Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and Knights of the Old Republic 2.
Well, let's be Chronological (get it?) and start with the first installment.
KOTOR (as I prefer to call it) is a BioWare RPG released in 2003 (to the best of my knowledge). I realize it's not that old, but it's old for me. I've had it forever (it seems) and have thoroughly exhausted every aspect of its gameplay. The fact that it took so long could be a
testament to the game's playability. At any rate, let's jump right in, shall we?Short Version:
My first thoughts on inserting this disc were, "Finally, a good Star Wars RPG!"
My thoughts halfway through: "Wow...this is a long game. Tedious, too. But I've been playing for 14 straight hours, might as well keep going."
My thoughts on completing the game: "Well, they could've had that, and that..."
Long Version:
OK, let's break this baby down. Right off the bat I was pretty impressed with the color, and the visuals of the game, especially for an earlier-ish X-Box release. The customization you get in the beginning is limited. You pick gender, face, a "job" class, and a name. The aren't that many faces, and there are three jobs. Essentially, one is based on attack power, one is force-oriented, and the other is a balance of the two. These are explained to you when you are selecting, so I won't get into it. A real downer for me was the race limitation. I mean, humans are cool and all, but what if I just really want to be a Jedi Wookie? Am I the only one who thinks that's totally awesome in at least 6 ways? (I won't list these by the way, just take it how you will.) That aside, once you've selected all that, you allocate those first few skill and attribute points (If you've ever played D&D [if you have, you know what that means] then you are already familiar with this system) and the game throws you onto a Republic cruiser. You are (insert name here) and you are "special cargo" because of your extensive knowledge of (insert job class). You aren't a Jedi (yet), but you are an "expert." Basically, the Sith are coming and you have to bail you and your bunkmate's (whose name you don't know, somehow) fannies out of deep bantha poo-doo. You eventually escape to a little planet called Taris where you meet up with some locals, rescue a Jedi, and start your journey... I won't ruin the story line, as it is actually one of the best parts of the game.
The battle system, I will say, leaves a little to be desired. This is an RTS (Real-Time Strategy) game, but it doesn't really achieve much in the way of strategy, or real-time. Basically, there are two kinds of battles. Type A: select "attack" and wait about 30 seconds for your party to slice and dice. Basically, sit back and watch scripted "slash, block, duck, slash, dodge, slash, repeat..." until someone dies. OR Type B: pump yourself full of stat-boosting stims, use every frikin' force power there is, throw grenades like a crazy SOB, then die. In other words, this game doesn't really find that line between too easy and frustratingly difficult. This is, in my opinion, the most critical part of any RPG, and unfortunately, it's a little lackluster.
KOTOR also wanted a re-playable game, so they added a few very interesting features. First, the free-roaming aspect. That's great. Except for one thing. There is and order that you should visit the plane
ts. Do it wrong, and you get overpowered by Tusken Raiders or Sith Critters well before you can hope to survive against them. However, trial and error will teach you quickly where you can, and cannot go. Another feature thrown in is character customization. I hit on this earlier, but the truth is that this plays a larger role in the game rather than in the character creation section. There's one thing that really makes a huge difference for me, and this game delivers in that department. When I equip (or un-equip) something, I would really like my character to be wearing or wielding what I just put on (or took off) of him (or her, as the case may be). The last, and definitely most important aspect of the game is the "choose your own path" detail. Everything you say or do (believe me, there are a lot of choices) affects not only your force alignment, but also your public appeal, missions, and even accessibility of certain areas and characters. Sometimes things work out whether you chose to kill that imbecile or be merciful and actually give the groveling sap some cash. These things are generally just for advancing your force alignment one way or the other, but some decisions must not be taken lightly. In some cases, it can make your next fight a LOT more difficult. Remember, sometimes making enemies unnecessarily isn't a good thing...So, for those number-oriented people out there:
Visual------------[8.5/10]
While definitely good, they aren't anything to write home about. They are "good enough."
Audio------------[5/10]
I love my BGM (background music), but this game really doesn't deliver here. The only real music you encounter is in the various cantinas, which is cheesy at best. However, the sound effects are fairly good, and make up for the lacking music (somewhat).
Gameplay-------[7/10]
While the battles aren't the greatest, they're only half the fun. Most of your time will be spent talking to people or solving puzzles, or making "choices."
Story Line------[9/10]
Definitely one of the better parts of the game, the story takes some nice, unexpected twists.
Replay Value---[9.5/10]
If you liked the game enough to beat it once (something to the tune of 50 hours, depending on your approach to side-missions), then you owe at least another play-through, because playing through as the good guy is radically different that the bad guy option.
Overall----------[7.8/10]
Bias--------------[8.5/10]
Straight up, this game is "average-good," but if you like the subject material, as I did, then you will get a little more out of it.
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Ok, now for KOTOR2.This one came out only a year or so later (I'm not so good with this whole copyright date thing, I'm not sure why). Anyway, BioWare pretty much just took the old one, wrote a new story, added different (yet undeniably familiar) characters, and...bam. KOTOR2. In other words, the mechanics of the game are pretty much identical. On the upside, you start as a Jedi this time, able to build Force powers pronto, not wait until much later, and they upped the level cap to 30 rather than the previous 20, I do believe. It has been a while since I've played either game, so the nuances have been partially forgotten, forgive me. (If you really want to know, play the games!)
Anyway, since they are so similar I will make this one short:
Visual------------[9/10]
Pretty much the same, but with a bit better lighting and other detail.
Audio------------[5/10]
Again, there wasn't much here. A bit of a downer for me.
Gameplay-------[7/10]
Almost a carbon-copy of the first,and with a few new features, it's not enough to really make a notable difference.
Storyline--------[8/10]
Definitely different, but without as many twists and unexpected events that make a story great.
Replay Value---[9/10]
Not as high, mainly because, unlike KOTOR, the ending doesn't really change too much with the path you choose. However, the game along the way can be quite different.
Overall----------[7.6/10]
Bias--------------[8.5/10]
Honestly, I like the first one better in terms of plot and development, but this one delivered slightly more in other areas such as combat, skills, and character advancement. Really, it all balanced out for me. If you like the first, then you will like this one, as well.
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