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Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic Review (continued)
More User Submitted Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic Reviews
Date: 2006-11-30
This game is the best in a while
Knights of the Old Republic is a definate "must get" for any Star Wars fan, or for any person who enjoys a game with intense battles and the power of choice. I played this game, and not being a really intense gamer it took me a long time to beat. Thats not always a bad thing. In this game you start off as just a common person working for the republic, but not too far in the game you become a jedi and have the choice of which side you will choose. The orginality of the game makes it great. Not a whole lot of choose your path games turn out as well as this one did. The only complaint someone could have is that its not long enough, but it's sequel makes up for that.
Date: 2006-10-30
A Star Wars game that's actually (gasp) good...
...and not just a half-baked product placement tool. BioWare's decision to make the game pre-date the movies was a great one because it gave them considerable creative freedom, even within the confines of the Star Wars brand.
The biggest reason why KOTOR won over 40 game-of-the-year awards (yes, over 40) is not because you get to swing a double-bladed lightsaber around and use Force powers; it's because of the story! A strong plot is crucial for every RPG, and KOTOR doesn't disappoint. This plot of course includes one of the biggest twists in video game history (all you fans out there know what I'm talking about! If you don't, then go out and buy this game now).
The game's principal characters, while somewhat stereotypical (i.e. Bastila is the condescending socialite snob, Carth is the tough loner with a troubled past, etc), work very well together and have good chemistry, including with you, the created character. For example, if you play as a female character, it soon becomes obvious that Carth develops feelings for you, but he feels slightly guilty because he lost his wife not too long ago. You'll also find yourself acting as mediator when some of your allies don't get along with each other, i.e. Canderous and Carth, because they fought on opposite sides in the Mandalorian Wars that took place five years before. And aside from the character development, the game feels very rich in its "Star Wars-ness" -- for example, some of the names that BioWare came up with for the planets and people feel and sound like George Lucas himself approved them.
Despite what I said earlier in this review, cutting down your enemies with a lightsaber and looking good doing it has got to be one of the joys of KOTOR. I admit that when I first got to Dantooine and was on the verge of becoming a Jedi, I was trembling at excitement that I was going to build my own lightsaber, as I wondered what color I was going to choose.
Having said all that, there are some things that keep this game from getting 5 stars. I felt the game was a bit linear (being able to choose your planets in any order only gives the ILLUSION of open-ended gameplay). I was hoping that the storyline would be different depending on whether I decide to be evil or good, but everything plays the same, save a few minor events and certain conversations. Also, there is a "doorway bug" that causes you to sometimes get stuck when moving through a doorway or narrow corridors. When this happens you can wiggle the thumbstick and free yourself; I've never had any real problems with this bug, but it can get distracting. Also I found moving around in the menu screens to be problematic; you press start to go to the main menu, then you pull the trigger buttons to move between the screens, but often I have to pull the trigger multiple times before the game responds. Also, I'm sure many people would agree that the game's graphics are not up to Xbox standards; even the PS2 is capable of doing better! I don't usually gripe about graphics, but the textures on some background buildings on Taris are downright laughable.
Overall, I have to give BioWare serious Kudos for taking on a daunting task like creating a new Star Wars game, and I sing their eternal praises for actually making it fun. It is not a stretch to say that I bought an Xbox just to play KOTOR (and a few other titles, but that's another story), and I'm glad I made the investment. Hey, stop reading this and go play!
Date: 2006-10-16
gee, Star Wars
God, how many Star Wars video games are on the market today? There's gotta be more than a hundred, and most of them feature nearly the same light saber-slashing combat that the previous games did, only with slightly better graphics than the last time. It's time to end this silly sequel fascination and bring Star Wars to a close in the world of video games.
Date: 2006-09-17
Run, Don't Walk...
This game did what the prequels couldn't for me... it drew me back into the Star Wars universe with a vengence. I am not a real big gamer, and really don't like console games but this game is a must have for any fan, casual or hardcore. Knights also comes in a PC version for those who don't have access to a console or like me don't really care for them. In fact the PC version has more Mods available for it I believe so I would probably recommend it first.
Knights, or Kotor as it is known in the fan community is set 4000 years before A New Hope. It's the sweeping tale of a talented Padawan who comes late to the Force and holds the fate of the galaxy in their hands. Since this is an RPG the best part is the Jedi is YOU! What really drew me to this game was the well developed storyline and the flushed out characters. The other members of you party have backstorys that play directly into the plot in the form of sidequests during the course of the game. You almost feel like they are real and I found myself becoming emotionally attached to the party memebers as the story progressed. Their responses are also influenced by your dialog choices, and can even affect the main character's relationships with the other party members. This is a Bioware game as well so there is the option to romance one of the other party members. You can also choose which side of the Force to follow. The player can either be the quintessential Light Jedi, evil as Palpatine, or somewhere inbetween. Your choices throughout the game affect your alignment in the Force and also what powers are less exhausting to use.
The dialog is fantastic and rarely comes off as cheesy (unlike certian prequals which shall remain nameless) and the voice actors who portray the other characters are wonderful. Even the dialog for the main character has the option to be funny without necessarily gaining you dark side alignment.
The game gives you the choice to play as a male or female character which actually influences what side quests you can pick up, as well as having a minor effect on the main story. Personally I thought this was the most gratifying aspect of the game. I got to play as a kickin female Jedi who holds the fate of the galaxy in her hands. Due to this as well as the ability to choose your alignment there are four possible endings to this game.
Knights has been able to hold an excellent replay factor as well due to the number of Mods available for the game from other fans. LucasArts actually encourages and even supports fan mad mods on thier website. When you get bored with the main storyline there are mods out there that change everything from looks to clothes to Force Powers and even dialog. There's even a Mod out there that restores the cut fifth ending that was only available as a female character.
The game mechanics are pretty easy to get a handle on. The combat options give you the ability to either choose what attacks each character in your party use or leave them automated. Those who aren't real familiar with computer games should be able to pick up the basics fairly fast. Those who like first person shooters may find it a little frustrating as the attacks themselves are automated. For me this was a plus as I'm not a fan of "button smashers."
A work of advice to someone who hasn't played the game or isn't familiar with it's storyline, avoid searching on the internet for info on it as much as possible. This may be frustrating if you are someone who likes getting walkthroughs but believe me, the storyline's twist is not something you want to spoil. You'll enjoy the game storyline much more if you don't spoil the surprise. There are gaming sites where you can get cheats and only cheats if your a cheater like me.
Not only will teen players enjoy it but I know plenty of 20 and 30 somethings who adore this game. It does a great job of capturing the feel of the Original Trilogy. If you like Star Wars at all, run... don't walk and buy this game.
Date: 2006-08-14
One of the best RPG games ever
Pros:
- Exciting and absorbing story line.
- Great gaming experience.
Cons:
- Some minor bugs.
- Single player game.
- Cannot replay more than a few times.
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