO, and you're looking for it in a game that has voice acting and cutscenes, you're doing it wrong. The story is massive, immersive, and well crafted. I've never felt so invested in my character since vanilla WoW, or let alone as excited to play an MMO for that matter. The zones are much more open than other Bioware games, and more open than in games like Aion, where i felt like a rat in a maze between quests. The warzones are fun and well designed. Perhaps the biggest weakness in this game is the lobby style zone instancing which can break immersion when grouping with others and waiting for them to transfer zones. Zones still never feel empty (like they did in GW), and I'd much rather this than have to compete for every single mob tag and deal with incessant lag.

    The graphics complaints are ridiculous. This is one of the most visually impressive games I've ever seen, and it's the apex of Bioware's excellent art style.

    The gameplay, while *similar* in core mechanics to WoW, Rift, et al, works, and plays well. You feel powerful, skilled, and in control. Why people think it had to be different in ever aspect from other MMOs completely boggles my mind with the advancements and innovations it brings in other departments.(gameplay is tied to action RPGs for a reason, what the hell did you want, a first person shooter MMO? Wait for Planetside 2.) The moddable equipment is great, and gives you the option to keep a favoured aesthetic while leveling if you desire (and happen upon the gear). The companion system is excellent, but could use some tweaking for the AI and a few glitches. The crafting system is perfect, minimizing time spent on probably one of the most tedious aspects of MMOs yet still giving you enough control.

    Flashpoints are fun and engaging, and I haven't had as much fun running an instance since being blown away by the expansive and epic BRD/UBRS/LBRS complex in WoW.

    Light side and dark side choices are interesting and suitable (from what I've seen thus far), but I am disappointed by the lack of neutral relics (I have gone light side on my main character partially as a response to this).

    It is definitely the newest gem of the MMO market, and one I see myself playing for much longer than most. Highly recommended.    … Expand
  74. Sools
    Jan 2, 2012
    9
    In one little simple addition SWTOR has taking the grind out of MMOs, "voice acting", this is a game changer for me, I've played mmo's for more than 10 years now and I can honestly say in all that time I have read less than 1% of quest text.Even a simple fetch quest the voice acting makes it feel less tedious and actually feels like your doing something important.Bioware made a greatIn one little simple addition SWTOR has taking the grind out of MMOs, "voice acting", this is a game changer for me, I've played mmo's for more than 10 years now and I can honestly say in all that time I have read less than 1% of quest text.Even a simple fetch quest the voice acting makes it feel less tedious and actually feels like your doing something important.Bioware made a great decision with this.There will be the players who like to race to end game will moan about this but I say to them.Slow down and enjoy the experience.There is so much to take on board in this beautifully crafted game. Here are some of the things they implemented Companions- can aid u on your journey when you don't have friends online to help you out. - they all look after all your crafting which for me personally I hated crafting and am really enjoying it in this game.

    Space Combat - it's an on rails ship mini game for me,this is something added late on and I can see huge Improvements coming soon

    Crafting. - best crafting system in any mmo I've played

    My overall impression of this game is I think this game is it for the long
    Haul. Feels great and the most smooth launch of this type of game ever.

    May the force be with you    … Expand
  75. Kauldric
    Dec 27, 2011
    8
    This is a fun game. The class story quests make a huge difference. Bioware does a good job of putting you in the middle of a story that progresses and makes you want to find out what will happen next. I do not feel a sense of quest grinding at all. The game very much feels like Dragon Age or Mass Effect. The idea of having companions whom you can affect plus a Light/Dark meter isThis is a fun game. The class story quests make a huge difference. Bioware does a good job of putting you in the middle of a story that progresses and makes you want to find out what will happen next. I do not feel a sense of quest grinding at all. The game very much feels like Dragon Age or Mass Effect. The idea of having companions whom you can affect plus a Light/Dark meter is brilliant. The phasing is also great and adds to the immersion. The crafting system is great: just sent one of your six companions in a crafting missions while you keep playing! All in all, it has been a very fun experience.

