Review KotOR passions at GameBanshee

[Saint_Proverbius]

Tags: Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic

<A href="http://www.gamebanshee.com/">GameBanshee</a> dishes out a <A href="http://www.gamebanshee.com/reviews/software/kotorpc1.php">four page review</a> of <A href="http://www.swkotor.com">Knights of the Old Republic</a>, giving it a <b>9.7/10</b>, with a gameplay score of <b>10/10</b>. So, yeah, I guess they really liked it. Here's the usually clip:
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<blockquote>Length is another area where the developers did not skimp. This is an RPG, and BioWare has lived up to their reputation of providing solid gameplay throughout countless hours of gaming. My first time through the game, I spent over 17 hours on the first planet alone, with over five more worlds remaining, though admittedly not all worlds are equally as long. As a bonus, the PC version of the game includes a new location--a small space station orbiting around the planet Yavin, not currently found in the Xbox version, complete with a merchant who restocks his high-quality inventory at various times throughout the game. Take all of this and add two mini-games that add even more gameplay: a moderately complex Blackjack-like collectable card game, and the mostly optional Swoop Bike racing. During a game of such scope, both in length and story, it would have been a tremendous disservice if the graphics weren't able pull their weight.</blockquote>
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<i>17 hours on Taris?</i> I beat the game in under <i>30 hours</i>, doing nearly everything I could find.
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Spotted this at <A href="http://www.bluesnews.com">Blue's News</a>.

 

[Volourn]

Hmm... I've played around 26-27 hours, and I've done four worlds so far. It also took me about 10-11 or so hours to do Taris. Then again, I like to take my time - absolutely no rushing for me.

 

[Transcendent One]

The great thing about the Star Wars universe is that at its base lay the struggle between "good" and "evil," and that's something we all can understand.

No wonder RPG's have degraded so much over the past few years. People are already praising simple black and white settings. Just awful

Of course this review also uses the classical review method that is trying to make Bioware look like the world's best developer

 

[Volourn]

'Cause they are.

 

[Spazmo]

Hmm... I've played around 26-27 hours, and I've done four worlds so far. It also took me about 10-11 or so hours to do Taris. Then again, I like to take my time - absolutely no rushing for me.

I always knew you were a bit slow.

 

[Volourn]

 

[Seven]

'Cause they are.

Now I know why you don't post your location.

 

[Volourn]

North, Bay, Ontario, Kanada.

644 Lakeshore Drive Unit 36.


Happy NOW?

 

[Saint_Proverbius]

Hmm... I've played around 26-27 hours, and I've done four worlds so far. It also took me about 10-11 or so hours to do Taris. Then again, I like to take my time - absolutely no rushing for me.

Taris is the longest planet. The others don't seem to take nearly as long.

 

[kumquatq3]

Hmm... I've played around 26-27 hours, and I've done four worlds so far. It also took me about 10-11 or so hours to do Taris. Then again, I like to take my time - absolutely no rushing for me.

Taris is the longest planet. The others don't seem to take nearly as long.

Taris has to be the longest. Some of the other planets come sorta close (tatooine and manaan). Kashyyyk is kind of in the middle, while Dantooine and Korriban are the shortest. From personal expirence anyways. That being said, don't forget that there are 3 more locations in the game (besides for the destination you originally see), that when combined are prolly longer than Taris. Not counting the 2 minutes of gameplay on Yavin.

Also, don't count the time you took on the ship during the star of the game towards Taris completion time. Tho, that wasn't very long, it might have eaten up time do to adjusting to the controls and gameplay.

 

[triCritical]

'Cause they are.

Not when it comes to combat. And now that I own it KotOR ( a birthday gift from my wife, which was yesterday), I can say that with certaintity. Given I have only completed the tutorial, which just happened to be 80% combat, but it seems like they are going in the wrong direction. It seems that they are moving away from their RTS fame and moving toward Eastern style combat.

Still as of now, the game feels finished, looks pretty and has a much better start then never stinky nights.

Its kind of funny how things seem to un-evolve.

FIrst there was Wizardry and Might and Magic. In these games you gave crude one word order such as attack, defend, or run to the combatants and a message on the screen told you of their success.

Next was what I call the SSI revolution, in which those bastards, had the nerve to introduce some rudimentory tactics into the their CRPG's. While Might and Magic and Wizardry seem to try to incorporate more and more tactics into their traditional combat scheme, they eventually lost their foothold on the CRPG market. Bioware entered the scene with a light CRPG with all the right ingredients for a party based hack and slash with story, BUT it played on a Warcraft like engine, just prettier.

However, since the BG's they seem to be making combat more and more simple, and just relying on animations for appearance. The problem is that animations are not relevant to actually playing the game. Still while the combat is worse then I thought it would be, the game is better then I thought it would be. Unlike NWN, were then spent no time on the game, OR the combat.

 

[Volourn]

I'd agree. If KOTOR has a weakness; it's at he combat. However, I still find it better than most game's combat (no, I still stand by my assessment that TOEE has better combat overall).

SP, yeah, I noticed that too. Other planets are pretty short. I wish they had made the planets bigger. I mean these *are* planets we are talking about not single towns.

I hope Obsidian remembers that in KOTOR2. Make the planets; planets. I mean the Leviathan (which I just completed - no spoilers due to Tri not being there yet) wasa pretty decent length consideirng it's one spaceship.

Anyways, on to Korriban with about 33 hours played...

