Review eToychest bitches about KOTOR 2

[Vault Dweller]

Tags: Obsidian Entertainment; Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic 2: The Sith Lords

<a href=http://www.etoychest.org>eToychest</a> has posted a <a href=http://www.etoychest.org/content.php?review.917>review</a> of <a href=http://www.lucasarts.com/games/swkotor_sithlords>KOTOR 2</a>, following the established pattern by criticizing many issues, yet giving it <b>83%</b>.
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<blockquote>While these additions are fine, it’s nothing compared to some of the things that have been left out (or incidentally added). One blaring issue is an almost complete lack of character development in the story. While you do learn more about characters as your influence builds, there is close to nothing when it comes to actual parts of the game where characters outside the main are truly involved. What’s worse is the fact that the characters available in KOTOR II are just as well designed (if not, better) then the previous set. Without revealing the storyline from either game, it’s fair to say that the main character this time around pales in comparison to his/her predecessor.
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Another thing that LOADING hampers the game is the amount of loading. During several parts of the game, you’ll be required to go through several LOADING zones in order to complete tasks given. One example LOADING is a quest where a doctor must be cleared of murder charges. The whole mission took LOADING oodles longer then it really seemed like it should (like five minutes instead of the fifteen due to the nearly 30 second load times between zones). It really felt LOADING like I was playing the Star Wars version of Stuntman instead of KOTOR II. Even the framerate during parts of the game where action got thick was slowed down to a LOADING crawl. With the graphics being practically identical to the original, there should be no reason at all for this game to run like a sleepy hutt.</blockquote>
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I'm beginning to suspect that there are some loading issues there

 

[Sol Invictus]

I doubt we'd have that problem on the PC, but who's to say. Maybe Obsidian's programmers are as lousy as tweaking an engine as Troika and Bethesda. Sounds more like the XBOX's lack of memory, though.

 

[Mr. Teatime]

What’s worse is the fact that the characters available in KOTOR II are just as well designed (if not, better) then the previous set. Without revealing the storyline from either game, it’s fair to say that the main character this time around pales in comparison to his/her predecessor.

Does this make sense to anyone? The main character is nothing compared to KOTOR1, yet the characaters are better designed than KOTOR1?

 

[Vault Dweller]

Translation: there is no ubar cool twist that makes your character the coolest bad boy in the whole universe

 

[Sol Invictus]

It's a rather poorly constructed sentence but I think the gist of what he was saying was that the NPCs are well designed (and by all accounts, they are), unlike the player character himself, who seems a Tabula Rasa. I think they're just aching for some hot Cloudstrife action.

 

[Diogo Ribeiro]

I think they're just aching for some hot Cloudstrife action.

Likely with some hard penetration with that hard and oversized sipked hair or something. Limit Break 4 lief!!

 

[dipdipdip]

No, your character is no Revan, though should he/she have to be?

I agree with them, though, concerning character development. You have a really promising cast of characters that you travel with, but as far as character development goes, it feels as though not nearly as much ground is covered as before. Rather than the multiple conversations that you'd eventually have with the party member, inevitably leading up to their sidequest, you have one reocurring dialogue tree. Branches are unlocked upon gaining influence with the character. You may ask most of the questions from the get-go, but with low influence, they're not going to answer them. This is fine, but as I said, ultimately, there's just not as much discourse between the player and his/her party. Also, you have some characters, such as Visas Mar, who just don't have a heck of a lot to say.