Ah, Star Wars. All the arguments about prequels and sequels and acting and money, all that aside, its’ still an impressively written setting filled with epic concepts well-designed for heroic enterprises.
Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic was a game that, many agreed, easily surpassed in story quality the prequels being released now. A modest combat system was mixed with brilliant quests, Dungeons & Dragons style adventuring, and a story twice as compelling because it was totally in your hands. Admittedly, some gamers prefer the appeal of action games, where the enemy comes at you hard and fast, and victory is determined by reflexes and quick-thinking rather then strategy. But even these gamers often agreed that to those whom the game appealed - which was many - there was no finer choice.
And now, merely a year after its’ original release, and with a change of developers, the sequel has been released.
Well, after great effort I managed to acquire a copy, and found the game to not just demand, but require a review, if only to allow me to formalize all the chaotic thoughts this game will stir up.
In matters of gameplay, things have changed little. The engine is more or less the same, and although your potential is much greater in this game (Prestige classes, new items and item creation systems, and an increased level cap just to name a few) that which worked in the first game will probably work here too, meaning combat is fun but not the main event.
That which everyone really held their breath about was what it was bringing to the table in means of story and characters, and this delivers. There is a markedly different feel in this game, wheras the first game was more swashbuckling high adventure, with a fairly direct story and goals, this one takes you on more of a romp, often you cannot tell who to trust or who is the villain, and your enemies are both figuratively and literally lurking in the shadows. The new characters feel different too. In the first game they were much more cut-and-dry, even with the plot twists you felt you knew them and understood them fairly early on. But in this new game, the characters are all much more separated and cautious, and you must form bonds of trust with them before really scratching the surface of who they are.
Both of these things combine to give you two very different-feeling games. In the first, you and your teammates went out there and fought your enemies for whatever reason or cause you chose, and although there were mysteries, you at least knew the question, and could guess the type of answers given.
The second is a mystery, a survival drama. Often there are few safe-points to regroup at, your teammates require greater work to keep together, and you have no idea what you will encounter, and sometimes why you might encounter it either. It is hard to pin down just who or what your enemies are, and often you only meet them as they strike. Questions are purposely left unanswered, and mysterious foes are sometimes never unveiled.
All in all, if you enjoyed the first game, you will enjoy the second game, but it will be a different experience. Choices are harder and more complicated, ramifications more far-reaching, and the plot will be harder to reveal (and understand). Battles are harder too, but you are given greater access to powers in order to fight them. But both of these things will result in a more rewarding experience, and although final victory is elusive, it is worthwhile.
Oh, and to those playing, when you go to Nar Shadda, they don’t tell you this but if you complete all the sidequests you can find, and yet there seems to be no development, you can attract Goto to you by paying the little guy just in the entertainment module a few times. You’ll know when the plot advances when you meet Mira. I just felt like saying that, since I spent a couple hours confused there.
Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic was a game that, many agreed, easily surpassed in story quality the prequels being released now. A modest combat system was mixed with brilliant quests, Dungeons & Dragons style adventuring, and a story twice as compelling because it was totally in your hands. Admittedly, some gamers prefer the appeal of action games, where the enemy comes at you hard and fast, and victory is determined by reflexes and quick-thinking rather then strategy. But even these gamers often agreed that to those whom the game appealed - which was many - there was no finer choice.
And now, merely a year after its’ original release, and with a change of developers, the sequel has been released.
Well, after great effort I managed to acquire a copy, and found the game to not just demand, but require a review, if only to allow me to formalize all the chaotic thoughts this game will stir up.
In matters of gameplay, things have changed little. The engine is more or less the same, and although your potential is much greater in this game (Prestige classes, new items and item creation systems, and an increased level cap just to name a few) that which worked in the first game will probably work here too, meaning combat is fun but not the main event.
That which everyone really held their breath about was what it was bringing to the table in means of story and characters, and this delivers. There is a markedly different feel in this game, wheras the first game was more swashbuckling high adventure, with a fairly direct story and goals, this one takes you on more of a romp, often you cannot tell who to trust or who is the villain, and your enemies are both figuratively and literally lurking in the shadows. The new characters feel different too. In the first game they were much more cut-and-dry, even with the plot twists you felt you knew them and understood them fairly early on. But in this new game, the characters are all much more separated and cautious, and you must form bonds of trust with them before really scratching the surface of who they are.
Both of these things combine to give you two very different-feeling games. In the first, you and your teammates went out there and fought your enemies for whatever reason or cause you chose, and although there were mysteries, you at least knew the question, and could guess the type of answers given.
The second is a mystery, a survival drama. Often there are few safe-points to regroup at, your teammates require greater work to keep together, and you have no idea what you will encounter, and sometimes why you might encounter it either. It is hard to pin down just who or what your enemies are, and often you only meet them as they strike. Questions are purposely left unanswered, and mysterious foes are sometimes never unveiled.
All in all, if you enjoyed the first game, you will enjoy the second game, but it will be a different experience. Choices are harder and more complicated, ramifications more far-reaching, and the plot will be harder to reveal (and understand). Battles are harder too, but you are given greater access to powers in order to fight them. But both of these things will result in a more rewarding experience, and although final victory is elusive, it is worthwhile.
Oh, and to those playing, when you go to Nar Shadda, they don’t tell you this but if you complete all the sidequests you can find, and yet there seems to be no development, you can attract Goto to you by paying the little guy just in the entertainment module a few times. You’ll know when the plot advances when you meet Mira. I just felt like saying that, since I spent a couple hours confused there.
