The Verdict
Best if you want eight full-length BioWare RPGs wrapped in a Star Wars skin—hundreds of hours of cinematic, choice-driven storytelling you can experience solo or with friends, all free to start.
Software architect and father of two based in the Netherlands. Been gaming since MS-DOS Mario. Writes honest recommendations for people with limited evenings and too many games left to play.
Star Wars: The Old Republic delivers what few MMOs dare: treating every player as the protagonist of their own branching narrative. Each of the eight classes—Jedi Knight, Sith Inquisitor, Bounty Hunter, Imperial Agent, and more—unfolds a fully voiced, decision-laden campaign that rivals standalone BioWare RPGs in scope. You'll spend 40-60 hours per class working through cinematic dialogue wheels, making Light or Dark Side choices, and building relationships with companions who comment on your decisions and join you in combat. The gameplay loop blends traditional MMO questing with BioWare's narrative DNA. You'll accept missions, travel to planets like Hoth and Tatooine, engage in hotkey-based combat that feels deliberate rather than twitchy, and return for rewards and story payoff. Companion characters handle tanking, healing, or damage based on your needs, making solo play comfortable even in story mode difficulty. Sessions naturally break into 20-30 minute quest chains, though you can easily sink hours into back-to-back missions when the story hooks you. The learning curve is gentle for MMO standards. Abilities unlock gradually as you level, tooltips explain mechanics clearly, and story mode difficulty forgives mistakes. If you want challenge, veteran and master modes exist, plus group Flashpoints (instanced dungeons) and Operations (raids) that demand coordination. PvP warzones and starfighter battles add competitive variety, but they're entirely optional if you're here for the narrative. The free-to-play model is where things get complicated. All eight class stories through level 60 are free, which is a staggering amount of content. However, you'll hit restrictions: fewer action bars, credit caps that limit auction house purchases, slower XP gain, and locked expansions. Many players subscribe for one month to permanently unlock expansions, then drop back to free play. It's less "free MMO" and more "generous trial of a subscription game," but the core narrative experience remains accessible without spending a dime. Replayability comes from trying different classes and making opposite moral choices. The Imperial Agent and Sith Warrior stories are community favorites, while the Jedi Knight arc feels most like a classic Star Wars hero's journey. If you've ever wanted to live out your own Star Wars power fantasy—whether as a cunning spy, righteous Jedi, or ruthless Sith—SWTOR delivers that fantasy with more polish and depth than almost any Star Wars game before or since.
Click any screenshot to view it full size.
Star Wars: The Old Republic does not support crossplay.
Single Player • Multiplayer • Co-op • PvP • Online Multiplayer • MMO
Online-only MMORPG on PC. No couch/local, split-screen, hotseat, or LAN modes. Group PvE includes Flashpoints (commonly 4-player) and Operations (8- or 16-player). PvP includes Warzones (8v8) and Arenas (4v4). Galactic Starfighter is 12v12. Cross-play not supported (PC-only). Players can freely join/leave most group activities via matchmaking/group finder; some instances may penalize leaving early.
How rating boards around the world have classified Star Wars: The Old Republic. Open a board for its content descriptors.
The content of this game is suitable for persons aged 16 years and over only. It contains: Realistic looking violence This game allows the player to interact with other players ONLINE
Which version to buy, and what differs between platforms.
The base game and first three expansions are free. Subscribe for one month ($15) to permanently unlock Knights of the Fallen Empire, Knights of the Eternal Throne, and Onslaught expansions, plus raise your level cap to 80. Cartel Coins (premium currency) are optional for cosmetics and convenience items.
PC only via Steam or the official launcher. Requires persistent internet connection. No console versions exist. Download size is substantial (40+ GB) and updates are frequent.
Full voice acting for all dialogue. Subtitles available. UI scaling and key remapping supported. Colorblind options and chat filters included. Camera distance and sensitivity adjustable. Turn-based dialogue system allows unlimited time to read and choose responses.