    There are small features that are missing, such as dual spec, that would make the game better, but all-in-all, I would certainly recommend this game.    … Expand
  76. PLANETX
    Mar 13, 2012
    7
    I have been waiting for this game to come out ever since it was officially acknowledged to the public. I was one of the people who went on the site every Friday looking for the weekly update. When the game finally came out I spent a lot of time leveling my character, moving through the story, and killing other players along the way. Overall the leveling experience is by far the best of anyI have been waiting for this game to come out ever since it was officially acknowledged to the public. I was one of the people who went on the site every Friday looking for the weekly update. When the game finally came out I spent a lot of time leveling my character, moving through the story, and killing other players along the way. Overall the leveling experience is by far the best of any MMO to date. The story is really what makes this game what it is, combing the best aspects of a singleplayer RPG, with an MMO was really mastered in swtor. However, with that all said there are still many problems. Unbalanced classes, an assortment of glitches which seem to never get fixed, and of course lack of good end-game content. Everyone plays an MMO for its end-game content, which is the whole point of leveling. Once you get there the Operations are very enjoyable, but then it gets way to repetitive way to fast, there are many bugs that still haven't been fixed, and of course a very small selection. They spent most of their time focusing on sucking people in early and mid game that they seemed to forget that the end game exists. People need something to do on their max level main character, it's not the point to create new characters, you want to be able to use your first character. Not being able to do that was really the fatal blow that caused me to quit. I enjoyed the game very much, I consider it a masterpiece among MMO's, but they still have a lot to work on if it's going to be worth playing at end game. I don't doubt that the future will cure the problems I faced, but for now it has yet to happen.… Expand
  77. kremeovsumgai
    Dec 22, 2011
    9
    The world is immersive, and the quest system is setup great. I really like the spoken dialogue with the Mass Effect dialogue wheel. Weapons crafting is really addicting. I spent an hour just modifying my lightsaber. The queue for servers was annoying at first, but that's bound to happen when you're trying to play a really popular game at release. I'd be worried about the game's futureThe world is immersive, and the quest system is setup great. I really like the spoken dialogue with the Mass Effect dialogue wheel. Weapons crafting is really addicting. I spent an hour just modifying my lightsaber. The queue for servers was annoying at first, but that's bound to happen when you're trying to play a really popular game at release. I'd be worried about the game's future if there wasn't a wait. Star Wars fans will be satisfied. Comparisons to WOW and bashing are going to be there, but no one really cares about whining weekend beta testers that played the game for 5 mins. This site should have proof of purchase for all user game reviews. I haven't heard one paying customer that I know have anything bad to say about this game.… Expand
  78. Omnius
    Dec 23, 2011
    3
    I wanted to like this game. I really, really did. But in the end, instead of a true successor to the excellent Knights of the Old Republic series, I got a Star Wars game with medicore graphics, sluggish, repetitive gameplay, and hours upon hours of voice acting delivered by one of the most lukewarm casts of actors I've ever had the displeasure to be trapped in a digital room with.

    To    I wanted to like this game. I really, really did. But in the end, instead of a true successor to the excellent Knights of the Old Republic series, I got a Star Wars game with medicore graphics, sluggish, repetitive gameplay, and hours upon hours of voice acting delivered by one of the most lukewarm casts of actors I've ever had the displeasure to be trapped in a digital room with.

    To say that it is a WoW clone is a bit too derisive, but not all that far from the mark. For a game and IP with such potential, it is immensely disappointing to see a product that has taken absolutely no risks, has little innovation to speak of, and somehow manages to let down expectations at practically every turn. SWTOR brings absolutely nothing to the table that has not been done before, and better, by previous MMOs or single-player RPGs.

    In regards to story and dialogue which have, in the past, been a golden seal of Bioware craftsmanship, SWTOR is the perfect example of how far this previously illustrious developer has fallen. Excessive instancing, badly coimpressed sound files, and flat-out fanfiction-quality writing mar nearly every conversation from sidequest to "epic" class story.

    The worst part of it all, perhaps, is that it falls to the individual users to make these criticisms, while "official" reviewers are buried in threats of boycott from EA and out-and-out bribery for a high score. Not to mention the multiple, and documented, cases of Bioware employees posting their own reviews as supposedly impartial and unaffiliated users on these forums.

    In short, a perfect microcosm of so many of the problems that plague the modern gaming industry. A disappointment for Star Wars fans and MMO players alike, please do yourself a favor and don't be taken in by the hype. Spend your time playing other, better RPGs, and lament the loss of the KotOR 3 that could have been.    … Expand
  79. lalaland4
    Dec 22, 2011
    5
    This game is mediocre at best. The first turn off was the horrible character creation and how little you can customize appearance. Next was the horrible graphics. My PC can run most of the latest games on high settings and I can barely run this game on low without shadows. And it's not like state of the art graphics by any means, just a bad engine. The interface is pretty good but isThis game is mediocre at best. The first turn off was the horrible character creation and how little you can customize appearance. Next was the horrible graphics. My PC can run most of the latest games on high settings and I can barely run this game on low without shadows. And it's not like state of the art graphics by any means, just a bad engine. The interface is pretty good but is pretty much like WoW with a star wars skin. Also there is nothing innovative for an MMO in this game at all besides the addition of voice acting which isnt that great its just like a quest giver reading off the objectives to you and gets annoying very fast. For the "most expensive game ever made" it is pretty average and I don't see it having a lasting community or following. It is definitely not a "WoW killer" and is absolutely not worth paying $15 bucks a month. Needs major improvements.… Expand
  80. iconicman
    Jan 5, 2012
    8
    I'm surprised at the many negative scores so hence my review.

    SW:TOR challenges the mold of MMO but falls well short of redefining it. That is no bad thing, this genre is certainly one that can only evolve slowly given the huge investment necessary to get an MMO off the ground, noone is likely to go for completely redefining it in one go. What SWTOR has managed to is craft a story    I'm surprised at the many negative scores so hence my review.

