It is crucial to note that acquiring points for either side of the Force also helps player characters acquire differing Force Powers. Certain story decisions also net you Light Side or Dark Side points which impacts how characters perceive you, not wholly unfamiliar to those who played Mass Effect and dealt with its Paragon and Renegade options. Perhaps the biggest example of this is your initial visit to the Wookie home-world. At certain points during the game, the decisions you make could have long-lasting repercussions for a specific character or a world you’re visiting. You’ve free reign to give your character “voice” during story scenes and interactions, portraying them as helpful or as combative as you’d like. As an added touch, your choices do get mentioned from time to time throughout the game. You’re given the option to choose between a male or female character, different job classes, and appearances, too. At the start of the game, a basic character creator allows you to customize your player character. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic is an earlier BioWare title, and gameplay elements now associated with the developer appear here, albeit in often simpler forms. I honestly regret that it took me so long to actually play the game! I’ve more than just a passing fondness for Star Wars in general, and I think Knights of the Old Republic might be one of my favorite stories set in this universe. If anything, I’d say that certain world-building elements that the films may not often have time to explore are fleshed out far more in Knights of the Old Republic, such as how humans interact with the other alien species. The music is grand in scope and brings to mind the soundtracks of the various Star Wars films wonderfully. The game captures the feel of the films beautifully in its planetary vistas, thrilling space battles, and hectic lightsaber duels.
Those who don’t at least have a modicum of love for the series would probably do best to look elsewhere for their RPG experience, though fans will certainly find enjoyment in getting their Jedi training on. Knights of the Old Republic is a Star Wars story at its very heart with all the aesthetic trappings of the franchise. Soon you’re caught up in a worlds-spanning battle between the Dark and Light Sides of the Force that could very well shape the fate of the entire galaxy. Players take on the role of a Republic soldier during an intense firefight that soon finds you crash landing on the planet of Taris and searching for the Jedi Bastila. All hope seems lost until a group of Jedi Knights are able to secure a victory against Darth Revan, though the repercussions of that battle are felt far and wide as Malak takes total control of the Sith. Vaunted Jedi heroes Revan and Malak mysteriously turned to the Dark Side and have led a seemingly inexhaustible force of Sith against their former allies. Years have passed since the dramatic and explosive aftermath of the war with the Mandalorians, and it seems as if the Republic (the current long established governmental force of a galaxy far, far away) might be on its last legs. I’m not blinded by fond nostalgia when I state that I’m pleasantly surprised with just how well Aspyr’s port of the game holds up amongst the Switch’s current RPG lineup, though not without some caveats. Is the Force still strong with this port, or has that sensitivity vanished with the passage of time? Let me preface this review by saying that this is the first time I’ve ever played Knights of the Old Republic. Now, almost twenty years later, the classic sci-fi RPG has made its way to the Nintendo Switch. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic initially released in 2003.