Georgie boy, if you want to make another Star Wars film - then you'll find your script in this game.
By that last statement, I mean anyone who owns an xbox and has actually seen a Star Wars movie should own this; it's just that pleasantly good. Even RPG lovers will find the gameplay downright enjoyable. The story has some really nifty elements as you whisk your party of characters from planet to planet, accepting different quests and driving the story home to an epic finish.
Set 4,000 years before the original Star Wars Trilogy, the story begins with your character waking up with a bad dose of amnesia. You are onboard an old republic ship which currently losing a battle with Sith ship. You're given the usual little tutorial and are informed right away about what is going on by the first helpful character of your party...or so you think. You're mission - to get off the ship and down to the Sith controlled planet of Taris. Doesn't sound any better off, eh?
The gameplay is actually quite fulfilling. The first feature is most certainly the choice you have between crafting your way down the light side (good) or the dark side (bad). Now, this isn't an original idea - but the thought of choosing between becoming a patron of the light side, or a malevolent being of the dark side sweetens the deal!
The game uses the age old d20 system to determine what damage your attack does to an enemy, and vice versa. If you've played paper based Dungeons & Dragons, or have played Neverwinter Nights - then you'll know what it's all about. The system also factors in the Armour you are wearing and your different skills. Such as dexterity, intelligence and any other sort of attack boosting enhancements you have threaded to a certain character.
Obviously, force powers are going to come into play. A few of your characters will be Jedi - let's not beat around the bush because you certainly saw that one coming! They will also fall into the system and affect combat. If you have been confused for a paragraph and a half, then trust me on this one; it's pretty much standard RPG gameplay with a Star Wars twist.
You can have 2 characters from your party with your main character (the one which you will create before a new game) at a time to visit the surrounding locations. There's also a nifty transportation device included. If you've walked so far from your point of origin and cannot be bothered walking all the way back, it will let your transport back there...sometimes.
There are a variety of weapons and trinkets to apply to your characters - if, of course, they have the necessary skills to wield the items. These range from SW classics such as the blaster to the Wookies' favourite, the Bowcaster. Of course, there will be plenty of lightsabers!
The environments and general graphics are terrific and aid to the feeling of being part of the Star Wars universe - albeit, four thousand years before Luke! Some planets will also have you gazing around at the surrounding flora, skies and ornamentals. It looks lushly lovely and is certainly a true testament to the power of the Xbox.
The sound is once again top notch when it comes to the environments but the dialogue of non-English speaking characters will get repetitive and irritating to the point that you will just skip there lines. Naturally, there are subtitles provided if you're willing to mute everytime you come across one of these annoyances! The lightsaber sounds are sublime and it's obvious that a lot of searching through Skywalker Sound's archives did a lot of good for the game.
The game also has some replay value as you can make different choices (Instead of the light side, take it the dark way!) and take different quests (lower your self-esteem and become that Anchorhead courier!), if you bother to play it a second time around. Yet, once is enough for the casual gamer.
It took me a long time to complete this game (many months) due to the old, could-not-be-bothered syndrome - but with a little push, I got back into playing the game and I found it hard to put down. So hard, that I finished it that weekend. The story is that gripping! The weaksauce is in the ending, but it will remind you of the SW movies. On the Xbox version, there is also downloadable content if you have Xbox Live. It's only in the form of a small space station orbiting Yavin IV, but it's a nice addition for a hardcore fan.
At the end of the day, SW: KOTOR is a great RPG and a great game - one that is essentially a must have for any Xbox owner. I have yet to play KOTOR 2, but if it's anywhere near the quality of this, the original, then it will be a good purchase. It certainly is one of the best Star Wars titles to date!