Star Wars: The Old Republic is a story-driven massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG). Developed by BioWare, the game was announced in 2008 and released in mid-December 2011.
The game is set in the famous Star Wars universe, 300 years after the events described in the Knights of the Old Republic duology and 3,500 years before the events of Episode IV. According to the story, before the game begins, the Sith Empire invades the Galactic Republic, leading to the Great Hyperspace War. After the Sith Empire captures the Republic’s capital, the planet Coruscant, a peace treaty is signed, marking the Republic’s defeat in the war. The game begins during the so-called “Cold War” between the Sith Empire and the Republic: although all military action is officially forbidden, minor skirmishes between Sith and Republic forces occur everywhere. Players take on the role of one of many neutral characters whose actions, together with those of other players, will constantly change the game world.
The combat system is much like that of any other MMO, and The Old Republic also includes all the standard features of the genre, such as guilds, crafting, and resource gathering.
The game features two factions: the Sith Empire and the Galactic Republic. Each side has its own classes: the Sith Empire has Bounty Hunters, Sith Warriors, Imperial Agents, and Sith Inquisitors, while the Republic has Troopers, Smugglers, Jedi Knights, and Jedi Consulars. Each class is unique in its own way.
For example, the Imperial Agent is a class that attacks stealthily from cover and at long range with a sniper rifle, while the Trooper is the main combat unit and serves as a “tank” on the battlefield. In addition to their unique abilities, each class has its own story arc and ship. For example, the Jedi Knight travels across the galaxy, helping fight the Sith, while the Imperial Agent carries out a secret mission for the Sith Emperor, tasked with exposing the Republic’s conspiracy with a criminal syndicate.
As in Knights of the Old Republic, the game features a companion system: each class has its own companions, whom players can meet during their travels.
The game features many worlds familiar from the films, games, books, cartoons, and comics. These include Tython (Typhon), the Jedi Order’s base; Dromund Kaas, the capital of the Sith Empire; Coruscant, the Republic’s capital; Korriban, home to the Sith Academy; and many others.