It’s been over 20 years since the release ofStar Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, one of the most critically acclaimedStar Warsgames ever created. Set in theOld Republic era 4,000 years before the events ofA New Hope, the game was developed by BioWare and set a new precedent forStar Warsstorytelling within an RPG setting. It’s popularity far outshines that of its sequel,Star Wars: Knights of The Old Republic 2: The Sith Lords, which was released in 2005 and developed by Obsidian.
Knights of the Old Republic 2had several things against it; it was the weird, genre-breaking, unconventional sequel toKnights of the Old Republicwhich, though it was a great game, was also very safe and followed theStar Warsrule book.Knights of the Old Republic 2deliberately set out to break those rules in a stunning love letter to the franchise that was clunky at times but, overall, madeStar Warslore rich and exciting for the first time in decades. Its deconstruction ofStar Warstropes, while still remaining true to the heart of what made Star Wars great, is what has madeKnights of the Old Republic 2a cult classic among fans.
RELATED:Star Wars: KOTOR 2 Party Members, Ranked
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic 2 is the Tale of The Jedi Exile
Through the use of RPG game mechanics such as Force powers and dialogue systems,Star Warslore, and genre conventions,Knights of the Old Republic2 creates a system that deconstructs players' preconceptions of the Force and how it works. The player character is the Jedi Exile: an ex-Jedi who has already had their Hero’s Journey, with the game following their journey as they reconnect with the Force and attempt to reconcile with the actions they made duringthe Mandalorian Wars- including ordering the destruction of a planet.
Planet-destroying weapons aren’t anything new toStar Wars, but no story before had considered theirimplications on the Force to the degree thatKnights of the Old Republic 2did. The single event created echoes in the Force and triggered a series of unpredictable events, including the rise of a shadow Sith faction that purged the Jedi and the collapse of several key Republic worlds that nearly caused the destruction of the system thousands of years before the rise of Emperor Palpatine.
Why Knights of The Old Republic 2 Still Has Dedicated Fans
As the Jedi Exile regained their connection to the Force thanks to the connections of their mentor, Kreia, and other various party members, their affinity for the Light or Dark Side becomes clearer depending on the actions of the player. Party members' own Force alignment changes depending on their relationship with the Exile, and more closely aligns with an Exile they have a positive relationship to. It’s revealed late in-game that these relationships are key to the Exile’s connection to the Force; without them,the Exile would be little more than a void in the Force.
Knights of the Old Republic 2was brave enough to take known lore about the Force and deconstruct it in a way that was creative, smart, and yet still deeply respectful of the source material, and moreStar Warsgames need to be brave enough to do that going forward. Games are the perfect medium for exploring the Force as a concept thanks to video game design and the interactive nature of the platform, and can go so much further than usingForce pushor jumping far.
Using the Force to explore how it creates connections in relationships, Force bonding, affects cause and effect, the implications of planet-destroying weapons, alternate paths, and what the Hero’s Journey does to the human soul are just some of the ideasKnights of the Old Republic 2explores, and should be the starting point of what video games can do withStar Wars. There’s still so much potential to be explored in futureStar Warsgames, and it’s right there waiting for someone to do it.
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic 2: The Sith Lordsis available on Nintendo Switch, PC, and Xbox.
MORE:Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic 2 - Best Lightsaber Upgrades