    SW:TOR challenges the mold of MMO but falls well short of redefining it. That is no bad thing, this genre is certainly one that can only evolve slowly given the huge investment necessary to get an MMO off the ground, noone is likely to go for completely redefining it in one go.

    What SWTOR has managed to is craft a story through the game that players can follow and be entertained with. Most MMO are sandboxes with camps you can grind through, or themeparks you can play in. SWTOR really does make you feel part of the world, with the excellent voice acting throughout the game and the overarching story for your character to take part in. What is even better is that you can solo (or with AI companions) through this at your leisure.

    SWTOR also adds crafting to the game but doesn't make it a chore. Crafting is levelled by investing time in it and using the cash you acquire from either questing or trading.

    The Companions all add another dimension to the game, providing support and also humour/ consequences to your actions.

    If you want to engage in group fun, there are instanced dungeons 'Flashpoints' that continue the great story telling and also provide social points, a reward path for grouping. Heroic quests also require people to group up.

    Finally if you want to take on the Republic/ Empire you can enter the battlegrounds.

    Most suited to the casual player but offers enough to keep hardcore players occupied but more content is needed in the coming months to keep that crowd happy.

    If you are a completionist you may grow tired of the missions on offer, still the standard 'Kill X number of' or 'Collect X items from' but that is inherent in MMOs. The voice acting and thought involved in each of the missions and the fact they are usually linked close to where you are questing anyway, does remove a lot of the tedium usually found in other MMOs.

    If you love Star Wars and online games, you'll love this game.    … Expand
  81. commonperson
    Dec 22, 2011
    8
    It's amazing how many people are giving the game scores of 0 or 1 where they've played the game for 30 minutes. This game is not perfect, they did not innovate in the gameplay department they took a working system (which is something they have said they were going to do from the begining) and applied their story telling techniques to it. The gameplay is reminiscent of dozens of otherIt's amazing how many people are giving the game scores of 0 or 1 where they've played the game for 30 minutes. This game is not perfect, they did not innovate in the gameplay department they took a working system (which is something they have said they were going to do from the begining) and applied their story telling techniques to it. The gameplay is reminiscent of dozens of other games before it, there are limitations to the UI BUT what it does bring is an actual story. WoW was never compelling because there was no worth to your character it was a collection of OCD traits for hording collecting compiled in to an avatar. SWTOR creates characters where your decisions reflect on your story, you have a real weight behind your character and there is actual connections with the other players on your "Stage" the complaints it's "Zoned" and a "lobby" game are not really well founded. The game is instanced but it's easy to jump between them and given the immediate load it's probably best they did this as it saved them a lot of server trouble.

    It boils down to this, if you like Bioware stories, if you like Star Wars' Expanded Universe, if you like feeling like you're actually achieving something with your character you will enjoy this game. If you are looking for something to "reinvent the genre" go elsewhere.    … Expand
  82. BradleyBondage
    Dec 23, 2011
    9
    Excellent game been playing it non stop with my friend ever since it came out. Easy to get used to really enjoyable experience cannot comment on the end game experience yet but so far its one of the best mmorpg's I've ever played.
  83. bden19
    Dec 22, 2011
    8
    WoW is an Everquest clone. Get over yourself and this tired old argument of "cloning". Everyone giving this game a bad comment has the attention span of "Click guy with !, ignore text, click accept, OMGWHEREDOIGO???, click ?" . This game isn't for people who need to be spoon fed ez mode raids. How much content are you expecting an MMO to have at launch? What did wow have at launch in termsWoW is an Everquest clone. Get over yourself and this tired old argument of "cloning". Everyone giving this game a bad comment has the attention span of "Click guy with !, ignore text, click accept, OMGWHEREDOIGO???, click ?" . This game isn't for people who need to be spoon fed ez mode raids. How much content are you expecting an MMO to have at launch? What did wow have at launch in terms of raid content?

    When has anyone ever played an mmo where leveling wasn't some sort of a grind? Are these kids serious with that argument? The grind in this game is actually FUN. Bonus quests pop up to incline you to actually kill your way to the objective. And they aren't just kill quests, and the quest content itself varies due to it being voiced over. All of it. All quests. Not to mention the Flashpoints (dungeons) that are very fun. PVP is scaled and is not OP at all, people screaming OP are screaming that they are not good at playing the class that they attempted.

    This is a very good game. And anyone trying to spoil it for you with a bad review about false things is just terribad.

    To sum it up, this game requires more thinking and strategy going into fights,    … Expand
  84. rockitman
    Dec 22, 2011
    9
    This is a great game, hands down. Many people are bashing this game while comparing it too heavily to WoW. Don't forget WoW, along with every other MMORPG has taken queues from their predecessor over the years. This is no different, and this is how games improve.
    Yes, there is a bunch of running, which improves after you get to level 25 and get a mount.
    Otherwise the voice acting is    This is a great game, hands down. Many people are bashing this game while comparing it too heavily to WoW. Don't forget WoW, along with every other MMORPG has taken queues from their predecessor over the years. This is no different, and this is how games improve.
    Yes, there is a bunch of running, which improves after you get to level 25 and get a mount.
    Otherwise the voice acting is incredible, the class variety is vast, the PvP is fun, the space missions are great, the graphics at max are wonderful.
    It has just been released, and I suspect it will be releasing many patches throughout the months to drastically improve upon current issues.
    I told myself I wouldnt get glued and here I am defending it in a review - It's a great game.    … Expand
  85. Kucha
    Dec 23, 2011
    10
    This is the MMO I've been waiting for! This is by far the best MMO I've played to date.

