What players say
Why the number is what it is: aspect mentions counted across 327 sampled Steam reviews (284 positive / 43 negative), recent and most-helpful. Plain keyword counting, fully reproducible; nothing here is written by a machine.
What positive reviews talk about
- Story & writing22% mention it
- Combat5% mention it
- Multiplayer & servers4% mention it
- Progression & loot4% mention it
- World & exploration4% mention it
What negative reviews complain about
- Story & writing12% mention it
Satisfaction by hours played
Same score, different games: see how sentiment holds up the longer people play.
Under 5h
69%
59 reviews
5-15h
88%
51 reviews
15-40h
87%
47 reviews
40-100h
92%
53 reviews
100h+
92%
117 reviews
Review sentiment over time
Weekly positive-review rate (green) and review volume (bars). Dashed lines mark significant patches; the amber line is the start of the current scoring window. Hover the dots to see what drove a dip or a jump.
How this score was computed
The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.
| Component | Positive | Quality (0-100) | Weight (pseudo-reviews) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Press reviews (Metacritic) | – | 85 | 12 |
| Creator reviews (1 tracked) | – | 86 | 1 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 90% | 84 | 1000 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | 62 | 230 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 87% | 81 | 508 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: since the last significant patch (Aug 24, 2026) · 127 reviews sampled · 508 total reviews in window · weighted 91.9 up / 14.3 down · computed 2h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (69)
Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.
- 95
“In a perfect world the review of an MMO game should be written a year after its debut, but it is how it is - the gamers want to know what they are getting into as fast as possible. How do I grade this game then? Very highly, because BioWare has developed an excellent game. It has great attention to detail, it's carefully thought out with a great world, good mechanics and a lot of cool little things that change this MMO into something new and uncommon.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“ LucasArts generally exercised greater quality control of Star Wars games than most licensed properties receive, though that didn't necessarily translate into titles that were actually good. I've played a few other Star Wars games in the past, and while the SNES platformers were pretty good, this one is even better. Knights of the Old Republic may just be the best game in the franchise, and succeeds at being a top-tier RPG even if one has no interest in Star Wars. BioWare did the license proud.”
read full review ↗ - 83
“Blizzard has dominated the market by constantly adding new content to World Of Warcraft, but Old Republic is so story-driven that those regular updates could easily feel tacked-on. Old Republic already has an enthusiastic player base. The real test will be keeping players excited enough to keep their subscriptions going.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“It may carry a lot of the same foundations as other MMOs but BioWare has given the genre something it has desperately needed - actual RPG - and that can only spell good things for us all.”
read full review ↗ - 75
“In creating such an enormous experience you'll need to devote a huge swath of your life to it, and yet it does remarkably little to make that moment to moment grind even moderately fresh. This is a must play for fans of Star Wars who want a traditional MMO experience with high production values and a lot of spoken dialogue. If you're looking for an innovative MMO set in the Star Wars universe, you will likely be disappointed.”
read full review ↗ - 86
“Star Wars: The Old Republic is the fresh breeze the MMORPG genre so urgently needed.”
read full review ↗ - 91
“The game has a few flaws here and there, but fewer than most MMOs do at launch and certainly not enough to make the game anything but a highly recommendable MMO title with a significant and enjoyable body of content.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“BioWare lived up to its promises to make story really matter in an MMO context with The Old Republic. Here, your characters are so much more than just avatars with stats.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“BioWare has done what many thought might be impossible, and delivered the world's second ever triple-A MMO. That is a mighty achievement and a huge relief. But it may yet turn out to be too little - or rather, too much - too late. ”
read full review ↗ - 80
“The surprises are few, but The Old Republic is nonetheless an online RPG of uncommon quality. And with a broad, overarching story to guide you through, you might even reach maximum level with a smile on your face, even if you are one to abandon an MMOG before that point. Such is the power of a beloved universe with so many tales still left to tell.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“The Old Republic focuses heavily on the story which is what makes leveling fun. However once you reach the level cap the game gets far too repetitive too soon.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“While Bioware might be called out for playing it a bit safe and sticking to an already familiar MMO formula, the game still has plenty to keep both Star Wars and MMO fans engaged. If you're looking for a fleshed-out MMO that isn't as overcrowded as WoW, then this is the game for you.”
