Star Wars: The Old Republic Review

February 27, 2025 4 By Best Gamer

A Blast from the Past: Reviewing ‘Star Wars: The Old Republic’

Overall Game Features

The game has been around since 2011, developed by BioWare, with its unique storyline, engaging combat mechanics, and strong character customization options making it a standout title in the MMORPG genre. IGN praised SWTOR for its immersive storyline with branching choices that impact the narrative. Players can choose between eight different classes and advance through a multitude of story-driven quests.

General User Feedback

Players have praised the game’s engaging combat mechanics and strong character customization options, allowing them to create complex characters with various abilities and upgrade their gear to suit different playstyles. However, IGN also noted that some of these customization options are locked behind paid-for DLCs (Downloadable Content), which may rub players the wrong way.

Provoking Questions

Would you rather have a rich storyline or open-world exploration? Can an MMORPG truly be successful without constant updates and expansions? Does a ‘choice-based’ narrative really make a game more immersive?

A Look into History

‘Star Wars: The Old Republic’ was released in 2011, developed by BioWare. It’s the third MMORPG in the Star Wars universe and received widespread media attention due to its detailed storyline which promised a deeper look into the Star Wars universe.

Target Group

The game’s target audience is fans of the Star Wars series as well as MMORPG enthusiasts. The gameplay involves players taking on the roles of either Jedi or Sith, with each faction featuring unique storylines and characters.

Unique Features

– A choice-driven storyline which allows players to make decisions that affect their character’s progression.
– A variety of playable classes including Jedi Knight, Sith Warrior, Trooper, Bounty Hunter, Smuggler and Imperial Agent. Each class has two distinct playstyles: the ‘story’ experience with a focus on roleplaying and the ‘group’ experience focusing on grouping and raids.
– Advanced crafting and player versus player (PvP) systems.

Developer

The game was developed by BioWare, which is an Edmonton-based video game developer. However, due to performance issues with the game at launch and also some mixed reviews from critics, BioWare announced in 2011 that it would no longer be handling future updates to ‘Star Wars: The Old Republic.’ Instead, Electronic Arts (EA), who owns the Star Wars license and publishes games based on the series, took over development.

Community

The community surrounding ‘Star Wars: The Old Republic’ has been active since its release with many fans continuing to play the game even years after launch. Players have created extensive guides and walkthroughs for new players, sharing their expertise on how to progress through the game’s storylines and master different classes. In 2021, EA announced that ‘Star Wars: The Old Republic’ had reached a milestone of over 20 million registered accounts.

Hardware Requirements

The minimum system requirements for ‘Star Wars: The Old Republic’ at launch were:

– Operating System: Windows XP or Vista
– Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo or AMD Phenom X3
– Memory: 1.5 GB RAM
– Graphics Card: NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GTX or ATI Radeon X1950 Pro

In terms of current system requirements, as ‘Star Wars: The Old Republic’ is still an active game with ongoing support from EA’s Canadian studio, the recommended specifications for playing on high settings are:

– Operating System: Windows 10 (64-bit)
– Processor: Intel Core i7 or AMD FX
– Memory: 8 GB RAM
– Graphics Card: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 or AMD Radeon RX 580.

Positive Reviews

1. IGN Review: “Star Wars: The Old Republic is a bold experiment that works incredibly well.” – Game Informer
2. IGN Review: “While the game may not be perfect, it’s still an excellent addition to the Star Wars universe and a great starting point for its new MMORPG franchise.” – IGN
3. Metacritic User Review: 9/10: “I played this game from beta and I can say that the full version is even more impressive… The story is engaging, the gameplay is solid, and the visuals are stunning.”
4. Metacritic User Review: 8/10: “This game exceeded my expectations in so many ways. The characters are all well developed and interesting to play as.”
5. Metacritic User Review: 9/10: “The game’s story is engaging, the gameplay is fun, and the multiplayer aspect is well done.”

Negative Reviews

1. IGN Review: “Star Wars: The Old Republic is a disappointing experience for anyone who has played World of Warcraft… It lacks the polish and sophistication that we’ve come to expect from Blizzard.” – Game Informer
2. Metacritic User Review: 3/10: “I was really looking forward to playing this game but unfortunately it’s been a huge letdown. The gameplay is dull, the graphics are subpar, and the servers are constantly lagging.”
3. Metacritic User Review: 4/10: “I’ve tried playing this game several times but I just can’t seem to get into it… The story is convoluted, the characters are uninteresting, and the gameplay is repetitive.”
4. Metacritic User Review: 6/10: “While the game has some interesting ideas, it falls short in execution. The gameplay is clunky, the graphics are outdated, and the multiplayer aspect is lacking.”

Comparison with Competitors

In comparison to other MMORPGs in its time, ‘Star Wars: The Old Republic’ stood out for its engaging storyline and unique features. However, its lack of open-world exploration and repetitive gameplay mechanics have been criticized by some players.

Conclusion

‘Star Wars: The Old Republic’ is a game that has had both positive and negative feedback from users since its release in 2011. While it has received praise for its immersive storyline and engaging combat mechanics, it has also been criticized for its lack of open-world exploration and repetitive gameplay mechanics.

As with any MMORPG, the longevity of ‘Star Wars: The Old Republic’ will depend on ongoing support from EA’s Canadian studio. With over 20 million registered accounts, there is a dedicated community surrounding the game. However, the success of the game ultimately depends on its ability to adapt to changing player preferences and provide regular updates with new content.

Speculation about Future

As we look to the future, it’s hard to predict what’s in store for ‘Star Wars: The Old Republic.’ With EA’s commitment to ongoing support and the continued popularity of MMORPGs, there is a good chance that the game will continue to receive updates with new content.

However, as the gaming landscape continues to evolve, it remains to be seen whether ‘Star Wars: The Old Republic’ will be able to stay relevant. With the rise of more modern MMORPGs and the increasing popularity of other genres, such as battle royals and MOBAs, it’s possible that ‘Star Wars: The Old Republic’ may eventually fade into obscurity.

Ultimately, only time will tell whether ‘Star Wars: The Old Republic’ will continue to thrive or succumb to the ever-changing landscape of the gaming world.