    Ask me the one thing that makes this one stand out over all the others and I will say that you get to experience real and meaningful story BEFORE you get to high end raids unlike other MMOs. In other words, you already are a hero by the time you start raiding which goes a long way to satisfy casual,    This is the MMO I've been waiting for! This is by far the best MMO I've played to date.

    Ask me the one thing that makes this one stand out over all the others and I will say that you get to experience real and meaningful story BEFORE you get to high end raids unlike other MMOs. In other words, you already are a hero by the time you start raiding which goes a long way to satisfy casual, solo and small group minded players.

    Getting into raids is easier too. Not to bash WoW (which I did like), but this game doesn't require that you grind dozens if not hundreds of hours trying to get enough gear so that you can get into the significant raids where the meaningful story takes place. That endless grind and obscene demand of my time was what previously burned me out of other MMOs. Instead, you can jump into the raids right away.

    Other great aspects of this game are:

    * Fully voiced dialogue with quest givers, companions, and others.

    * Morality choices giving light or dark side points. These choices do have some impact on your game experience with quests opening up while others close based on your prior choices.

    * Companions to talk to that give you quests, craft, and grow closer (or farther) to/from you depending on how you interact with them.

    * Stable launch. Have experienced very few bugs.

    * Fun and dynamic PvP system. Reminds me of WoW in this way and this is not a bad thing.

    * Smaller raid (8 or 16 man) sizes than most other MMOs which I like.

    * Difficulty slider for Flashpoints (Dungeons) and Operations (Raids) for the casual and hard core player alike.

    * A solid crafting system that allows one to not only create new items but to upgrade existing items so that one can keep weapons and armor for the duration of their game play experience if they so choose. In other words, the crafting system is deceptively deep.

    * Fantastic music that gives me a real sense of Star Wars immersion.


    CONS

    There are a few cons and I would be remiss if I didn't mention them. Some of these are:

    * Long que waits on Sunday night for me. Both wait times lasted 25 and 30 minutes.

    * Small bug where I didn't get money from selling a few items on the auction system.

    * Coruscant is too big. Lots of running around that planet. They should've made the ground vehicle available to us allot sooner. * Inflexible and cumbersome UI. They need to allow the community to create their own mods for this.    … Expand
  86. Aporis
    Dec 24, 2011
    9
    This is the MMO i have been waiting, very interesting story, very well desinged combat system thank god no longer hitting the air, actually useful companion characters, crew skills and off course Roleplaying.
    Right when i started playing as a Trooper i noticed it doesent have boring starting quests like many other MMO has including World of Warcraft, fully voiced mmo with tons of dialog    This is the MMO i have been waiting, very interesting story, very well desinged combat system thank god no longer hitting the air, actually useful companion characters, crew skills and off course Roleplaying.
    Right when i started playing as a Trooper i noticed it doesent have boring starting quests like many other MMO has including World of Warcraft, fully voiced mmo with tons of dialog thats impressive. No longer the boring little box full of text that no one likes to read after every single quest. every character has its own story and for once i have learned something about the world, something about the different characters. There are so many people with Negative reviews and i know most of you are annnoyed because of the queue times well i don't like them either but we know bioware is currently doing their best for fixing the annoying bugs, Fps issue because of the bad coding , and the server queue's . And some of you guys are just annoyed because of the waiting room system. But you guys should keep yourself positive about the game, most of MMO's had same start as Star Wars The Old Republic had, Including World of Warcraft. Even so that the game has been out for just a few days it has already so much things to do.

    But now to some negative stuff, I personally dont like the space battle system its going to be boring after a while, the ship customization could be a little bit more Advanced and there should be more starships to buy form vendors. Bioware tough mentioned that they are going to change it maybe in the first expansion pack. Then there's these terrible frame's per second problems with most of the players and they are trying to fix the bad coding. Bioware mentioned before the game launch that they are going to make the game os that even players with a bit older computers can play it, currently even some players who have a latest gaming computer that can run Battlefield 3 on Ultra graphics are having terrible framerate issues so there is something to do with the coding rather than the system specs.
    All of these are very small problems cause they are able to be fixed.

    Now to good things in a Nutshell: Voice acting is best i have ever heard, Graphics are stunning even there are alot fps issues. PVP is good, Flashpoints operations and all other Raids are really fun with the story based quests. And i dont even have to mention the great 1,2,3 choises you can make in every quest conversation.

