It didn't take long for Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic to become one of the best titles offered for the Microsoft Xbox. With its great choice based game play, and unforgettable plot, KOTOR was nothing short of a legendary RPG. Needless to say, when Bioware announced that there would be a sequel to the smash hit, the proverbial bar was set pretty high. Fortunately, Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic 2: The Sith Lords lives up to its predecessor's legacy but by no means surpasses it.

     Taking place 5 years after the events that took place in Knights of the old Republic, the Sith Lords tells the tale of a new Jedi Knight that served as a commander during the Mandalorian Wars, and was consequentially lost his (or her) connection with the force. If that wasn't bad enough, our new Jedi Knight was exiled from the order upon returning to face the council's punishment...ouch. Anyway, the Exile begins the path of drifting through the Galaxy until his ship is attacked by Sith, and he meets up with his new Mentor in the ways of the force.

     Unlike the original Knights of the Old Republic, players will start off wielding the force shortly after their first level up which is a welcome change of pace. Veterans of Knights of the Old Republic will feel quite comfortable jumping into this new adventure, as the majority of the game mechanics are virtually unchanged. Control schemes, combat, skill and force upgrades remain the same, but this time around players can equip ranged and melee weapons and switch between the two at command. This is a huge improvement that keeps game play moving, as players will no longer have to pause and search through a slew of weapons to find the right tool for the job. However, like the original KOTOR, once the player receives their light saber....odds are that's the only weapon they'll be using. Another huge improvement to Knights of the Old Republic 2 is the level cap has been completely removed. This allows players to become as powerful as they choose, and for those looking to put a good amount of time in one could actually master all the in game force powers although it is doubtful anyone would really want to considering the sheer size of the task.

     Being that the Sith Lords is a game revolving around the aspect of choice between the Light and Dark sides of the force, players will have the opportunity to delve deeper into the very concept that made KOTOR famous. The choices the players make throughout the game, have a stronger impact on the galaxy and are much more rewarding than in the original. It isn't very often where a player taking the path of the dark side can use a Jedi mind trick to convince an unlucky alien to give them all their money, then jump off a cliff. Anyway, I digress. Perhaps the biggest change to Knights of the Old Republic 2 is the ability to impact not only your force alignment, but the alignment of your team members as well. Through conversing with your team members, and having them see your actions (whether they be light or dark), their alignment will begin to shift. If the teammate you are trying to influence is on the light side, and you are traveling the path of a true Jedi, your resolve will echo through them and they will look to you for knowledge and guidance. However, if you are a Sith and that same teammate disagrees with your actions, it will become much harder for you to bring them to the dark side...that's not to say it can't be done by corrupting through making them question their own believes in some seedy conversations. Whether your alignment is light or dark, the overall experience is much more rewarding.

     The Sith Lord's story is an excellent one, although doesn't quite live up to the legendary story from Knights of the Old Republic. Depending on your alignment in Knights of the Old Republic, your actions will affect major parts of the plot in the Sith Lords such as if Revan became the Jedi's savior or if he left the galaxy in ruin. This is a good concept that gives continuity to the series, but doesn't answer many of the questions that were presented in Knights of the Old Republic 1. The voice acting in the Sith Lords isn't exactly of the same caliber as the original as well. Some performances are excellent, while other just come up short. Despite the feeling that everyone was indeed trying their best, some of the voice talent's emotional transitions just come up flat. Given that, The Sith Lords plot and voice acting still exceed many of the games that were released around the same time.

     If you are a fan of the series or never played Knights of the Old Republic before, The Sith Lord still has a lot to offer. With the same great game mechanics, and pretty good story, Knights of the Old Republic 2 is still one of the best titles offered on the Xbox. True it doesn't quite live up to its predecessor, but its still one heck of a good game.

Written by RB

Over and Out

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