It's hard to say if George Lucas knew what he had created when the original Star Wars movie hit theaters. Not only has it and all subsequent sequels and prequels been megabuck blockbusters, but the massive amount of related merchandise is mind boggling -- from toys to novels to, of course, videogames.
While there have been dozens of games based on the events of the Star Wars films or set in the Star Wars universe, Knights of the Old Republic (KOTOR) is one of the more critically acclaimed, winning many Game of the Year awards for 2003 on both the PC and XBox platforms. Some fans claim it's the best Star Wars game yet, but that seems to say something about all the other Star Wars titles; KOTOR isn't that good, though it does offer up a nice gaming experience.
At its heart this is a turn based RPG set in the Star Wars universe many centuries before the Star Wars movies (truly a long, long time ago in a... you get the point). You're a soldier with some surprising abilities who barely escapes an attack on your ship only to land on a quarantined planet where most are hostile to you. The game's story is, if not completely engrossing, at least well written and proceeds at a nice pace.
The gameplay consists of lots of running around, gathering information and equipment, and talking to some people and killing others. Sound basic? Well, it is. What's nice about KOTOR is that non-combat interactions with characters are just as important and interesting as the combat itself, which is refreshing after playing so many stat-heavy console RPGs.
Not that KOTOR isn't stat-heavy itself. It's a true RPG in the sense that it uses a dice-based system for combat and skills and each character has a set of stats, skills, and abilities which can be tweaked and tuned as the game progresses. What's more, the main character eventually becomes a Jedi, with special force powers and something everyone wants, a lightsaber. A nice twist of the stat-building aspect of the game is that, instead of manually assigning stats as characters gain levels, you can choose to automate the process. This takes away some of the personalization but is nice for those who don't find lists of bonuses and abilities appealing.
As for characters, KOTOR has a decent cast which isn't as open-ended as it appears (a primary complaint with the game as a whole). You'll eventually join up with everything from a Jedi to a Wookiee and even a droid, from which you'll choose a group to explore each area, kind of like a Star Trek away team (I'm prepared for the onslaught from geeks on both sides for mentioning Star Trek and Star Wars so closely together). The problem is, there's usually one or two characters which, because of their unique abilities, you'll need to bring with you at certain times. I had also hoped to run around with a party of six droids, but unfortunately that's out too.
Because the story is so tight, the game ends up being more narrow than expected in other areas, too. At times you'll be faced with a decision that may influence your standing with the force; chose the light or dark path and your destiny will shift in that direction. However, instead of affecting the outcome of what happens in the game, all this really does is determine what force powers you'll get (it changes how you look too, and I have to admit the dark Jedi look cool). There aren't any real branches in the story that depend on your actions. In this respect, I was hoping for an experience more like Morrowind, where even seemingly minor decisions have a tangible effect on the world and the progress of the game.
What's an RPG without a combat system? That's like peanut butter without jelly or Ashlee Simpson without a vocal track. KOTOR has a system that's turn based at its core, but combines some cinematic elements to spice things up. The transition into and out of combat is seamless, with the game simply pausing for your orders. Once unpaused, each combatant takes their turn, with the only control you have being commands; basically answering "what do I do next?" the game can be freely paused to set up whatever string of actions you choose, and all characters in the party are controllable or can be left to their own devices depending on how much managing you want to handle. Combat overall is fairly violent, so parents may not find it universally appealing for kids.
KOTOR looks good, especially for a 2003 release, and has aged well. The worlds and areas are well detailed and convincing, though character animations are a bit shaky and there's some jumpiness when exploring. At first I thought this was due to my hardware, no slouch but not bleeding edge either, though it easily exceeds the suggested requirements. After turning off as many graphical extras as possible the jerkiness remained, leading me to believe it's just the game itself; some can ignore this, but I find it annoying.
This is one game, however, there the audio has had at least as much attention as the video, if not more. The story is detailed and contains a lot of dialogue, which the designers could have easily had you read. However, almost all of the dialogue is voice acted, even non-humans speaking in native tongues (subtitled of course), and it's all done really well. The music leaves something to desired, but the voices are top notch.
There are a few side quests and mini-games to break up the action, like a battle arena and the blackjack-like Pazaak game, but for the most part this is a linear title and can be finished in about 20 hours or less. Really explore every nook and cranny and you can come away with 50+ hours, but that's pushing it; beyond this, the light side/dark side choices seem like they would make it interesting to replay the game, but they don't. Most events will be exactly the same no matter which side you choose.
Hearing about KOTOR and looking at the packaging, I was expecting Morrowind in a Star Wars setting. I was disappointed, but perhaps that's asking too much; KOTOR isn't a bad game in and of itself, just a narrow one. Star Wars fans will find a lot to enjoy here, and the rest of us will find a solidly crafted, if limiting, RPG title. Now that a sequel is out, bargain prices of $15 or so are a great reason to pick this one up, as it's easily worth twice the price.
Immersive, action-packed Star Wars role-playing experience Lead a band of freedom fighters in an epic struggle to save the galaxy Master the awesome p...More at Amazon
it is four thousand years before the galactic empire and hundreds of jedi knights have fallen in battle against the ruthless sith. as the last hope of...More at UnbeatableSale, Inc.
Quality Sony Ericsson F305 Stylish Horizontal Leather Pouch priced at wholesale cost, exclusively at CellularOutfitter.com.High Quality Genuine Leathe...More at www.CellularOutfitter.com
Take charge and lead a group of freedom fighters in the final war between the Jedi and Sith that began more than 4,000 years before the first Star War...More at eBay
Epinions.com periodically updates pricing and product information from third-party sources, so some information may be slightly out-of-date. You should confirm all information before relying on it.
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2010 Shopping.com, Inc.