Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (Xbox) Review

By RyThom

I used to love RPGs.  Absolutely love 'em.  Back in the 16 bit days, it was pretty much all I'd ever play. Filling my afternoons with marathon sessions of Final Fantasy 3, Chrono Trigger, Secret of Mana.  Ah...good times.  Then, I stopped playing them.  Why?  Because they began to suck.

Alright you Final Fantasy 8 fanboys, back off.  I don't mean any harm.  I'm just saying that role playing games started to become more "interactive movies" than actual role playing, with expensive CG work filling the void left by sketchy game play and a lackluster sappy Japanese story.  Well, in this era of crummy RPGs comes a masterpiece by Bioware Corp.  Years in the making, that game is Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic.  Not just the best Star Wars game to ever hit a console, it's also one of the best RPGs, and I'll even go as far to say it's one of the very best console games.  Ever.

KOTOR's storyline takes place 4,000 years before the rise of the Galactic Empire.  For those of you that aren't Star Wars scholars - that means way before Darth Vader and the gang shows up.  Instead, we're treated to an adventure with more Star Wars in it than Episode 1 and 2 put together that actually rivals the story in the classic trilogy.  And that's a lot coming from a Stat Wars fan of my size.  This is a time when lightsabers are as common as landspeeders, Jedi's are the galaxies police, and the Sith order is doing everything they can to take power over the Jedi and control the galaxy with an unstoppable fleet.  I don't want to ruin too much, but I am going to say that this game's plot mirrors the one of the classic trilogy very well, in terms of pacing, events, the whole shot.  Really good stuff.

The game puts you in the shoes of a character of your own design.  Chose their sex, class (soldier, scout, or scoundrel), and assign them skill points and feats just like you would a Dungeons and Dragons character.  This initial choice makes a big difference in how you play the game.  A soldier will bash his way through most obstacles with ease as he is given more combat attributes, however the scoundrel will need to use his skills with computer's, repair, and stealth to get him out of tough situations.  The best part of this system, is the game gives the player enough options to use the abilities of different classes.  There's always more than one way through any given situation.  And you don't do this adventure by yourself, either!  A cast of fantastic characters ranging from astromech droids to rogue Jedis is at your disposal.  Pick up to two of them to accompany you on your missions, using their skills, and talents to your advantage.  You can even equip them with their own gear, and level them up, just as you would your main player character.

While we're talking about situations, I'll break down the basic gameplay of KOTOR.  You basically do three things in the whole game, run around exploring, talk to people, and fight.  While this doesn't sound like a whole lotta innovation, it's the best "role playing" experience outside of a pen and paper game.  The exploration is handled much like any other game - run around landscapes and cities finding things to do.  Conversations are probably the most integral part of the game.  In any given conversation, you're usually allowed five or more responses.  One of them, is usually very polite, one neutral, and three telling the person how much you're sick of them, and how their head would look lovely on the tip of your lightsaber.  This is what can sway your character to either the light or dark side of the force, and with more options open for a darker comment, it exemplifies the fact that the dark side is indeed quicker and easier.  Brilliant.

Lastly, the combat system of KOTOR is its most polished area.  Take the turn-based fighting of a typical console RPG, mix it with a little real-time action, a sprinkle of strategy, and throw in a lot of great battle animation, and you've got the best way to do battle in a video game.

Graphically, Knights of the Old Republic looks pretty sharp.  The character models are well done, spaceships look right outta the movies, and textures are crisp, varied just enough, and combined with environmental effects and animation provide an excellent world for you to play in.  I do have more than a few gripes with the lighting in the game, however.  You'd think that if you walked into a pitch black cavern that the two lightsabers you're running around with might cast some kind of light on the walls?  Negative. 

KOTOR, like every other Star Wars game out there sounds perfect.  'Sabers, blasters, engines, wookie growls. Oh yeah, it's got it all.  But more than most SW games, KOTOR has some incredible voice work.  The characters don't just say their lines, they act them, and because of it you become much more emotionally attached to them, or de-attached as the case sometimes is.

Now, for the bad.  This game is buggy.  And by buggy, I mean watch as the background behind the person you're talking to suddenly changes camera angles without the person blinking an eye.  By buggy I mean sometimes you'll wade into combat and start punching people, because somehow your weapons became un-equipped all by themselves.  By buggy I mean the game's hardest puzzle was overcome by just walking through the "locked" door.  And in the case of my friend Exxorcyst, the game refused to load past a certain point in the game (about 70% through) forcing him to start anew.  Bummer.

Before I write anymore, ya know, about the awesome plot, the minigames, the countless side quests, weapon modifications, all that, I've gotta stop.  Overall, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic is an outstanding game, meeting and exceeding all of my expectations for it.  The best Xbox game since Halo, and the best console RPG since the 16-bit era.  Set a course for your favorite game store, engage hyperdrive, and start playing this awesome game.  May the force be with you!

All Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic screen shots in this article courtesy of LucasArts Entertainment

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