Roleplaying and Star Wars go hand in hand as the universe created is full of rich lore and wonderful places to explore. Those who play Star Wars RPGs want to delve deep into the galaxy and roleplay as powerful Force s, notorious bounty hunters, or roguish smugglers. The best RPGs are the ones that allow players to lose themselves in their characters and really be immersed in the world.
There have been a surprisingly small number of Star Wars RPGs released due no doubt to the immense challenge of bringing the Star Wars universe to life in a game that promotes player freedom. However, although the number is small, the quality is high, with all Star Wars RPGs made to date offering players the chance to live out their own fantasies and be a part of the Star Wars universe. Here are the best Star Wars RPGs for those looking to immerse themselves in a galaxy far, far away.
#4 - Star Wars Galaxies
Star Wars Galaxies was a game that divided fan opinion. Those who played it either loved it or hated it, and there was seemingly no middle ground. Launched in 2003, Star Wars Galaxies was full of bugs but was still a brilliant, if at times confusing, game to play. Critics and fans agreed that there had never been such an ambitious MMORPG and that it was innovative with its approach to the Star Wars setting in its massive open-world experience.
Rather than play as larger-than-life heroes, players were essentially nobodies. Players could make their characters into anything they wanted to be, and it was entirely possible to play Star Wars Galaxies without ever engaging in combat. The entire in-game economy was player driven, and one of Star Wars Galaxies' strengths was its community.
There were no set classes, instead, players chose from professions such as smugglers, spies, bounty hunters or entertainers. As characters gained experience, they could put points into skill trees. This flexibility meant that if a player wanted to live a life of a simple merchant, they could and when it came to character builds, this level of customization hasn't really been seen since in any MMO.
However, although Star Wars Galaxies was impressive, it was often mired in controversies. From changing how combat worked with no notice given to players to entirely overhauling the game after the release of the expansion Trials of Obi-Wan, subscriptions began and continued to fall. Eventually, Sony Online Entertainment announced that it would be shutting down the Star Wars Galaxies servers in 2011. There are still fan-run servers still running through the SWGEmu project, with several servers to choose from for those who fondly Star Wars Galaxies and still wish to play.
#3 - Star Wars: The Old Republic
As the server to Star Wars Galaxies shut down, a new Star Wars MMORPG launched, with Star Wars: The Old Republic being released in 2011. Just like SWG, SWTOR and its expansions have divided reviews, with some feeling that SWTOR's storylines felt more like a single-player game rather than a true MMO. However, SWTOR has some of the best voice acting and boasts some fantastically written plot arcs in any MMO to date.
Set 300 years after the events of Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and 3,600 years before the Skywalker Saga, Star Wars: The Old Republic initially told the story of a cold war between the Galactic Republic and the Sith Empire. Through the class and planet storylines, players could watch as open war broke out between the two main factions. Players can choose to side with either the Republic or the Empire with a choice of eight character classes, four for each faction, with each SWTOR class having their own questline.
Unlike Star Wars Galaxies, Star Wars: The Old Republic has a more limited character creation, although more species can be unlocked through gameplay or bought through the in-game Cartel Market. Character build customization is also more limited than its earlier counterpart, with the focus being more on story and plot. SWTOR continues to release expansions, with eight major expansions to date and is updated on a regular basis. As the game is free-to-play, SWTOR is worth a look for any Star Wars fan looking for an engaging roleplaying experience.
#2 - Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic 2: The Sith Lords
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic 2: The Sith Lords is the 2004 sequel to the massively successful Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. KOTOR 2 was almost Star Wars' biggest tragedy as it was an incredibly rushed game which led to it being released in an unfinished and, at times, unplayable state. KOTOR 2, like its predecessor, is set around 4,000 years before the events of the Star Wars movies and follows the player character known as the Exile as they attempt to stop the plans of two powerful Sith Lords.
However, Knights of the Old Republic 2 also has some of the best writing ever seen in an RPG. It introduced a more complex view of morality and the Force, brilliantly demonstrated through the player's companions, who all felt like realistic, fleshed-out people rather than computer characters. One of the best examples of this is Kreia, the Exile's mentor, who remains one of the best-written Star Wars characters ever.
Knights of the Old Republic 2 has a wonderfully intricate storyline, and players can really feel as though they are part of the galaxy and that their choices matter. Players can choose different specializations for their Exile to make them unique to their playthrough and the choices they want to make. KOTOR 2 has a great, in-depth class system, while the gameplay mechanics are based on Dungeons & Dragons, where the Exile's stats influence how well they perform tasks or in combat.
Knights of the Old Republic 2 took the strengths of its predecessor and improved on them. KOTOR 2's storyline and gameplay are much better than Knight of the Old Republic. However, the bugs, cut content, and the general unfinished state KOTOR 2 arrived in ruined the Star Wars legacy of this fantastic RPG experience.
#1 - Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic was released in 2003, is hands down the best Star Wars RPG, and is considered by some to be the best Star Wars game ever. KOTOR was the first Star Wars RPG, and developer BioWare purposely chose to set the story 4,000 years before the main Star Wars saga to give itself as much creative freedom as possible. This was the best decision BioWare could have made, as KOTOR's story is one of the best in the Star Wars franchise.
Players find themselves in the role of an amnesiac soldier, a true blank slate, who they can then customize to fulfill their own personal Star Wars galaxy fantasies. It is possible to create so many types of player characters in Knight of the Old Republic that no two playthroughs are the same. The player is aided throughout by a group of companions, each with their own rich backstories and fully developed personalities.
The plot of Knights of the Old Republic is its greatest strength, with more than its fair share of twists, but the story always feels as though it belongs to the player as it is driven by their actions. It will come as no surprise then that KOTOR has multiple endings to fully reflect the player's choices.
Knights of the Old Republic is packed full of lore, with much of Mandalorian canon originating from this Star Wars game. Although the combat mechanics are a little clunky by modern standards, KOTOR allows players to fully immerse themselves in the setting through the plot and the freedom given to players. Star Wars is a franchise built around characters, action and narrative, and Knights of the Old Republic has these in abundance.
Sources: SWGEmu, swtheoldrepublic/YouTube
