Common Sense Media Review
By Michael Lafferty
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Play as Jedi or Sith in this story-rich, combat-laden MMO.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Play
Videos and Photos
Star Wars: The Old Republic
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 9 parent reviews
Based on 15 kid reviews
Kids say that this video game is an exciting experience for fans of the franchise, providing immersive storylines and engaging gameplay, although they note that it might be better suited for players ages 14 and up due to mild language, optional sexual themes, and some sci-fi violence. While many appreciate the lack of graphic content, concerns arise about disturbing elements, particularly the portrayal of torture or death, which could be unsettling for younger players.
- engaging gameplay
- mild language
- optional sexual themes
- sci-fi violence
- age recommendation
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's It About?
STAR WARS: THE OLD REPUBLIC takes place long before the age that formed the basis for the six movies. There are two factions, the peace-loving Jedi and the violent Sith, that are at odds and trying to control the galaxy. The player must make the choice of which side to fight for or whether to tread equally between Light and Dark. Just because a player is Jedi, though, does not mean he can't be a Dark-Side Jedi, and a Sith can be a Light-Side Sith. The game has many fantastic worlds to explore and quests to undertake, with a different story line for each of the four classes per faction (the factions being either the Sith or the Jedi.) Players can customize their character's looks and skills, take part in crafting, fight on the worlds or in space, and take on companions as well as join guilds to adventure with other real human players.
Is It Any Good?
Star Wars: The Old Republic has bucked the story-doesn't-matter trend of MMOs by creating a game where the story matters a lot. This is one of the best, if not the best, story-driven MMO on the market. The graphics are glorious, and the game bolsters its appeal with the lore and legend of the Star Wars license. Though the space combat is not very good and is more arcade than anything else, the rest of the experience is well done; the crafting is intelligent, the player-vs.-player battlefields are balanced for all player levels, and there's a lot to see and do. All in all, this is great fun.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how some games, with ties to other areas of pop culture, can create interest and drive sales for a brand such as Star Wars.
With MMOs, it's easy to get wrapped up in playing for hours without taking breaks. Parents can talk to their kids about setting reasonable and responsible time limits for playing games.
Families can also talk about how to differentiate between the violence seen in games and what happens (or should not happen) in the real world.
Game Details
- Platform : Windows
- Subjects : Language & Reading : reading comprehension , storytelling , text analysis , Social Studies : cultural understanding , exploration , power structures
- Skills : Thinking & Reasoning : asking questions , decision-making , problem solving , solving puzzles , strategy , Communication : conveying messages effectively , friendship building , Collaboration : cooperation , respecting other viewpoints , teamwork , Responsibility & Ethics : following codes of conduct , learning from consequences
- Pricing structure :
- Available online? : Not available online
- Publisher : Electronic Arts
- Release date : December 20, 2011
- Genre : Massively Multiplayer Online Game (MMOG)
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic ) , Superheroes
- ESRB rating :
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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