 

[Otaku_Hanzo]

Korriban is about the longest planet next to Taris. Possibly even longer depending on how you do things. Although Waterworld P) can be pretty long as well depending on how much of the quests you find and do.

 

[kumquatq3]

Korriban is about the longest planet next to Taris..

Really? I zipped right through that. It took me no time. The whole place was basically 2 areas with 5 small caves. Plus a small and almost pointless entrance route. Tatooine took alot longer for me, if only because of the running around.

I think, besides for Taris, that Mannan easily takes the longest. With the trials, the sith base, the under water lab, and not to mention the "mini" quests and the trial of sulary. O and the whole assaisin thing. God knows I can't spell their name, its starts with a G.

I'd agree. If KOTOR has a weakness; it's at he combat. However, I still find it better than most game's combat

IMO combat in KOTOR isn't a weakness, but its not its strong point. Tho I think the combat looks great, it doesn't awe you in any other way. Personally I never got board with the combat like I do with many other RPGs, near the end of them anyways. It wasn't tedious at any point for me. Maybe simplicity does have its advantages.

 

[Otaku_Hanzo]

Then again it depends on what order you do them in and, like I said, how much stuff you do. There is ALOT to do on Korriban if you just take the right approach to certain things. This is especially true if you wanna be darkside.

Also, I think the game reads how much experience you make on a certain planet and bumps up the difficulty for the next planet accordingly. On my third time through the game, I took my time and powered up my characters an extra three levels by running back and forth killing Kath Hounds. I then went to Mos Eisley and wandered out into the desert. Next thing I know, I'm not getting attacked by regular sandpeople ambushes. No. I was getting jumped by three or four elites with one or two Holy Warriors(!!?!!), and they were literally washing the sand red with my blood. I actually found myself in some of the toughest fights I had ever encountered, including the final area! Wow!

 

[Saint_Proverbius]

Did anyone read the review? There's one really funny thing that caught my eye in it that I'm surprised no one has mentioned. In it, the reviewer talks about how easy it is to find the dark path stuff, but it's trickier to find the light path stuff. Given the boolean nature of most situations, if you know one... You must know the other.

 

[kumquatq3]

Did anyone read the review? There's one really funny thing that caught my eye in it that I'm surprised no one has mentioned. In it, the reviewer talks about how easy it is to find the dark path stuff, but it's trickier to find the light path stuff. Given the boolean nature of most situations, if you know one... You must know the other.

What I think he might have meant is that Dark side points seem easier to come by. I think thats true (I get the feeling I might be wrong). There are just sooooo many ways to get DS points that the LS points don't have a equal to. Like bounties or using force persuade for .....everything.

 

[Volourn]

That's by design. As it says in the manual, the dark side is easier to fall towards then to stay the light path. I know the feeling; I nearly did so in Leviathan when my character "found out" the truth.

 

[HanoverF]

Like all Bio creations, most of the dark stuff revolves around money. Early on you catch 2 "Bounty Hunters" shaking some guy down for credits, you can dispatch them and then the dark side option is that you mug the guy, the guy who couldn't pay his debt, so not only is the dark side evil, its really fucking stupid. Pretty much every side quest has a "Gimme More!" or "No Reward Needed" option, how dumb can that reviewer be to miss that? Maybe he just figures since most differing dialogue options lead to a stock answer his asking for more loot is the same as asking for nothing.

I was pissed that not paying for the robot gave dark side points, The biggest crook on the planet is too cheap to pay in advance for a robot?

 

[Volourn]

Huh? I didn't count; but there are lots of situations where you can do dark side stuff that doesn't involve money. Then again, most games involve evil = more cash. The thing about KOTOR is that you can accept awards and veen ask for more and *not* recieve dark points. So, in conclusion, *most* situations may involve money; bu that tends to make sense since it is usually greed (either of money and/or power) that makes one do "evil" things - be it RL, or a fantasy world. Not everyone is "evil" for "evil's" sake

 

[Otaku_Hanzo]

Like all Bio creations, most of the dark stuff revolves around money. Early on you catch 2 "Bounty Hunters" shaking some guy down for credits, you can dispatch them and then the dark side option is that you mug the guy, the guy who couldn't pay his debt, so not only is the dark side evil, its really fucking stupid.

Just because he couldn't pay off his debt doesn't mean he doesn't have money. Or even possible some medpacks or two. It's just the common thug route, not really fucking stupid.

 

[Diogo Ribeiro]

North, Bay, Ontario, Kanada.

644 Lakeshore Drive Unit 36.


Happy NOW?

Not yet. I'll be when my surprise package reaches there [insert evil laughter here]

 

[Whipporowill]

I beat the game in about 42 hours. Only combat (except for first run-ins with holy sandpeople warriors) that was really DIFFICULT was Malak. As expected, although I had to spoil myself to be able to beat him.

No matter how much of an rpg it is, it's been long since I've played a game so engaging such as KOTOR. Story and characterwise it's very interesting, and the force powers sure adds something to the mix. It would've been nice to see more along the line of telekinetic powers and such though - opening locks with force powers and all.

If this game doesn't entail a sequel I'll be surprised as hell. Sequels usually stink though... heh.

 

[Vault Dweller]

If this game doesn't entail a sequel I'll be surprised as hell. Sequels usually stink though... heh.

According to rumors, Obsidian is working on the sequel. One thing for sure, KOTOR would benefit greatly from MCA's writing style.

 

[Otaku_Hanzo]

One thing for sure, KOTOR would benefit greatly from MCA's writing style.

That would definitely be nice.