Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords (XBox)

I will write this review from the perspective of someone who played--and loved--the original KOTOR, because if you don't have that point of comparison you will simply find this game stupendous in comparison to the large body of re-hashed garbage that forms the bulk of the videogame universe.

In comparison to KOTOR I, the story is in some ways better and in some ways not as good. The original KOTOR always had, to me, an episodic feel. It always seemed as though the game was simply stacking mission upon mission onto the main character in order to pass the time. In KOTOR II, the writers have done a better job of integrating the missions into the main story arc. Also, the worlds are bigger and more populated, giving them the game play a more open and unstructured feel. Also, a lot of the minor NPCs act more rationally and make more sense than in the original KOTOR.

That said, however, the main story arc is cryptic to put it kindly. Without giving anything away, a number of the main NPCs reverse their statements and strategies throughout the game in ways that I think were intended to be "plot twists" but that in the final analysis just don't make sense. These problems blossom into flat-out inconsistencies in the finale of the game, where a number of events occur for no apparent reason and with no apparent resolution, making me think that they were rushed to meet a Christmas release date and so just dropped some plot conclusions at the end that they didn't have time to finish. Also, I agree with any reviewers who found the final battles anti-climactic; in terms of difficulty and suspense, none of them matches up to Malak. Again, I am tempted to credit this to a rushed finish. Regrettable to say the least.

In terms of character development, the game is a big improvement over KOTOR I. There is no cap on progression. Let me say it again: there is no cap on progression. You can keep gaining experience and adding force powers until the cows come home. Also, they have added new prestige classes and powers that keep the progression interesting toward the end of the game; it wasn't until the very end that I felt I was just adding powers to add them.

In terms of difficulty, if you are an experienced KOTOR player, the "normal" difficulty level will be disappointingly easy.

In terms of game play, KOTOR II uses the same engine--hey, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

But these complaints, such as they are, reflect merely the predictable gripes of someone who viewed KOTOR I as one of the best videogames of all time (in the pantheon with M.U.L.E., Wizardry, Civilization, the Ultima franchise and...Halo I). No sequel could have matched up. Buy this game.

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I loved the first Knights of the Old Republic, and continued to play through it many times even after beating the game. Yes it was that good!!! And this comes from a person who does not consider himself a gamer. The sequel Sith Lords adds a dose of polish to some of the rough spots from the original game, such as new Faces for the heroes, more choices and control over companions, and one of my favorites although a minor thing to some people. The Jedi robes look much cool then they did in the first game. Even more feats and Jedi powers have been added into the mix, and I am sure that everyone has their Can't Miss combonation that they choose EVERY time they play. I know i do!! The graphics are very nice, and the gameplay is simple for if i can master it then anyone can. it does take some practice and skill to acheive the right combo's of feats, skills, and powers so don't feel bad if you don't get it on the first play.

The story follows the first game, this game taking place 5 years after the original game (new players should really play the first Knights of the old republic first to get the full effect of some of the lingo, and special appearences from the previous game.) You are the last jedi, and of course the Sith are chasing you all across the galaxy, and you must use all of your abilities to either fight for the good, or the evil depending on your preferences. Though it does not carry the whopper of a plot twist that the original carried, and one of the few downsides of the game in my opinion. The story moves along very well in the beginning only near the end does it bog down a little bit in crosses, doublecrosses, and minor glitches in the game that left me puzzled with cut scenes that did not make sense such as the one scene where one character appears to kill another character but then all is forgotten once the cut scene has ended. I'm sure that you have read that the game ends on a bit of a downer, only due to the fact that i suspect that Kotor III is due out sometime, cuz the game literally leaves you hanging in space. Still it is an excellent game, for the Star Wars fan, and the casual gamer alike. Enjoy!!!

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I'm a big fan of action-adventure computer games, and I was intrigued by KOTOR 2: The Sith Lords. I heard a lot of great things about it and decided to buy it.

When I got home and started to set the game up, I had a few difficulties getting the game to launch. The only way I could get it to work was to disable the sound entirely. Later, however, I got the sound to work by installing new drivers for my sound card.

When I first started playing the game, I was totally bored. Where was my robe and lightsaber? I was carrying a wimpy plasma torch and I ran into some weird droids.

But the longer I played the game, the more I liked it. I got to fight really cool enemies, use awesome weapons, and wield amazing Force Powers like Shock and Force Whirlwind.

I got a large party after a few levels and I managed to get control of some cool warriors like Bao-Dur, a hero from the Mandalorian Wars, as well as Atton Rand, an outlaw recently escaped from prison.

Overall, I thought this game was really, really cool and worth every penny of the $38 I paid for it. The graphics and sound are awesome and the movies are great.

I was a little leary of the game after reading some of the reviews, but once I started playing it I realized that if you play it on a powerful computer, you don't have to worry about long loading times or crashes.

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