Titles we've handpicked for readers who liked Star Wars: The Old Republic, grouped by what they share with it — a similar vibe, more challenge, or the same multiplayer setup.
Narrative-driven games that prioritize storytelling and character development over the gameplay focus of Star Wars: The Old Republic.
A dialogue- and choice-driven Star Wars RPG with party companions and moral decisions, delivering that cinematic saga feel without MMO grind or raid schedules.
Deeper, darker branching storytelling with strong companion arcs and alignment choices—ideal if SWTOR’s class stories are your main draw, but you want it offline.
Squad-based sci‑fi RPG with big dialogue choices, loyalty missions, and long-running consequences—scratches the “space opera with companions” itch hard.
Games that capture the essence of Star Wars: The Old Republic with a gentler learning curve and more forgiving difficulty, perfect for newcomers to the genre.
MMO structure with smoother leveling, dynamic world events, and generous quality-of-life; it’s easy to dip in for story chapters and open-world rewards.
Questing-first MMO where you can follow fully voiced zones like a solo RPG, then seamlessly join dungeons—great if SWTOR’s PvE story flow is the hook.
A focused Star Wars adventure with clear progression and light RPG elements; far less time-commitment than an MMO while still delivering Jedi fantasy and planets.
Cooperative multiplayer games that emphasize teamwork and shared objectives, building on the social aspects of Star Wars: The Old Republic.
Fast co-op missions with tons of build tinkering and PvE progression; ideal for friends who want repeatable online play without the traditional MMO quest treadmill.
Full campaign co-op RPG with branching choices, party roles, and build depth; perfect if you want the “adventuring with companions” feel in a tighter group format.
Online co-op looter-shooter with raids, strikes, and shared-world events—great for group progression nights when you want gear chase and boss mechanics over dialogue.
Head-to-head competitive games for players who enjoy the competitive elements found in Star Wars: The Old Republic.
Large-scale Star Wars PvP with heroes, vehicles, and objective modes; it delivers the franchise spectacle and faction fantasy in fast, queue-and-play matches.
Squad-based competitive shooter with distinct class-like Legends and ability combos—an easy pivot if SWTOR PvP was your jam but you want pure match-based intensity.
This game appears in 2 articles on this site.
SWTOR delivers some of the best Star Wars storytelling in gaming through eight fully voiced class campaigns with meaningful choices and companions. Character progression via talents and gear feels rewarding, and the sheer volume of narrative content rivals paid RPGs. The trade-off is a very restrictive F2P model with limited action bars, tight credit caps, and gated endgame content that feels more like an extended trial than true free-to-play.
Eight complete BioWare-style class stories set in the Star Wars universe, each with cinematic presentation, voiced dialogue, and meaningful choices. SWTOR offers hundreds of hours of solo narrative content that rivals many premium RPGs, all playable at your own pace with companion support smoothing combat. While always-online and expansion-gated, the base class campaigns alone provide more story-driven gameplay than most paid titles.
Common questions about this game, answered by our team.
40-60 hours per class story to reach level 60-75, depending on how much side content you tackle. With eight classes, that's 300+ hours of unique narrative content before touching expansions or endgame.
Yes. All class stories and most expansions are soloable with companion assistance. Some Flashpoints have solo modes. Only Operations (raids) and PvP require groups, and both are optional for story completion.
Playable but restricted. You get all eight class stories, but face credit caps, fewer action bars, slower XP, and no expansion access. Many treat it as a trial, subscribing once to unlock expansions permanently.
Story mode is very forgiving—companions handle support roles, and you can respawn nearby if defeated. Combat uses traditional hotkey-based abilities with a 1.5-second global cooldown, giving you time to think between actions.
Moderately. Light/Dark choices affect companion approval, unlock certain gear, and alter dialogue responses. Some story beats branch based on decisions, but the overall arc stays on rails. It's BioWare choice, not full simulation.
Game data and imagery provided by IGDB.com