    Giving full 10 points!    … Expand
  87. hearsman
    Dec 25, 2011
    9
    As a gaming veteran, and having played many types of rpg, both single player and MMO, I approached SWTOR with cautious optimism. I am pleased to say that, with some limited caveats, the game is a success.

    The general gameplay mechanics are not revolutionary, but in many cases provide clear evolution of the genre. The big plus in this game for me is that it is largely successful in    As a gaming veteran, and having played many types of rpg, both single player and MMO, I approached SWTOR with cautious optimism. I am pleased to say that, with some limited caveats, the game is a success.

    The general gameplay mechanics are not revolutionary, but in many cases provide clear evolution of the genre. The big plus in this game for me is that it is largely successful in achieving the aim of creating a worthwhile single player experience within an MMO framework. This enables a greater level of connection with the character you have created, with a story being played out that is actively your own. This is a game that encourages you to play with others in the form of "heroic" missions that require 2-4 players to group up in order to tackle them. However, the majority of quests do not require you to team up, and so you do not have to group unless you really want to.

    The PVP is still a little rough around the edges, although I have certainly found it more enjoyable than other MMO's played. An "equalisation" mechanic where everyone's stats are scaled up helps to level the playing field, but eventually the additional skills that higher level characters have will make a difference.

    If you would like to play a game that allows you to create your own story, full of intrigue, then this game will certainly be worth a try. It will not be for everyone, but in my opinion will be enjoyable for both MMO and Star Wars fans!    … Expand
  88. supermonkey
    Dec 30, 2011
    8
    Yes the game needs tweaks, bug fixes, and some balancing. Yes the end game needs more content. But when you look at it for what it is, you will find an extremely well polished MMO. There is a ton of content to play through while they work on these fixes and new content. However, if your one of those types that is going to power level without sleep from 1-50 and take no enjoyment from that,Yes the game needs tweaks, bug fixes, and some balancing. Yes the end game needs more content. But when you look at it for what it is, you will find an extremely well polished MMO. There is a ton of content to play through while they work on these fixes and new content. However, if your one of those types that is going to power level without sleep from 1-50 and take no enjoyment from that, just to get to the end game content, I would recommend waiting a little while before signing up.

    Reading a lot of the negative comments, they contain a lot of similarities, and those similarities look to be from people that are either so burned out from World of Warcraft that this game just hits too close to home to that game to hold any enjoyment, or people that aren't familiar with what works in mmo's and only tried this game because they like Star wars, expecting to find some type of console action type game wrapped up in an MMO. There are some legitimate arguements from people hoping this MMO would have gone in a totally new direction--to that I can say if you didn't enjoy the game mechanics from wow, this game probably isn't for you (unless you love Star Wars so much you can overlook everything else).

    Anybody that has spent a substancial amount of time in WOW, and gave this game an honest try, would see this game changes enough about the familiar formula to feel fresh and new. I have played WOW for many years, still enjoy it, and really enjoy what this game has to offer.

    I have also read a lot of comments stating this game is really single player only. To that I would respond that while the single player content is much more fun to play through, with companions and superior story telling, this does not take away from what the game has to offer for groups or pvp. A bunch of my WOW guild members are now playing this game, and I have to say grouping up with them for difficult quests, or to do a flashpoint (what this game calls a "dungeon"), is just as enjoyable as it is in WOW. PVP is also not a hugh departure for how it plays out in WOW, but you still need skill and thought to secure victories--try randomly mashing your abilities like some suggest on here and see how far that gets you.

    With such a hugh investment in development, can anybody really blame this game for taking an approach to appeal to the extremely large playerbase that already exists for WOW. If this game felt too different from that one, you'd would end up alienating that existing player base.

