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Knights of The Old Republic (KOTOR): Why This RPG Is Aging Well

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Immersion is king for any RPG fan. It makes you feel that you’re part of the story and not just playing a character in a different universe. For any Star Wars fan, you’ll surely want to become a part of that universe. Moreover, a story as rich as Star Wars will be terribly hard for a role-playing game to live up to. That is why the Knights of the Old Republic (KOTOR) is impressive.

It managed to pull off what so many games have failed at – creating a Star Wars game that is steeped in its lore. Proof of its success is that there had been rumors that Keanu Reeves is being considered for the part of the redeemed Jedi Revan in films set during the Old Republic. But what is it really that sets Knights of the Old Republic apart from other games like Star Wars: Republic Commando or even mobile games like Star Wars Commander? Let’s take a look.

 

What Knights of the Old Republic is All About

BioWare and LucasArts created Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. It was a great game, focusing on an era that was before the Skywalkers, Darth Sidious, or any of the belligerents in the Galactic Civil War. Players got to meet the Jedi Revan, who didn’t know his past; the Jedi Bastilla, Carth Onasi, and HK-47, among others. These characters were well fleshed-out, making players feel that they’re not just playing a game – they were also watching a movie. And these icons made it feel like players should invest their time in finding out their story and the game.

 

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Image Source: https://store.steampowered.com/app/32370/STAR_WARS__Knights_of_the_Old_Republic/

 

Knights of the Old Republic – What Makes It So Good

It’s not a secret that Star Wars: The Old Republic took inspiration from the Knights of the Old Republic series. When it first came out, KOTOR held its place as one of the best RPGs in a long time. It also etched its place in a long line of great Star Wars games.

When KOTOR first came out, many people love it. But that’s because they simply did not know what to expect. Fortunately, the game gave them everything they wanted – and more. At the time, they also thought no game would be able to top it. Since the preceding games pale in comparison in terms of depth, this sentiment is shared by many fans.

Even when it’s outdated, those who have little to no idea of the story can attest to how it can still hold a candle to all the Witchers and Skyrim out there. The idea of replaying as a Sith or as a Jedi will lure in any player. Even those who have already finished it once, twice, or several times already.

 

KOTOR – Is It Really An RPG?

At first glance, most players might classify KOTOR as more of an action game rather than an RPG, but some elements point towards the latter. The game features customization that is frequently seen in other role-playing games. Players accumulate points that can be placed towards attributes, skills, and Force powers. If that isn’t an RPG element, then it’s hard to explain what is.

The combat system of KOTOR is also patterned after Advanced Dungeons & Dragons (AD&D) rules. It is a turn-based role-playing game with action-adventure elements.

 

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Image Source: https://store.steampowered.com/app/32370/STAR_WARS__Knights_of_the_Old_Republic/

 

The Old Republic – How Is It Doing In 2020?

Based on the number of reactions from different people, the game is alive and well in 2020, despite its dated graphics and a number of other issues. It doesn’t work well with Windows 10 most of the time, but the Internet provides simple solutions to get players playing as soon as possible.

The Star Wars universe has numerous games under its belt. However, none of these games can be considered as the successor to KOTOR 1 and 2. If the time will come that such a game will surface, KOTOR fans will surely not pass up the chance to play it.