Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords

"This game needs a Force Patch..."

Knights of the Old Republic II, KOTOR II, was released late 2004 for the Xbox console. In many official reviews of that version the game was recognized as a good game with many bugs, it was released before it was finished. As a PC Gamer I read these reviews and brushed them aside. I assumed that the bugs would be smoothed out and the finer details brushed up in the time between the Xbox and PC releases, about two or three months. I was wrong; the final product for PC was just as buggy, if not worse, than the version for Xbox! Don't let that get you down too soon though, Obsidian has promised a patch soon that will fix a majority of the bugs, and with those out of the way this game has enormous potential.

Gameplay: 9/10
This is one of the features that could be enjoyed considerably if not for the bugs. When the words "Star Wars" enter the gaming world any good Star Wars fan will dream of swinging a lightsaber around and choking their enemies with the power Force. KOTOR II makes this dream a reality, not only does it let the player challenge other Jedi (good or evil) to do battle with the famous lightsaber it also includes nearly limitless room for customization of the players own lightsaber and technique. When you first come get this wonderful weapon your choices are slim but after some adventuring you can change your lightsaber's color, give it different bonuses regarding damage types, and adjust it to enhance your own character.

The use of the all-powerful Force in KOTOR II is possibly the best I have seen in a Star Wars game since the first KOTOR, and I have seen a lot of gaming versions of the Force. The Force powers have many practical applications! The Light Side powers will be harder to use for a novice player but will yield incredible results for an experienced Jedi and the Dark Side includes many "quick and easy" offensive powers. My favorite Force power, however, would have to be force persuade, I will never get tired of convincing civilians that their cash is much more useful in my hands, or sneaking past a guard who has decided to take a break.

The mini-games from the original (Pazaak, Swoop Racing, and Manning Turrets) and are still a fun way to pass the time.

One of the largest complaints surrounding the original KOTOR was the lack of Jedi powers at the beginning of the game, this has been solved for KOTOR II and you pick a Jedi class before you are dropped into the game world. After you develop the story to a certain point you are given a choice between three Jedi prestige classes that will give you certain bonuses depending on the class. The biggest change to the character development system from the original KOTOR is the higher level cap. The original had a level cap a 20, that cap was easily reached before the end of the game and felt somewhat restrictive on your character, this time around Obsidian has place the cap at 50. This new level cap is impossible to reach and places your characters abilities far above your enemies making the game pretty easy.

Story: 9/10
This has to be the game's strongest point, it places your character in the middle of events and allows you to make decisions that affect the whole galaxy.

You take the role of a former Jedi who turned his back on the force for reasons that will become apparent throughout the game. While on your way to Telos, a planet ruined by the Jedi Civil war in the first KOTOR, your ship is attacked but you are smuggled off by a mysterious old woman and taken to a mining station in the asteroid belt around a planet called Peragus.

You find out that the Sith, thought to have been destroyed at the end of the Jedi Civil war, have been striking at Jedi and have nearly destroyed all of them. Now they're coming for you, they think that you are the last of the Jedi. Your journey takes you around the galaxy to find they're leader and stop them once and for all, they're are plenty of twists that keep things interesting though.

The best part about the story is the huge amount of possible endings depending on your actions throughout the game.

Sound: 8/10
The music includes the usual Star Wars themes and a few extras for certain areas and events, but it's nothing special. The voice-overs for the characters are usually pretty good and help you settle into the game a little easier. The sound effect for battles are standard fare and the lightsaber sounds make the fact that you are a Jedi that much cooler. I've got no complaints in this area but I've heard better.

Graphics/Visuals: 7/10
The graphics are outdated but they do the job, the lightsabers look really nice and the effects on the environment make the game look a little more convincing but once again, it's nothing special.

Overall: 7/10
The game has potential but is limited by bugs and various issues that need tweaking. Star Wars fans will like the Jedi combat and fans of the original KOTOR will enjoy the numerous references to the original and some of the cameos by major characters. If you're not sure you want to buy the game just yet then wait for a patch to come out and get it then.

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 03/21/05