    One thing that I will agree should be different is the upfront cost of the game. This isn't the same playing field for MMOs that was around when World of Warcraft launched. I'm sure they are charging full price upfront for fear if the game does not catch on they will have at least recouped some of their development costs. But they should have confidence in their game enough to reduce the starting cost or make it free, then start charging their monthly subscription fee.    … Expand
  89. elfelixg
    Feb 14, 2012
    8
    I will admit that at first I was extremely disappointed with the game. The graphics were not what I expected, the pvp is alright, and the open world feel of most MMO's seems to be lacking a bit. These will all hit you in the face like a pie and quite rudely so. That said though, the game has come around further in as I went, it was not bad at all. Having been a Dark Ages of Camelot, WOW,I will admit that at first I was extremely disappointed with the game. The graphics were not what I expected, the pvp is alright, and the open world feel of most MMO's seems to be lacking a bit. These will all hit you in the face like a pie and quite rudely so. That said though, the game has come around further in as I went, it was not bad at all. Having been a Dark Ages of Camelot, WOW, DC Universe online MMO veteran I know what I am talking about. SWTOR is not a bad game, matter of fact, it is extremely good for a game not even 2 months old. Yes it has some bugs, yes the pvp needs to be balanced better, yes the game has to address many more areas of development and entertainment. I still can't feel anything but optimistic though, the game can shine, and it is worthy of your time. To be honest, any improvements made on what they already have will be a plus, the game has a lot going for it. The positives: Hard mode Flashpoints and gear hunting is FUN! You have to have a good group, work together, even if it is just 4 of you the PVE is a challenge. At first you will get demolished as you enter under geared, but slowly as you build up, you are able to handle the mistakes and accidents that happen when pulling mobs. This aspect of the game is golden, almost anyone that makes it to 50 and plays the Hard Mode Flashpoints really like it. Next are the 8 man Ops Raids, very fun, very difficult to keep everyone alive. You must be a part of a decent guild to tackle and win in these. Even normal mode Ops Raids drop good loot for your toons. Now on to PVP, it is competitive, but it is extremely unbalanced. Why? Bioware did not think out well the advancement of PVP gear well, in the first month guilds that were around since BETA took advantage of a PVP experience buff period, and now there are monster players with top gear wiping new players in War Zones. I can tell you it is no fun and can cause people to rage and quit the game early on as there is no point to the fiasco. Fortunately for me, I battled through most of that low gear period and now hold my own amongst the top players. Still, certain classes hold a big edge against other classes and this needs to be addressed. The BAD: The list is long and there is no way I can go into it all. Bugs are a major issue, some bosses in HMs or Ops raids can bug out and can't be beaten. This is a MAJOR flaw that needs to be addressed ASAP. The game on many planets feels like a tunneled and funneled experience, not an MMO with an open world. World's I like are Hoth, Voss, Ilum but many I don't like for various reasons such as Corelia being a nightmare to get from point A to point B. PVP imbalance. Not enough customization for your toon's look. Certain instances and areas in the world do not allow speeders to be used making the trek extremely long at times. Space combat need to be developed because as it is now its a joke. CONCLUSION: If you are itching for the Star Wars universe then play it by all means. There are fun classes to play, there are fun dungeon raids to do, the pvp can become fun once and only you get geared. You need to be social for the game to be great as with every MMO. I do wish it were more like Star Wars Galaxies in terms of the open world exploration but for what it is this is not bad. A good start, needs improvement, but a good start.… Expand
  90. Cyntax3rr0r
    May 22, 2012
    8
    I needed to give this game a few months before posting a review. I figured my bias towards the franchise would make me spam 10 a dozen times. I'm one of those that left WoW because... Cataclysm sucked. ToR brings a better experience for me and what I like to do in an MMO. The gathering system is great. I've never met anyone who logged into my WoW guild and said, "I can't wait to goI needed to give this game a few months before posting a review. I figured my bias towards the franchise would make me spam 10 a dozen times. I'm one of those that left WoW because... Cataclysm sucked. ToR brings a better experience for me and what I like to do in an MMO. The gathering system is great. I've never met anyone who logged into my WoW guild and said, "I can't wait to go mining for 2 hours!" I do feel that the crafting in the game needs improvement. A buddy of mine who played Galaxies for 5+ years mentioned the crafting system there and it sounds a whole lot better than what is in ToR currently. The classes that I have played have enough variety that I see potential as class tweaks are made. I was surprised that my favorite class to play would turn out to be the Bounty Hunter. I'm sure most folks jump into a Star Wars game lunging for a lightsaber, as I did. As I dabbled in my alt-itis, I found there was much more interaction in the combat. Going from ranged to mele and managing heat (the class resource) seems much more interactive then just spamming a rotation. I'm not trying to gulp the hatorade, just my preference. I don't mind the quick travel to planets, but I feel like the game is lacking without some free space flight. PvP queues are much less painful with everyone in the same pool, but your level (abilities available) and gear balance it nicely. I'm hoping for more diverse PvP modes in the future. The questing is the best I've ever seen in an MMO. This is literally building your character's persona with every decision you make. Leveling different classes are not cloned experiences like in WoW. Currently, the game lacks that amazing endgame content that's supposed to keep players hooked. I really think this game has incredible potential, but they need to work fast to make these improvements. With new MMOs constantly on the horizon, you gotta strike while the iron is hot. Even with the game in its current state, I enjoy it a heck of a lot more than WoW. That's why, for now, I'm rating it an 8/10. I'll amend this review as this game continues to evolve. Here's hoping history doesn't repeat itself with another fail patch!… Expand
  91. Maul84
    Dec 25, 2011
    9
    Lots of fun and tons of content with 8 different storylines, will be spending alot of time on this one. I'm not a MMO troll but being a fan of the first games I had to give this a shot. So far I'm really enjoying it.
  92. bobby_bouscher
    Dec 23, 2011
    7
    This is not a very innovative game, more like an extension of World of Warcraft with a Star Wars skin. It is no doubt a fun and well made game, but very traditional. For those looking for innovation I would recommend researching Guild Wars 2, where they are turning the traditional mmo model upside down, in a good way!

    SWTOR will definitely be a more than sufficient placeholder for me in    This is not a very innovative game, more like an extension of World of Warcraft with a Star Wars skin. It is no doubt a fun and well made game, but very traditional. For those looking for innovation I would recommend researching Guild Wars 2, where they are turning the traditional mmo model upside down, in a good way!

