Unlike the remake, the original Knights of the Old Republic was created by BioWare and features early versions of BioWare’s patented brand of choice-based play. The remake is being made by Asypr, who did port the game to android previously. Even for those without interest in the Star Wars universe, Knights of the Old Republic was hailed as an all-around great game, and it informs BioWare’s modus operandi in future games like Mass Effect. As such, it’s a game worth playing, and the Switch version offers a perfectly apt means of doing so right as the hype for this game resurges.

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The Gameplay and Plot

As mentioned, Knights of the Old Republic features some choice-based play, but the innovation and complexity of this mechanic are still considered impressive today. The game tracks minor dialogue choices as well as major plot decisions in order to calculate whether the character aligns with the light side or the dark side of the force. The combat is round-based and uses a d20 system to calculate success and attack, and beyond this, the game has all the hallmarks of a great RPG you would expect.

The plot takes place roughly 4000 years before Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace. As such, it features a whole cast of new characters, as well as multiple familiar locations like Tatooine. Players can also expect more information about the Mandalorian society, which has more recently received renewed interest following the huge success of The Mandalorian TV series. The characters and plot are well-written, and are a large part of the reason the game remains so well-loved.

The Remake

An essential piece of information to know is that the remake of Knights of the Old Republic is being built from the ground up, and while Aspyr very much wants to honor the original game, it’s unclear what (if any) changes will be made to the story in the remake. Considering the amount of buzz the Final Fantasy 7 remake generated after deviating from the original game’s narrative, it would make sense for Aspyr to follow suit. Aspyr is aiming to recreate the experience of the original game, so having experienced the first game will alter perceptions of the remake.

In the most basic sense, to fully appreciate the nuances of the remake, playing the original Knights of the Old Republic is essential. But more than that, it’s definitely worthwhile to play such an influential game, and KOTOR is certainly an important part of gaming history. Thankfully, the upcoming Switch version makes this easy and accessible, and the other ports of the game are still available to play, too. As the hype grows and grows for the remake, this is definitely the time to either revisit the original game or get to experience it for the very first time.

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic releases for Switch on November 11, 2021.

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