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"The Game of the Year nominee? Definitely!"

The Knights of the Old Republic is an instant hit for Xbox. Sure to be a Game of the Year nominee and another sweet Platinum Hit to join Xbox’s elite title of games. The current date is 4,000 years before the movies, before Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader, before any of those events that had any impact on the Star Wars universe. It is the Golden Age of the Republic when the Hyperdrive and Light Saber were just invented. When the Jedi and Sith fought gigantic wars in the thousands. It battle between good and evil that can easily be won or lost. A battle less sinister than David Vs Goliath yet more important than a World War. And whatever role that you decide to play in – is final. Help the Jedi in their efforts to escape the Dark Side and permanently put a short end to the evil that is known as the Sith. Or help the Sith in letting them destroy the Force by ignoring your destiny and choosing your path at will. Whatever your choice, this game cannot be played without you – and you decide the outcome… and the faith of the galaxy…

Graphics -
The main thing more important than gameplay in a video game are the graphics. And this game has a perfect effect in depicting this. The graphics bring the game to life in an unreal surround. These are some of the best damn graphics I’ve seen yet in an RPG. The surroundings are unbelievably beautiful as this game brings them to life. Walk through unpopulated grassland or in a heavy populated city. Watch as hundreds and thousands of cars fly above your head only to be left with the words, “Wow!” Turn around and proceed in your quest only to take notice at the high level of detail and attention put in your party members. Move through worlds at roughly 30 Frames Per Second, an average speed in today’s video games and not experience at slowdowns. This my friends, is sweet gaming bliss. However, due to the enormously large worlds that LucasArts has developed for you, the graphics are something that we’ve seen before. Still, they are pretty amazing and the cutscenes themselves include some of the best graphics seen-to-date on any Xbox game.

Final Category Score – 9/10.

Sound -
The sound part in this game was something that had less time put into development more than anything. As much as I would have loved to hear some cool Rock and Roll music during a Boss Battle, the main music for this game suits it perfectly. That isn’t needlessly to say that it is anything but bad. You’ll get the average Star Wars theme played a couple of times, some more ‘edgy’ intense music during boss battles, and some quiet, frequently played music during explorations. The footsteps, lightsaber noises, and voiceovers were done pretty well. I actually enjoyed listening to some of the cutscenes and wanted to hear more without laughing at the poor acting.

Final Category Score – 8/10.

Controls -
The controls in this game are anything but standard. Something along the lines of unique should do the trick. The A button is the most used button in this game. It is used as either the ‘Enter Battle’ button or ‘Interact’ button. Whenever you come across a foe in this game, you’ll have to choice of running – White Button or fighting – A button. If fighting is your thing, you’ll go into one. At the bottom left hand corner of the screen will be several icons (the further you get into the game, the more icons become available to you) at your disposal. The first icon will become your ‘average’ attack button. So if you are using a sword, you’ll hit the enemy. If you are using a gun, you’ll fire at the enemy. Whatever the case may be. The next couple of icons will be your feats. Now a feat is basically a specialty. Like rapid shot with the pistol or rifle, or it can act like a master attack, or it can even teach you to carry two weapons. By the end of the game, you will have lots of feats to use. The last icon will be to interact with any items you may contain. Like use med kits, force fields, and stimulants as well. Everywhere you go (movements controlled with the left analog stick) your party members will follow (up to three). You can even go into solo mode (back button) and try to sneak by the enemy – very impressive. The last major button you’ll be using is the Start button. Here you will be able to control everything you please. You could look at the map, upgrade your character when the time calls, switch party members, check out your journal, save/load another game type, and check out the progress of your character. What I mean is that this game contains a ‘meter’ to moderator your character between the light and dark side. The more good deeds you do for people, the higher you go on the meter towards the light side. However, if you kill an innocent person, steal, lie, or do a ‘bad’ thing you will go lower on the meter towards the dark side. I am personally thrilled by the controls.

Final Category Score – 10/10.

Gameplay -
In a galaxy far, far away a cruiser by the name of Endar Spire rips through space past a planet that is named Taris. Suddenly it is attacked by the Sith who wish to capture and contain a most powerful Jedi. Her name is Bastila Shan and she is aboard the very same vessel you are. At first you don’t know it, but you are awoken by the blasts that wish to destroy or rather put out of commission the vessel that you are on. Your friend makes his way to warn you about the attack. His name – Carth, the character whom you will be fighting side by side with. Here you start your destiny by either helping Carth find Bastila and escape the doomed vessel or begin doing whatever your heart desires. Throughout your journeys, you will learn more of the Jedi and Sith, explore a great part of the Star Wars galaxy, and even have the chance of becoming a living legend inside the game. Hope into one of the most exciting Star Wars games ever to hit the gaming market, yet alone the Xbox, and choose the path that you desire.

Aside from the remarkable graphics, environments, sounds, and controls is the gameplay. The turn-based game meaning is taken to a whole new level. Choose from up to three different classes – male and female as well, including mostly everyone’s favorite the Soldier class. Next develop your attributes, feats (or skills), and powers and choose from over 20 different faces and start the game. Work with rifles, melee swords, lightsabers, frag grenades, and many more weapons to achieve the impossible and accomplish the dream. The game will take you through hundreds of NPCs or None-Playable Characters and moderator your decision-making skills. Should you help a person in need of credits, med kits, or help, you will gain light side points and your meter will increase to the light side and you will gain respect. Should you ignore dying people, kill innocent ones, or steal; you will begin gaining dark side points and become more feared. Choose whatever you want, and live it.

The only thing that is a down side into this game is the lack of multiplayer. Even though this is an RPG, a Co-Operative would have been extremely thoughtful and caring from LucasArts but the current gameplay will do. Again, this is the best Star Wars game in my humble opinion currently available. It shouldn’t be missed by any fan of the series, and should be tried by the casual gamer. There are even mini-games available should as the Swoop Bike Race were you actually get to race a ‘Pod-Racer’ or an early build of it. Over nine characters at your side, and over 40 hours of gaming, this game is a definite nominee for Game of the Year.

Hits and Misses (A Follow-Up) -

Hit:
+Amazing graphics and enormous worlds
+From the flying vehicles to the wookies, who isn’t a fan?
+Brilliant voice-overs, some of the best
+Solid Plot and sense of direction
+So many mini-games and sidequests
+Intense character involvements

Miss:
-The time you loose from overplaying this game
-Loading Screens, about 5 seconds too long
-Multiplayer COULD have been nice

50 bones, to buy or not to buy?
The Star Wars series hasn’t really been payed much attention to, up until now. Knights of the Old Republic made a solid leap into my hall of fall and is considered by many, one of the best games available on the Xbox. It is even compared to Halo, and should not be passed up by ANY Xbox owner. This game is worth every cent. Tons of mini games, dialogs, character interacts, weapons, places to go, people to see, and it can even be played more than once! Finished with the light side – now go dark. Finished with the dark side – now go light? Go for a speed record or see how high your character will level up. This game doesn’t really have to end – now for the RPG freak, or the Star Wars fan, or even the casual gamer. KOTOR is THE RPG title that Xbox has been waiting for since launch. Now if you’ll excuse me, this reviewer has gone off to continue his KOTOR quest. Knights - I’ll see you in the nominees…

Final Reviewed Score: 10/10 – Astonishing!


Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 08/28/03, Updated 08/28/03