    SWTOR will definitely be a more than sufficient placeholder for me in the meantime!    … Expand
  93. klinestife
    Jan 2, 2012
    9
    I don't quite understand all the hate for this game. I have experienced very minor bugs, such as the abilities looking like they are not cooling down, but those are easily bypassed. It baffles me that the negative reviews are complaining about lag, crashes, and server issues. I have only crashed a single time, and disconnected maybe 2 times in the 3 weeks I've played. This is significantlyI don't quite understand all the hate for this game. I have experienced very minor bugs, such as the abilities looking like they are not cooling down, but those are easily bypassed. It baffles me that the negative reviews are complaining about lag, crashes, and server issues. I have only crashed a single time, and disconnected maybe 2 times in the 3 weeks I've played. This is significantly more stable than most, if not all other MMOs at launch.

    The battle system reminded me of KOTOR, only heavily stylized and faster paced. The user interface does interfere with the

    The graphics are also easy on the eye, not great, but they definitely will not hurt you, unless you're a graphics whore. If you go through the trouble of forcing anti-aliasing (an option that is baffingly absent), you will find the game actually looks great.

    If you actually paid attention to the quest giver, it gives you a sense of purpose for that quest, significantly decreasing the "grind" feeling. Your class quest starts off slow, but picks up significantly after the end of your 1st act. The animation only looks stiff if you compare it to a single player game, but then you remember most MMOs have a set looping attack animation and skill animations. In SWTOR, you can watch your character deflect the bolts and attacks coming at him from multiple angles (if you're a lighstaber wielder). Each class and their mirror has its own mechanic: The Sith Warrior/Jedi Knight needs to build up fury/focus with basic attacks or other skills, the Trooper/Bounty Hunter can instantly regenerate their mana, the Smuggler/Imperial Agent has a cover mechanic, which lets yo use cover skills and also gives a defensive bonus, and the Sith Inquisitor/Jedi Consular has a traditional mana system.

    The classes also branch into 2 advanced classes, both of which branches your class into two very different roles. For example, the Inquisitor has a skill that knocks back all enemies around him/her. When he becomes a Sorcerer, this skill becomes a defensive tactic against anyone surrounding him. If he becomes an Assassin, however, the skill is redefined into an ambush skill, one of which you can knock people off cliffs or stun them long enough for you to inflict severe damage.

    There are quests called Heroic Quests and Flashpoints. Heroic quests take place on a planet, and usually require you to find a group to have a hope of completing it. Flashpoints are story-heavy instances, where you and 3 other players take the role of a strike team. I've found that Flashpoints are disappointingly empty story-wise, from your first flashpoint, to the flashpoint where you encounter a character from KOTOR 1 and 2. (hint hint) The final flashpoints feel like episode 6 of the Star Wars saga, extremely dramatic and gives you a genuine desperation feeling. Each Flashpoint boss has its own strategy, which you will need to figure out to beat. My team and I wiped on one flashpoint boss several times before we searched up the strategy.

    PVP is fun, but there is only 3 warzones so far. It also definitely favors the higher levelled characters, as they have skills and fully specced trees that give them the advantage. For example, my Sith Juggernaut's Force Charge will stun the enemy, and I can move while using Force Choke. This definitely gives me the edge in PVP. However, it is a very slight edge, and most matchups come down to whoever has more skill.

    I would give this a full score, but there is one severe flaw: endgame. There is absolutely nothing to do at endgame except one raid. The single player quests which take place on Ilum also turn into a grind fest quickly, and you will be better of starting another character.

