Presentation
It was the summer of 2003. I was ten years old. Star Wars was probably my favorite thing in the entire world back then. My dad had episodes four, five, and six on VHS and I would watch those every single day. I had just started to get into video games. A year prior my dad showed me Halo and since then I was hooked. I'd never experienced anything else like gaming before. My dad told me about this new Star Wars game coming out called Knights of the old Republic. He told me it was an RPG(Role-Playing-Game). I had absolutely no idea what that meant, but it excited me. He also told me that in this game you could actually be a Jedi! I had seen him play other Star Wars games like Rouge Squadron where you take control of Luke Skywalker and his famous X-wing as you fight the Empire across the galaxy, or Star Wars: Episode 1 Racer, where you raced other characters in Pod Racing, but nothing where you could actually wield a lightsaber and become a Jedi! Needless to say, I couldn't contain my excitement. I was counting down the days until the game released. My dad warned me and told me that this game was going to be tough and unlike anything I'd ever played, but that only made the game that much more interesting to me. Finally, the day arrived. We went to the mall to a store called Electronic Boutique(Now GameStop) we picked up the game and a copy of the strategy guide. I remember, my dad said "You're going to need this" and happily paid the extra fifteen bucks to get it for me. We got home around 11 in the morning and I remember the day like it was yesterday. I put the game into the console and it booted up. I was greeted with this awesome opening cut scene that got me insanely pumped to play this game. I hit "New Game" at the main menu and my journey was underway. Then, I got to select my character. I was immediately blown away. I had never played a game that allowed me to create my own character before. I was used to games that had a predetermined protagonist for me. That really made me feel like I was playing the game as myself, and really helped connect me to this universe. So, I select my character class and his appearance, and then it was onto the stat distribution screens. At first, I was like, what? I was given a certain number of points to distribute into whatever attributes and skills I wanted. I thought it was so in depth, and it took awhile to get past these screens because I didn't want to put my points into the "wrong" categories, not really knowing there was no wrong categories. I typed out my name as the characters name, and finally hit "Play Game." The Star Wars main theme exploded onto the screen and the rest is really history for me. I was in awe with how good the game looked back then. The faces looked so real and the game captures the feel of Star Wars exactly, it really takes you to the universe in a way that nothing else can. I think the game has aged well graphically. It doesn't look amazing, but I'm currently playing the PC version all maxed out and it looks crisp and performs really well. As a ten year old kid, it may as well have been real life. It felt completely real to me in every way. The Xbox version does have some problems however. The game does suffer from some framerate hitches throughout the combat, but I didn't notice this stuff until I got way older. The PC version fixes these problems and offers smooth gameplay all the way through. The presentation of this game has held up really well, and still delivers a unique Star Wars feel that even few games can deliver today.
Story
The story of this game is one worthy of a film adaptation. I don't like to give anything away to those of you who haven't played the game, so I'll keep it simple. By the way, if you haven't, get your hands on this game immediately. Especially if you're an avid Star Wars fan. I showed this game to my girlfriend when we first started dating, and she couldn't get enough. She didn't even game back then, but it didn't matter. Basically, you take control of a character that you create and travel through the Star Wars galaxy, visiting many famous planets and locations. Some of which have been in the films, some of which have not. The game introduced a morality system in the way of Light Side and Dark Side. Your actions and how you treat people dictate which side you align with. You actually can dictate a lot of the elements of this story. Not in a huge Mass Effect kind of way, but enough to where each playthrough feels unique and different from the last. The story contains some of the best characters I've ever seen in a game, and some of which are still my favorites today. The story takes twist and it takes turns, and if you let it take you for a ride, you're going to be as surprised as I was at ten years old. Nothing about the story really jumped out at me as being bad. However, I am sort of biased towards this game, because of how iconic it is to me. The game takes about thirty-five to forty hours to complete, depending on how much you explore and depending on how many optional activities you do. I feel that the game is also paced really well. By the time you reach the end you really feel like you've been on a journey and it's satisfying to reach the conclusion. All in all, terrific story, villain, characters, and locations.
Gameplay
Everything in this game is way too addicting for your own good. Leveling up, outfitting your character with new robes, weapons, and powers is some of the best fun you can have in a game. This game carries with it and awesome sense of progression, which I believe is crucial in every successful Role Playing Game. Once you reach that final boss fight, you feel like the strongest Jedi that's ever graced the galaxy, and you know it. The combat in this game is turned based, and that initially scared me when I was a kid because when I thought turned based, I thought Final Fantasy. I was never able to get into those games. To my delight, the combat in this game is amazing, and I STILL think it's amazing ten years later. Picking the attacks for you and your party members then watching the carnage unfold on screen is awesome. It's the most satisfying turned based combat I've ever experienced. A lot of this game is conversation focused however, and if you're not a patient gamer, this isn't the game for you. RPG's in general probably aren't for you. You can skip through the dialogue if you want, but the voice acting and conversations are so good you're going to want to listen. There are a couple mini games like a Star Wars version of blackjack called Pazzak, and something called Swoop Racing, which is pretty much a racing time trial that is surprisingly addicting. Everything about the actual gameplay I still find fun after ten years. Pulling off a Master Flurry then watching that XP pop up on the screen as your foe falls to the ground never gets old. Like I said before, the Xbox version does suffer from some performance issues, but nothing that takes away from the overall experience. If you can play this game on PC, do it. You'll be surprised with how crisp and sharp the graphics still look. The combat, interaction with characters, and RPG elements work so perfectly together to create what is, in my opinion, the best Star Wars game ever made.
Reflection
Looking back to that day when I first played this game really brings back awesome memories. Back then this game challenged me and forced me to develop problem solving skills that I did not have before. The game world seemed so huge to me, and finding out where I had to go and what I had to do was something that was challenging at first, but thanks to that strategy guide(That I still own to this day) I was able to get through even the hardest sections of the game. People who say that video games aren't good for the brain, haven't played Knights of the old Republic or a thousand other titles that copied this games format. KOTOR introduced me to a new type of game that to this day is my favorite. I love buying a new RPG, locking myself away in my room and getting lost in a different world for a couple of hours. As a kid, there was nothing like finally building my lightsaber on Dantooine, or visiting the Sith home world of Korriban. This game completely opened my mind to a new type of gaming and was an experience I'll never forget. The news of LucasArts getting abolished really upset me. I've wanted a new Knights of the Old Republic for years now, and I wouldn't be opposed to a new Battlefront either. However, the recent news of Disney giving the game license to EA brings me hope. Maybe one day I'll be able to experience a KOTOR 3 and be enamored like I was when I was a child. I'm sure that I'm not the only one who feels this way. Knights of the Old Republic continues to inspire and is truly a revolutionary achievement. I implore you to find this game and play it. It's beginning to show its age, but it still carries the same passion and charm it did all those years ago.
Score
10/10
