Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II Review

A long long time ago

This sequel to the 2003 game of the year had a lot of clout even before it was released. Matching up to a game as acclaimed in story and polished in gameplay as KOTOR1 isn’t a easy feat to match. KOTORII takes place 5 years after its predecessor. You play a fallen jedi in a limbo on a spaceship called the Ebon Hawk. As you make your way through the initial stage, you find out that Jedi are in short supply and only a few people are alive. As you battle your way to droids, you meet the mysterious Kreia, a grey haired lady at odds with both the light and dark side of the force. You find out that Jedi are in short supply and there is a bounty that has been placed on any captured Jedi, resulting in miner’s fighting over claiming rights for any Jedi.

Sith is an anagram from Shit

If there is one thing that KOTOR2 has in droves, is a rich thick delicious story. Drawing off the world of Star Wars and filled with philosophical and futuristic sci fi mumbo jumbo, everything from the conversations, cut scenes and reasons forward the verisimilitude of the Star wars universe. Like in the previous game, depending on the way you conduct yourself, you veer to either the light or dark side of the force. While in a conversation, the various options you get are quite transparent with regards to which side you will be leaning towards. At the end of the conversation you get points, which elevate you in the ranks of the Light or Dark side. Be weary though, the way the conversations are wrapped in dilemmas of good and bad may not be very apparent, and making a choice which will ultimately effect the greater good is more important than lacking foresight in spite of being of pure moral virtue.

Starry eyed suprise

Throughout the game, most of the conversations with Kreia are a spectacle to behold in what could be the best Star Wars storytelling session you will ever experience. The game transcends the glossy surface of just providing you a story and gets you into the psyche of Star Wars, the thinking behind why sabers are coloured in a certain way and the free nature of choices and their repercussions. Fans of the KOTOR1 will have a more immersive experience as the game lazily references its predecessor while referring to certain plot elements.

Irony, a game about the future looks dated. KOTOR 2’s graphics are one area in which the game seriously lacks. It uses the same engine as its predecessor, reusing much of the textures. The environment is woefully static and lacks interactivity. The levels look repetitive and the detailing of the world, including enemy NCPS, equipment, droids, etc looks lackluster. The sound effects of the game are standard star wars fare but the game has a good music score. Enemy AI is another problem with your comrades constantly sticking their butt in to the line of fire. The camera angles are cumbersome and combined with graphical glitches make certain parts of the game a head trip that can rival certain illegal substances banned by the government. A few parts of the game are excruciatingly tough, which if it wasn’t for the story, would have certainly effected a frustrated uninstall.

KOTOR2 despite its graphical shortcomings and glitches remains the definitive experience for any star wars fan. The game with its predecessors back story wrapped in a complex silk threaded story makes for an impressive immersive experience that few games deliver.