read full review ↗
GRYOnline.pl
RPGamer
The A.V. Club
GameWatcher
Worth Playing
The Escapist
Eurogamer
GameSpot…and 57 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- Game Update 7.9.1b Patch NotesAug 24, 2026significant · resets scoring window
- Game Update 8.0: Masters of the Force RevealedAug 13, 2026significant · resets scoring window
- Game Update 7.9.1a Patch NotesAug 13, 2026
- Game Update 7.9.1 is live!Aug 4, 2026significant · resets scoring window
- Cartel Market Additions: Game Update 7.9.1Aug 4, 2026
- Game Update 7.9.1 "Light and Shadow" Patch NotesAug 3, 2026significant · resets scoring window
- 8.0. content is now available on the Public Test Server!Jul 30, 2026significant · resets scoring window
- Game Update 7.9c Patch NotesJul 14, 2026
- Game Update 7.9a Patch NotesJun 8, 2026
- Game Update 7.9 “Legacy Reborn” is live!Jun 2, 2026significant · resets scoring window
- Cartel Market Additions: Game Update 7.9Jun 1, 2026
- Game Update 7.9 "Legacy Reborn" Patch NotesJun 1, 2026significant · resets scoring window
- Game Update 7.9 "Legacy Reborn" Livestream RecapApr 30, 2026significant · resets scoring window
- Game Update 7.8.1b Patch NotesApr 6, 2026significant · resets scoring window
- SWTOR DirectX 12 Spring 2026 UpdateMar 31, 2026significant · resets scoring window
- Game Update 7.8.1a Patch NotesMar 18, 2026significant · resets scoring window
- Game Update 7.8.1 “Master’s Enigma is live!”Mar 10, 2026
- Cartel Market Additions: Game Update 7.8.1Mar 10, 2026
- Game Update 7.8.1 "Master's Enigma" Patch NotesMar 9, 2026significant · resets scoring window
- Cartel Market Additions: Game Update 7.8cJan 27, 2026
- Game Update 7.8c Patch NotesJan 26, 2026significant · resets scoring window
- Game Update 7.8 “Pursuit of Ruin”Dec 22, 2025significant · resets scoring window
- Game Update 7.8b Patch NotesDec 17, 2025
- Game Update 7.8a Patch NotesDec 15, 2025significant · resets scoring window
- Wreckage on Dantooine coming with Game Update 7.8!Dec 8, 2025significant · resets scoring window
- Game Update 7.8 "Pursuit of Ruin" Patch NotesDec 8, 2025significant · resets scoring window
- Game Update 7.8 Livestream RecapNov 20, 2025significant · resets scoring window
- 7.8 Content is now available on the Public Test Server!Nov 13, 2025significant · resets scoring window
- Game Update 7.7.1c Patch NotesSep 29, 2025significant · resets scoring window
- Game Update 7.7.1b Patch NotesSep 8, 2025significant · resets scoring window
- Game Update 7.7.1 Patch NotesAug 21, 2025
- Cartel Market Additions: Game Update 7.7.1Aug 19, 2025
- Game Update 7.7.1 "Flashpoint Resurgence" Patch NotesAug 18, 2025significant · resets scoring window
- Game Update 7.7.1 Livestream RecapJul 30, 2025significant · resets scoring window
- Executive Producer Letter - Q2 2025Jun 27, 2025significant · resets scoring window
- Game Update 7.7d Patch NotesJun 16, 2025significant · resets scoring window
- Game Update 7.7c Patch NotesJun 10, 2025
…and 9 earlier patch announcements.