Star Wars: The Old Republic

About Star Wars: The Old Republic

Star Wars: The Old Republic dropped on December 20, 2011 from BioWare Austin. This is a massive multiplayer online role-playing game available on PC and Mac. It places you in a galaxy torn between the Jedi-led Republic and the Sith Empire just before a new war breaks out. You pick one of eight distinct classes like a Smuggler or a Trooper to forge your own path. The core promise involves making heavy choices that steer your personal narrative toward the light side or the dark side. Your decisions ripple outward to affect companions and the world around you. This title stands out by letting players live inside a living galaxy rather than just watching a movie unfold on screen.

Gameplay

Sessions involve crossing diverse planets to complete quests, fight enemies, and uncover secrets in your character class story. You engage in real-time combat that mixes abilities with tactical positioning while managing health bars. Dialogue trees appear frequently, forcing you to select responses that shift faction reputation or alter relationship dynamics with squad members. You can tackle missions solo or team up with others for group content like flashpoints. The game features space travel between zones and ground battles on the surface. Controls feel fluid, allowing quick access to your hotbar of skills during intense firefights. Every class offers a unique playstyle that changes how you approach combat scenarios and social interactions within the world.

What Players Think

Players have given this title strong scores, with Metacritic sitting at 85 out of 100 and IGDB averaging 80.4 based on 227 ratings. The community moods lean heavily toward nostalgia and appreciation for deep storytelling. Average playtime suggests hundreds of hours for those who chase completionist goals or explore every planet. Review snippets often highlight the quality of the voice acting and the weight of narrative consequences. Completion rates remain high among long-term subscribers who stick around to unlock all achievements. The data shows a dedicated player base that values the character-driven content over pure grinding. Many users cite the class stories as the primary reason they keep logging in after years of play.

PlayPile's Take

This game costs money to subscribe or buy, and it offers dozens of achievements for completionists to hunt down. It suits fans who prioritize narrative depth and character interaction over fast-paced action shooters. The 85 Metacritic score reflects a solid foundation of writing and world-building that few other MMOs match. You will spend significant time in dialogue screens rather than just combat encounters. If you want a Star Wars RPG where your choices matter, this is the one to play. Avoid it if you dislike subscription fees or slow pacing. The value lies in the hundreds of hours of story content available right now.

Storyline

Protected by the legendary Jedi Order, the Galactic Republic stood as a bastion of peace in the galaxy for a thousand generations. Several centuries ago, the greatest threat the galaxy has ever known emerged in the form of the dark Sith Empire. After a volatile war, the Republic emerged victorious and the Sith were assumed to be extinct. Nonetheless, the Jedi have maintained a constant vigil over the ancient Sith homeworld, Korriban, to protect the galaxy from the darkness that still resides in the planet's tombs. Though a small group of survivors escaped to warn of the Imperial invasion, it was only a minor reprieve for the Republic. Korriban was one of several worlds to fall in the initial onslaught, and in the years that followed, the Republic suffered many more painful defeats. Emboldened by their numerous victories, the Empire soon moved to conquer the Core Worlds, luring the Republic fleet out of position and launching a surprise attack against the noble world of Alderaan. The courageous stand on Alderaan rallied the spirits of Republic defenders across the galaxy, but the balance of the power remained in the Empire's favor. This only fueled the surprise felt when the Imperial Dark Council extended the offer to the Republic to engage in peace negotiations. Suspecting possible treachery, Republic officials agreed to meet on Alderaan, but insisted that the Jedi Order marshal all its resources to provide comprehensive security. The Jedi complied, sending most senior members of the Order to Alderaan, and leaving only a token force in the Temple on Coruscant... After destroying the Jedi Temple and overwhelming the Republic's defenses, Imperial forces occupied Coruscant, holding the planet hostage while negotiations restarted on Alderaan. With their capital at stake, Republic officials had little choice but to agree to the Empire's terms. The Treaty of Coruscant was signed, forcing the Republic to cede control of several star systems and to acknowledge new boundaries of Imperial dominion. Though the treaty brought about an official end to the war, tensions between the two sides have remained high over the last several years, and now, a return to open war seems all but inevitable...