Ever since star wars was first introduced to the internet and comics there has been an explosion of side stories in the expansive and imaginative galaxy which as far as I'm aware of, goes un-named. The touching and tragic tale of Anikan Skywalker was the main story behind the movies but it wasn't long before people wanted more.
Sadly, what people want isn't always right and so the public began to critisise the franchise. However, one gem in this collection of coal stood out, Knights of the old Republic. Yet, I won't be talking about this gem and instead focus on it's underappreciated sequel KOTOR 2.
The game has recieved harsh critisism for not being nearly as good as the first but i disagree. Perhaps I'm biased considering I played KOTOR 2 before the first but I doubt that really matters so without furthur stalling here is my personal review of Knights of the Old Republic 2.
I was surprised to find i could decide how my character looked as well as their class (I was new to RPGs) and shocked i was also allowed to choose what they say. Sadly, this can work against the game since gamers don't wish to scroll through every possible sentence the character can say (this was improved upon in Mass Effect).
After a brief tutorial where you control a familiar little droid, if you played the first game, you wake up in an empty asteroid mining field. At this point you meet Kreia, now i liked Keia alot, she offered sage like guidance but didn't stick to any perticular side. For example, on one planet a begger asks for money, you can either help him or threaten to eat his children. If you help him Kreia points out that by giving him money you have made him a target and so he is beaten and robbed, so by helping you only caused more pain. If you threatened him then he becomes hateful and attacks an innocent person in which Kreia remarks "through small acts of cruelty, greater ones are born."
Scenarios like this actually taught me something which is always a big bonus for games.
Each character in the game i actually grew attached to, each was different not only in their skills but their personalities would sometimes clash which leads me to my favourite aspect of KOTOR 2. Everywhere you go you can only take 2 allies and each will react differently to certain situations. Take for example Kreia and everyones favourite, HK-47. On one planet you run across an angry mob, If you stir things up and cause a riot HK-47 will applaud your actions and prepares to blast some meatbags. Yet, Kreia will butt in saying you should avoid this because it is none of your concern. Frankly, HK-47 was always more fun to have around.
But different characters did more than just offer advice on different situations. Take for example GO-TO, a floating, black orb robot which looks exactly the same as the one in "A new Hope". When your tasked with retrieving some weather-devices and what-not, the guy offers a decent amount of money for them. If GO-TO is in your party he points out the guy is ripping us off and is worth much more. This aspect of the game brought me back again and again with different party members to see how the situation would change.
Yet this was also incredibly frustrating.
Somehow, the game felt like it was holding out on information it didn't want to share. There were hints all throughout the game of finding a battle droid factory yet i never found it. After some research i discovered they had to cut this from the game which was very depressing, considering i played through 3 times already trying to find the place.
The battle system i was frankly disappointed with. It felt much like World of warcraft where you just press a single button to perform a single move with no skills required whatsoever. That's all i can say about it.
Frankly, i was confused with KOTOR 2's critisisms. Sure it didn't have the mind blowing plot twist present in the first game, but it had interesting and likeable characters just like the first. Admittingly the double cross was easily predictable, but that might be because you can learn about it if you have enough 'influence' with this character, which is something the first game didn't have.
Overall, I think both games balance the other out. With KOTOR 2 improving on various aspects of the game and KOTOR 1 setting the story. My only critisisms is to the battle systems and the belief that this game can ever be a decent MMO. But who knows, maybe some things in life sound bad on paper only to be proven wrong in practice.
Sadly, what people want isn't always right and so the public began to critisise the franchise. However, one gem in this collection of coal stood out, Knights of the old Republic. Yet, I won't be talking about this gem and instead focus on it's underappreciated sequel KOTOR 2.
The game has recieved harsh critisism for not being nearly as good as the first but i disagree. Perhaps I'm biased considering I played KOTOR 2 before the first but I doubt that really matters so without furthur stalling here is my personal review of Knights of the Old Republic 2.
I was surprised to find i could decide how my character looked as well as their class (I was new to RPGs) and shocked i was also allowed to choose what they say. Sadly, this can work against the game since gamers don't wish to scroll through every possible sentence the character can say (this was improved upon in Mass Effect).
After a brief tutorial where you control a familiar little droid, if you played the first game, you wake up in an empty asteroid mining field. At this point you meet Kreia, now i liked Keia alot, she offered sage like guidance but didn't stick to any perticular side. For example, on one planet a begger asks for money, you can either help him or threaten to eat his children. If you help him Kreia points out that by giving him money you have made him a target and so he is beaten and robbed, so by helping you only caused more pain. If you threatened him then he becomes hateful and attacks an innocent person in which Kreia remarks "through small acts of cruelty, greater ones are born."
Scenarios like this actually taught me something which is always a big bonus for games.
Each character in the game i actually grew attached to, each was different not only in their skills but their personalities would sometimes clash which leads me to my favourite aspect of KOTOR 2. Everywhere you go you can only take 2 allies and each will react differently to certain situations. Take for example Kreia and everyones favourite, HK-47. On one planet you run across an angry mob, If you stir things up and cause a riot HK-47 will applaud your actions and prepares to blast some meatbags. Yet, Kreia will butt in saying you should avoid this because it is none of your concern. Frankly, HK-47 was always more fun to have around.
But different characters did more than just offer advice on different situations. Take for example GO-TO, a floating, black orb robot which looks exactly the same as the one in "A new Hope". When your tasked with retrieving some weather-devices and what-not, the guy offers a decent amount of money for them. If GO-TO is in your party he points out the guy is ripping us off and is worth much more. This aspect of the game brought me back again and again with different party members to see how the situation would change.
Yet this was also incredibly frustrating.
Somehow, the game felt like it was holding out on information it didn't want to share. There were hints all throughout the game of finding a battle droid factory yet i never found it. After some research i discovered they had to cut this from the game which was very depressing, considering i played through 3 times already trying to find the place.
The battle system i was frankly disappointed with. It felt much like World of warcraft where you just press a single button to perform a single move with no skills required whatsoever. That's all i can say about it.
Frankly, i was confused with KOTOR 2's critisisms. Sure it didn't have the mind blowing plot twist present in the first game, but it had interesting and likeable characters just like the first. Admittingly the double cross was easily predictable, but that might be because you can learn about it if you have enough 'influence' with this character, which is something the first game didn't have.
Overall, I think both games balance the other out. With KOTOR 2 improving on various aspects of the game and KOTOR 1 setting the story. My only critisisms is to the battle systems and the belief that this game can ever be a decent MMO. But who knows, maybe some things in life sound bad on paper only to be proven wrong in practice.
