Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic

One of the first games I ever got for my Xbox, and I still treasure it today. In my opinion, I find this KoToR better than its sequel, although some may disagree.

The game is set four thousand years before the rise of the Empire (which basically allows the developers to play around with the storyline, as it won't have any effect on the movie timeline). The Sith Lord known as Darth Malak is searching the Galaxy restlessly for the Jedi called Bastila, a young Jedi with a gift. Unlike many, she has a powerful connection to the Force, a gift which allows her to influence the outcome of many battles, wars even, via her Battle Meditation power. You star as a soldier/scout/scoundrel (you choose) stationed onboard the Endar Spire, the same ship that Bastila is aboard. A sudden attack by the evil Sith prompts you to escape planetward, towards the world of Taris, where you must find Bastila immediately, lest the enemy capture her first.

This game receives my eight out of ten for several reasons: its excellent and breathtaking graphics, its original, involving gameplay style, its deep, intriguing plot, its strange, very different characters and its underlying premise of (once again) good versus evil. The other two marks were lost mainly because of its long but necessary prologue, to fill you in on the background of the game, and to get you accustomed to the controls, and how the game operates.

This is one RPG not to be sniffed at. Good or evil, hero or villain....you decide.

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (KOTOR for short), has been heralded by some as being the greatest Star Wars game ever made. After having played this game, I think that the people making those claims may be right.

The events in KOTOR take place about 4,000 years before the events in the films. It is a time of galactic war, between the Galactic Republic and the Sith Empire. For me, at least, the setting is what allows the game to be so rich; instead of being bogged down by having to tie into the films, it can have its own unique story, while still retaining most of the familiar details of the Star Wars universe. The aspect of KOTOR that so many have found most appealing is the ability to play as light or dark. It give the player the ability to develop the already unique story in the way they see fit, bringing the player as close as they have ever come to being their own Star Wars saga. There are thousands of choices to make, and they can affect your alignment, the story, and the gameplay.

The gameplay of KOTOR is an interesting experience. While it is an RPG, the combat takes place in real time, with the all the calculations and dice throwing taking place behind the scenes (though that information is readable). The attacks are basic, so the character building often has more to do with statistics and equipping. However, you and a few other characters play as Jedi, giving you Force abilities which can have a range of powerful effects. However, using the Force drains your Force Meter, which recharges gradually. Also, force alignment affects the cost of using the powers; using the Force to choke the life out of your opponent will cost more if you are playing on the light side. There is a pretty quick and efficient targeting system, but going through the inventory and using items is not all that fun, especially in a battle. There are a few out-of battle statistics as well that allow you to open locked doors, disable mines, and hack computers, but those duties generally fall on NPCs. There are also three classes to choose from, both at the beginning and when you become a Jedi, and both affect gameplay.

The main quest of the game takes you to several different worlds, inhabited with many different characters. Coming along to help you in your journey is a variety of NPCs: Bastila, a young Jedi with the power of "Battle Meditation", Carth, a Republic soldier who isn't quick to trust, Mission, a teenaged Twi'lek, Zaalbar, her Wookiee friend, Canderous, a Mandalorian warrior turned mercenary, and T3-M4, an astromech droid. More characters will join your party later, but I don't want to spoil the story.

There are many sidequests within the main story, and their are several choices and endings in each of them, as well. Most of the NPCs have their own character-specific sidequests as well. You gradually learn more about each character's past through talking to them, and you can pursue either Carth or Bastila as a romantic interest depending on which gender you selected for your character. Once again, you determine your relationships with the characters.

This game is full of dialog, all of it scripted and spoken by actors and actresses (except for your character). In many instances you can be talking to aliens and they will use the same generic alien sounds over and over to convey different meanings, but at least there are unique words for every character, and an extensive dialog branch for each. And of course, there's the classic Star Wars music, which is always great to listen to. Throughout the game, you get to experience a big taste of what the Star Wars universe is like. You discuss the matters of the Force with other characters, and learn about the recent history of the galaxy. Each world has its own history and problems that you learn about, and you often get to directly experience the native cultures in interesting ways. While I said before that KOTOR creates its own story without tying in directly to the movies, some of the things you learn during the course of the game can actually help you understand them better.

You may have noticed I did not mention the game's graphics or level design. There are some nice-looking indoor and outdoor environments, and flashing lightsabers, but many characters look the same, and the in-game animation doesn't always look that great. The levels do not allow for extensive exploration, and they always lead you back to the story.

Which is why I guess I really love this game. It is totally driven by a story that you create, a story that takes you to places you've never been before, yet are so familiar that you may find yourself wanting to learn all that you can about them. It's a quest across space to save the galaxy, and for the very first time, it's starring you.

This game is awesome. I'd just like to get that off my chest.

Let me tell you why. Firstly, Bioware have produced the greatest storyline ever achieved in video game history. Who would've imagined a star wars game to have a storyline instead of non-stop stormtrooper shooting like all the others? The story is dark, deep and has more twists than a virgin's knickers. You will become so damn engrossed with the story that you will forget real life, and for that i don't blame you. With this game, it comes as a right.

Secondly, the gameplay is the best i've ever encountered. I could spend the whole day walking around and talking with npcs. The npcs are so detailed and every one has a background story, or a task that they would like you to perform. The fight sequences are brilliant, mixing turn-based action and strategy together to form a perfect mold. You have to prepare yourself before each fight and choose your moves carefully, which is reminiscent of final fantasy. Also, the fact that one decision could change your path from light to dark side is a power to behold. Every decision matters.

And lastly, the graphics are consistently gorgeous. For such a huge game you may think that the graphics department would be lacking, but Bioware are perfectionists, and thank god they are! For never in this game you will want to look away from the screen, the beauty of it will grab hold of you and refuse to let go.

This game is a masterpiece. It is the most significant game since Doom and the best game ever made! Explore 10/10

I've been a fan of Star Wars for many years, and I've played many of the franchise's games. Some of them provide excellent action ('Republic Commando', 'Jedi Academy'), but none of them are memorable in the way that 'Knights of the Old Republic' is. In fact, the only Star Wars game which I think approaches it in terms of quality is its sequel. The premise of 'KOTOR' is fairly simple: You play a soldier whose mission it is to stop a powerful Sith Lord, and in order to do so you have to find several components of an ancient map. It may sound like a cliché RPG, but on your travels you'll encounter so many interesting people, fascinating stories and incredible quests, you'll never want it to end. I know I didn't.

I played this on the PC, not the XBOX and I can honestly say this game is amazing. Its made by Bioware and works on a similar system to Neverwinter Nights but to be honest while i didnt like NWNs I love KOTOR. The story is extremely involving and it gives you an extrordinary amount of freedom.

Dark side or light I enjoyed every minute of it. As a hardcore gamer I can honestly state that this game ranks as one of the best games ever made. Challenging the greats like Half Life and Deus Ex.

As another reviewer stated the plot starts off very much like Episode 4, but it is so much more. If that dosnt pursuade you then how does the ability to make your own lightsaber sound?

Graphics: 8 - Nothing groundbreaking but certainly nice to look at Sound: 10 - Probably the best voice acting I have ever heard with great music and atmosphere to match Gameplay 10 - So much freedom, The Combat Plays out extremely well, your never left wondering what to do next (unlike NWNs), And the game length is phenominal, My first play through the game came to a total 75 Hours. More than double most other games on the market. Also it has high replayability due to the ability of playing dark and light side.

Overall - 10

You must play this game!