The graphics are occasionally stunning – with long draw distances rendering outdoor and space locations particularly effective and, so far, relatively lag and glitch free – an achievement in itself for most MMOs. Bioware is clearly committed to ensuring that this IS Star Wars in cyberspace – from the glossy production values to the enormous cast of characters, cultures and technologies to the pretentious but excellently delivered dialogue. If it's Star Wars that brought you here (and that surely accounts for a hefty chunk of SWTOR's initial audience) then you'll be mightily pleased with your destination.
Having only managed to get online with the full version on launch day (it's a long story – don't get me started!) I'm still coming to terms with a game that straddles several genres and is inciting heated debate in all of them. Star Wars: The Old Republic (SWTOR) is a semi sequel to the first two Knights of the Old Republic games, set before Episode 1 but drawing locations and characters from almost every planet in the Star Wars universe. Which adds even more expectation to Bioware's first entry into the genre, not least as the most expensive multiplayer game yet developed. W ith free-to-play rivals grabbing headlines and World of Warcraft losing players, it's not been a great year for subscription-based MMOs.
