SWTOR - or Star Wars: The Old Republic for the uninitiated - is an MMORPG from Bioware that is soon to be entering its eleventh active year! This is a huge achievement for any MMO when support for a game can so easily be pulled at the first sign of trouble.
As 2022 progresses, you may find yourself either returning to - or looking at - SWTOR as a possible title to get involved with. Is it still worth playing all these years later? Let us take you through what you need to know...
SWTOR: Content & Story
Thanks to the fact that SWTOR has been around for over a decade, there is a ton of content to enjoy from the early levels all the way through to the 'endgame'.
The story of SWTOR is easily one of its biggest attractions as it plays out in a very typical Bioware fashion but with MMORPG vibes. It's fully voiced with cutscenes and interactive conversations where you can choose between light side and dark side actions.
Want to be a gloomy anti-hero? Sure, be a Jedi and ruthless with your choices. Perhaps you want to be a reluctant villain? Then be a sith but show mercy wherever possible.
This direction is present throughout the entire base story and the multiple expansions that have been released since. Each of the classes is unique in its own right and fun to play whether representing the dark side of the force, or the light.
Once you reach the later stages of the game - or earlier if you choose - there is the option to join a guild and start completing dungeon/raid-like missions. These are a great way to extend your time with the game but the single-player content is also of the highest quality if you don't feel like being social.
Membership
While SWTOR is free-to-play, there is the option to purchase a running membership. Running anywhere from 30-180 days on recurring payments or a 60-day non-recurring option, membership is the way to get more out of your time travelling around the galaxy.
All expansions are included with full access if you are an active member. Once your membership ends you enter a preferred status which is like a mid-tier that has its own little benefits too. You will also receive 500 Cartel Coins per month which is the premium in-game currency.
Being a member is also the fastest way to progress in-game with levelling/XP bonuses available frequently. This doesn't necessarily mean it's pay-to-win as you may only want to experience the PvE side of the game.
The SWTOR membership is a nice option but never once have I felt compelled to sign up (even if I'm rather annoyingly prompted to in-game).
Graphics/Performance
Graphically speaking, SWTOR has held up quite well. There are some interesting performance issues from time to time that appear to be either issues with the server or optimization of the game itself.
There's never anything intrusive though, which is a big bonus. On a scale of World of Warcraft's outdated visuals to Lost Arks' visually stunning approach, it's somewhere in the middle.
SWTOR Verdict
In 2022, if you're looking for a brand new MMORPG to play or perhaps looking to return to the Star Wars setting, SWTOR is a fantastic option.
Better yet, if you can rope a few friends into joining you, the experience is only going to improve. Not to mention you can all get started and enjoy a ton of content without spending any money at all.
Support for the game is still ongoing, albeit with a scaled-back compared to when it first launched. This means new content is always being worked on and there's a very passionate community (the good non-entitled kind) supporting the game still.
Give SWTOR a chance and it just might surprise you!