Star Wars The Old Republic
- Roger
- Mar 25, 2024
- 6 min read
Updated: May 18
The Wars Across The Stars
The war has been raging for decades, and this time your story will take part in it. Decades before the classical star wars, we all know, and love existed.
This is the old republic, and you choose which side you want to take part in. And what may lie ahead is only up to you to tell.
The Game of The Play
Star Wars The Old Republic is a HUGE game with a large variety of content, a game that keeps getting updated with patch notes and new content.
The player gets the choice to choose which side, what class or specification, and even customize their character. Each class on either side has its own main story. Concluding to more stories and more gameplay for the player.
As there isn’t much to say about the story gameplay, I’ve written some about the including perks and such within the game.
Game Mechanics
The battle mechanics can be toggled in settings for your comfort within the games possibility. The only missing mechanic the game does not support by default or as an option is “mouse-lock” The player currently needs to hold down the right mouse button to lock the mouse.
Some games have mouse lock on default, which lets the player press a button to free the mouse instead. Unfortunately, this game does not include that setting.
It is not as simple as point and shoot; the player's weapon has a certain shooting range that the enemy needs to be within to shoot/attack.
Further away, it will indicate the enemy is too far away and is unable to shoot.
By default, after eliminating an enemy, the lock-on will switch to the nearest enemy.
While lightsabers can deflect blaster bolts from far to close distances, they can only inflict damage on the enemy at close distances.
Character Qualifications
Like I briefly said in the gameplay, when the player starts with a new character, they will choose which side they want to play on. Since each side has its own story and missions.
There are four-character qualifications on both sides. Each qualification has a certain number of selectable styles or character specifications.
After picking your character qualification and specification, the player can customize their character race, body type, color, hair, and such depending on race.
There is an expansion DLC that unlocks more content and character customization; this is one of the addons: a variety of new races.
Missions & Stories
Each qualification contains its own story and missions, and each story takes place in different locations. All intros are different, and all missions are unalike, so there is plenty of content that the player can explore and try out.
In total, there are eight stories the player can try out and complete. And each time, they can replay the story, but with another type of playing style. (aka specification)
Character Tabs
Gear
The gear tab is where the player can see and select their gear from their inventory. They can see what damage the player does, what survivability they have, and how much support they have. Inventory can be upgraded with a bit of in-game currency.
Outfitter
The outfitter can rearrange the color of the players clothing if they are compatible with the system.
Here, the player can make and save outfits for their character.
Combat Style
In combat style, the player can unlock new skills at higher levels. Changing the combat style of the character.
Loadouts
Loadouts are like it sounds; create your loadout and save it in any slot. Allowing you to change to a prepared loadout with the weapon and armor of your choice. Ready to be equipped instead of you searching for each item.
Companion
Some companions give the player the option of choosing their armor and weapons. If the player has a companion who allows gear arranging, the player can change their gear in the companion tab.
When a companion is not following the player or is in their party, the tab will be unavailable to access since there is no companion to equip new items with.
When the (N) button is pressed, the player will open a tab called “Companions & Contacts” with three small tabs: Alerts, Followers, and Contacts. Giving the ability to see all the possible companions from the people that are following the player.
Galactic Starfighter
This tab can be opened when the (H) button is pressed.
Ships
The ship tab has four smaller tabs containing Strike Fighter, Scout, Bomber, and Gunship. Each small tab contains four ships, but the player can only buy three of them with game currency; the fourth ship is real money.
There, the player can both look at ships and buy new ones, as each ship has its own little description.
Components
The components tab contains of two categories with smaller tabs. Major Components and Minor Components. The components can be upgraded by the player with in-game money.
Major Components:
Primary Weapons
Primary Weapons
Secondary Weapons
Shields
Engines
Minor Components:
Capacitor
Magazine
Reactor
Thrusters
Cosmetics
Well, what do you think? Of course, there is the ability to design the look of your ship. Change the colors of your primary weapon lasers or your ship's thrusters.
The player can change the color of the following:
Primary Weapons, Primary Weapons, Engines, and Ship Paint Job.
Unfortunately, all of these cosmetic changes cost real money. So if you don’t mind spending a few bucks, then get ready to design your majestic ship.
Crew
The crew tab has five smaller tabs containing the specific assignments inside the ship. Allowing the player to choose four crew members: offensive, defensive, tactical, and engineering. And a copilot from one of the four previously selected; each crew member has their own special ability.
New crew members can be bought/hired from any of the assigned tabs.
Launch
In launch, the player can easily see which components are equipped and what special abilities (from the crew members) are available.
The player can decide to battle or group battle, which then puts the player in a queue, awaiting to join a match.
DLCs
There are currently four DLCs in SWTOR, and only one might give a bit more content.
The three DLCs are like a shop system; instead of having the shop inside the game, the players can buy in-game currency and a subscription with DLCs. But then you ask yourself, “But that is only two things.” Well, yes, and the third one is simply a cosmetic bundle. Fitted with Rancor holo-replica, Emote: Dejarik, and a Vulptilla pup.
So basically, two of the four DLCs act as store management, while one is a small bundle and the fourth is a starter pack for the players. Giving them an amount of in-game currency and a lot of stuff in-game that would otherwise be acquired later on in the game.
Visual & Audio Visuals
For a game that was made in 2011, the graphic design, animation movements, and overall experience within the game are truly good.
Smooth structures, detailed character bodies and outfits, animations, decent effects on shooting, grandees, etc.
The game looks good, and depending on their progress and story, they will see a lot of different elements, including cities, frontlines, and space.
Audio
Voice Dialogs
Most of the main mission NPC interactions have voiced dialogue scenes, both for the NPC and the player, with three optional word choices. Some might sound more gory, while others are more passive.
Depending on the dialog choice, it can change the view of you by your companions or the NPC to whom you are talking.
Sound & Music
While in the game, the player will hear blasters shooting, hover bikes racing, and either NPCs chatting or footsteps from fellow players.
Most of the time, either on or off a mission, there will be no sort of background music. But during battles within missions, there will be classical battle music. The music plays until all the enemies are dead or the mission has been completed.
And instead of background music, if the player listens, they will be able to hear the blasters shooting, the wind blowing, the hover bikes riding, and so on. These small noises add experience to the game.
Pros and Cons
Pros
Gameplay
Character Class/Specification
Visuals & Audio
Story/ies
Content
Choices
Cosmetics/Character Designing
Cons
No Mouse-Lock
NPC Loading Error
No Simple Crouching
No background music (nothing big)
My Final Little Thoughts
SWTOR is a very large game with hundreds of hours of content, and I did not want to rush the review but also not take too long with it.
My experience during the time I played this game was mixed, but like most games, after a few hours, it gets better. Some mechanics you’ll have to learn, and others you simply need to get used to.
There isn’t much to say about the gameplay since it all runs smoothly and is mostly story-based in the game.
But all in all, I highly recommend this game. It might look and be a bit old, but trust me, it's better than some new games in this era.
Rating: 9.5/10
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