As the entire world knows, Knights of the Old Republic is a ported console (Xbox) game. You’d never know it. Most of them have abysmal controls, grainy graphics or console-style save game points. KoTOR has none of these. For all intents and purposes it’s a pure PC game. You can more or less save anywhere, the controls via mouse and keyboard are decent and the graphics are drop-dead stunning.
KoTOR is a Bioware game and that means quality IMHO (or did at the time this game came out!). The Icewind Dales, the Baldur’s Gates and Planescape:Torment. Not to mention the Fallouts. Sadly, the quality didn’t extend to the reliability of the game. From reading boards here and there, crashes are a common occurrence with it. This has been patched over the years and runs fine on newer systems now with some tweaking. It’s even available on Android, and it’s a good port.
Despite this, everything else excels. The story, the character development, the interaction with the worlds and events about you, all is wonderful.
KoTOR is set 4000 years prior to the events contained in the films. The Republic is weakened after wars against the Mandalorians, among others. Two rogue Jedi have un-puzzled an ancient relic and have brought the Sith army under their control. It’s your job to stop this and restore order to the Republic, if you’re a good guy Jedi, or usurp them and take charge yourself if you’re a bad guy. Either way, the ride is an epic one. The interaction with the various characters who join you is done with great verve. Each of them have a story and a history, even the droids that sign up with you. One, Juhani, requires turning from the Dark Side before she’ll ally with you. She’s worth it, as she’s easily the most kick-ass lightsabre user in the game.
You go to some amazing locations in the course of your journey. Each of them are superbly drawn, especially Dantooine with its endless pastoral vistas. The deserts of Tatooine, the oceans of Manaan, the crags and mountains of Korriban, the trees and gloom of Kashyyyk, and the tropical coast of the Rakatan planet.
KoTOR resembles Jedi Knight to a large degree. Your slant towards light or dark is based upon actions you choose in the game. Whereas Jedi Knight is a shooter with a story, KoTOR is a real-time RPG. Like the Baldur’s Gate series, etc, you can pause the game during combat to try a different approach or strategy. Upon reaching a new level, you get to train a variety of new skills, and, eventually, Force powers. Yep yep, you get to be a Jedi later on, although you need to perform tasks and answer riddles to become one.
In essence, it is a superb game, if only it didn’t crash every thirty minutes. I found myself quick-saving the game repeatedly out of paranoia. So be it, Jedi.