    Bioware has promised many features unavailable in most other MMOs, one of them being the fabled "Guild Capital Ship". They have also promised more planets, more flashpoints, more warzones, and most importantly, more raids. I look forward to watching this game grow and develop as time passes.    … Expand
  94. KETTLECORNASU
    Jan 6, 2012
    0
    This game is an abomination among MMOs. The asinine focus on telling cliched love stories, the broken PVP, the on-rails shooting all comes together as one big cluster of terrible mechanics. The story scenes are so poorly voice acted and animated I could swear they were created by a child using 'The Movies'. The actual stories themselves are so weak and tedious that I ponder their relevanceThis game is an abomination among MMOs. The asinine focus on telling cliched love stories, the broken PVP, the on-rails shooting all comes together as one big cluster of terrible mechanics. The story scenes are so poorly voice acted and animated I could swear they were created by a child using 'The Movies'. The actual stories themselves are so weak and tedious that I ponder their relevance in a WoW clone of all things. PVP - dancing cancels damage, 'nuff said. Now what would have been nice is an open world. Not only are the planets enclosed, but space consists of on-rail shooting sections that have absolutely no place in an MMO, just like the weak exposition. Add to that - the on-rails sections are really boring and repetitive. I hope TOR crashes and burns, it's a mess, it's a joke of an MMO, and it's horrendous.… Expand
  95. giovanni
    Dec 23, 2011
    10
    It's extremely funny to read reviews from people that bash the game to bits while they've been submitted on the day of release, which means they didn't even play it. Everyone played the beta and are basing their arguments on issues that were present there. Yes the game still has things that need to be fixed but by all means it's idiotic to bash something that doesn't even have a week inIt's extremely funny to read reviews from people that bash the game to bits while they've been submitted on the day of release, which means they didn't even play it. Everyone played the beta and are basing their arguments on issues that were present there. Yes the game still has things that need to be fixed but by all means it's idiotic to bash something that doesn't even have a week in existence.
    Arguments about PvP being unbalanced are a joke. Classes will get adjustments in the coming weeks as it's been said by the devs. It's logical for some things to be "wrong" since there are games (no i won't mention which) that run for over 5 years and are still incredibly unbalanced.
    All in all this game has massive potential. It looks very nice, the combat, in my opinion, is pretty fun and the story for each character is just plainly put, amazing. The planets are MASSIVE, apart from the two starting planets, which just get you into the story before getting started. To explore the whole of Tattoine or Alderaan you need at least a couple of hours. Quests are extremelly fun to do, as there are no "kill 20 of x" quests in the game. They do exist but ONLY appear as bonus quests in certain areas while you're doing your main quests and you can just skip them, as they disappear from your log when you leave.
    If you've been thinking of playing an MMO, i suggest you give it a try. It's an amazing journey to take. Haters will hate as they say. When someone types in their review that "It's like WoW in space" and grades it with a "2" or worse, it just shows how bad fanboys can hurt a good upcoming game. If it's as good as wow, then why do you slap it down..?
    It's far from perfect and that's why i give it an 8. But it's only the beginning and i'm having high hopes!    … Expand
  96. leather_belt
    Dec 21, 2011
    0
    Awful game, the witcher is much better. Awful game, the witcher is much better. Awful game, the witcher is much better. Awful game, the witcher is much better. Awful game, the witcher is much better. Awful game, the witcher is much better. Awful game, the witcher is much better. Awful game, the witcher is much better. Awful game, the witcher is much better. Awful game, the witcher is muchAwful game, the witcher is much better. Awful game, the witcher is much better. Awful game, the witcher is much better. Awful game, the witcher is much better. Awful game, the witcher is much better. Awful game, the witcher is much better. Awful game, the witcher is much better. Awful game, the witcher is much better. Awful game, the witcher is much better. Awful game, the witcher is much better. Awful game, the witcher is much better.… Expand
  97. c20h25n3o
    Dec 21, 2011
    10
    This game is awesome!
    It's a fantastic experience. Especially that it allows you to have a very solid single player experience in a MMO game. WoW eat your heart out. It's everything WoW is in a better setting and just a bit better in many ways.
  98. Konungsmathur
    Dec 21, 2011
    10
    I've been playing this game for about a week now. The things I like most is grouping with other people. There is something called Heroics scattered around the world, where you group with another person and I find these really fun. There is also a longer grouping subgame called Flashpoints. I have only done one of them so far called the Black Talon and I thought it was really done one, andI've been playing this game for about a week now. The things I like most is grouping with other people. There is something called Heroics scattered around the world, where you group with another person and I find these really fun. There is also a longer grouping subgame called Flashpoints. I have only done one of them so far called the Black Talon and I thought it was really done one, and it is fun how the story changes slightly by choosing different options during the cut scenes.

    I would definitely recommend this game, well worth the price.    … Expand
  99. hentaipanda
    Dec 21, 2011
    10
    After playing Wow for a few years, this game was very easy to transition into. Though I did pre-order back in July, and have played 2 or 3 of the betas and am now playing the game, I still see many bugs, however this is completely made up for by it's rich story lines. I find myself enjoying each story line very much. I believe within a year that this game will be completely refined. ItAfter playing Wow for a few years, this game was very easy to transition into. Though I did pre-order back in July, and have played 2 or 3 of the betas and am now playing the game, I still see many bugs, however this is completely made up for by it's rich story lines. I find myself enjoying each story line very much. I believe within a year that this game will be completely refined. It seems like BioWare actually listens to what people say, so all I have to say is have faith, and patience. This game will be great!… Expand
  100. giventofly330
    Dec 21, 2011
    10
    One of the most fully featured, polished MMO games to ever release. Incredibly smooth launch and just what you would expect from a KotoR game as an MMO. One of the best written games hands down and the combat is sooo incredibly smooth. I particularly love my Smuggler and the awesome cover system they use which changes up your skills and ads a whole new layer of strategic elements. TheOne of the most fully featured, polished MMO games to ever release. Incredibly smooth launch and just what you would expect from a KotoR game as an MMO. One of the best written games hands down and the combat is sooo incredibly smooth. I particularly love my Smuggler and the awesome cover system they use which changes up your skills and ads a whole new layer of strategic elements. The group dialogue is fantastic as well and reminds me of the old paper and pen games where you're just sitting around your buddies. If you are a MMO fan, Bioware fan, or Star Wars fan do yourself a favor and pick this game up.… Expand
Page:

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.
    Read full review
  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.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »