Home
sign up| features / game column |
 content by: editor |
 games: knights of the old republic ii - sith lords
Swish-swish. Carrying on in the same vein as its predecessor, Knights Of The Old Republic II - Sith Lords offers essentially the same mode of role-playing in the Star Wars universe (albeit in a different timeframe to that of the movies) and gives rise to much of the same conflicting feelings in me. To some, the KOTOR games are a love/hate situation, but for me it's more a case of love some aspects, hate others. For anyone who grew up with the Star Wars films, there's an inherent thrill that arises from hearing those distinctive noises of swishing light-sabres, fired blasters or ships jumping to lightspeed. Yes, even the abominable cinematic Episodes I and II involved an element of this. And, despite best judgment and reliable preconception, even a cynical thirtysomething like myself can't help but be excited about the prospect of Revenge Of The Sith. We'll be kicked in the teeth by it, doubtless, but until then we can dream.  Anyways, KOTOR II. The developer might have changed, but the transition from BioWare to Obsidian Entertainment is a remarkably smooth one. Not only does the game pick up the narrative threads, it also retains the same elements: the extensive inventory, the upgradeable equipment, the turn-based combat, the branching text chat, the galaxy-hopping plotting, the Pazaak, the swoop racing, the unbearable loading screens… Some of which is hunky-dory, some a drag. Although the feeling of immersion in the Star Wars universe is strong, the game, like its forebear, feels prescriptive in terms of what you have to do and where you have to go, not least in comparison to some of this year's role-playing games created specifically for PC. World Of Warcraft has a wonderful world to be explored but with more freedom. But then, can console RPGs ever quite match PC RPGs in terms of sheer depth?  One area that KOTOR and its sequel impress with is the moral flexibility, comparable to that in Fable. It might not be a perfect system, but it's a fascinating dynamic, your inclinations toward the dark or light sides of the force affecting how you make your way through the game. Combined with the sound effects and the use of the archetypes and elements we all know (Atton is a Han type, the Ebon Hawk is like the Millennium Falcon etc), the KOTOR games' foregrounding of the force firmly places them among the best Star Wars games ever, despite their occasional awkwardness.
Daniel Etherington
Knights Of The Old Republic II - Sith Lords is out now on Xbox and PC.
 conversations
Read members' comments.
If you register you can discuss this article with other users. |
 |
related info
 useful links
note: The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
see also
 preview 2005games latest gaming columns  games previewgames #89  project zero iigames #88  world of warcraftgames #87  csigames #86  mech assault 2games #85
related member reviews
by mister savage
also on bbc.co.uk
books  books and comics archive Author interviews and reviews from 2002 to 2008. |
send to a friend
access 1000s of articles
