User:QelDroma06/Sandbox/Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic

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Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (commonly shortened KotOR) is a role-playing video game developed by BioWare and published by LucasArts. It was released for Microsoft's Xbox on July 15, 2003, for PCs running Microsoft Windows on November 19, 2003, and later for Mac OS X. KotOR is the first computer role-playing game (RPG) set in the Star Wars universe. The alignment system tracks actions—from simple word choice to major plot decisions—and then determines one's either light or dark alignment.

The game's system is based on Wizards of the Coast's Star Wars Roleplaying Game, which is based on the d20 role-playing game system derived from the Third Edition Dungeons & Dragons rules. Combat is round-based. Time is divided into discrete rounds, and combatants attack and react simultaneously. However, the number of actions a combatant may perform each round is limited. While each round's duration is a fixed short interval of real time, the player can configure the combat system to pause at specific events or at the end of each round.

The sequel, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords, was developed by a different studio, Obsidian Entertainment, using an updated version of the engine from the first game. BioWare was preoccupied with producing Jade Empire and wanted to focus more on their original productions than licensed games, but they recommended Obsidian for KotOR's sequel. It was released for Xbox in December 2004 and PC in February 2005.

[edit] Plot

[edit] Introduction

Four thousand years before the rise of the Galactic Empire the Republic verges on collapse. Darth Malak, last surviving apprentice of the Dark Lord Revan, has unleashed an invincible Sith armada against an unsuspecting galaxy.

Crushing all resistance, Malak's war of conquest has left the Jedi Order scattered and vulnerable as countless Knights fall in battle, and many more swear allegiance to the new Sith Master.

In the skies above the Outer Rim world of Taris, a lone Jedi battle cruiser engages the forces of Darth Malak in a desperate effort to halt the Sith's galactic domination....

[edit] Setting

The game is played over several planets in the Star Wars universe: Tatooine, Kashyyyk, Korriban, Manaan, Lehon (referred to as "Unknown World"), and Taris. Players also visit other locations: the Ebon Hawk, the Endar Spire, Saul Karath's Leviathan, the Star Forge, and a Yavin space station (PC version only; downloadable Xbox content through Xbox Live).

[edit] Characters

Along the way, the player meets a number of characters, including: Bastila Shan, Carth Onasi, Canderous Ordo, HK-47, Jolee Bindo, Juhani, Mission Vao, T3-M4, Zaalbar, and Trask Ulgo (a temporary party member). Other characters met along the way include: Ajunta Pall, Bendak Starkiller, Calo Nord, Darth Bandon, Darth Malak, Darth Revan, Davik Kang, Uthar Wynn, and Yuthura Ban.

[edit] Story

Knights of the Old Republic is set in the Star Wars universe 4000 years before Episode I takes place, during the time of the Old Republic. The story begins as Sith fighters ambush a Republic ship, the Endar Spire, orbiting around the planet Taris. The player character, and Carth Onasi escape the ship before destruction, and land on Taris. Their first priority is to find Bastila Shan, a young Jedi who accompanied them on the Endar Spire and who knows the rare Force Power of Battle Meditation. One year earlier, Bastila used Battle Meditation to lead an assault against Darth Revan, the Dark Lord of the Sith; as she was battling Revan, Revan's apprentice Darth Malak attacked Revan's ship and usurped the title of Dark Lord. Now Malak seeks Bastila because he fears her power; he will either take Bastilla's abilities or kill her.

After the escape pod crash lands in the upper city of Taris, the two shipmates begin the search for Bastila. The rescue of Bastila allows them to leave Taris on the Ebon Hawk with the help of T3-M4, Mission Vao, Zaalbar and Canderous Ordo moments before Darth Malak destroys the planet. The companions travel to Dantooine where the player learns the ways of the Force. The Jedi Council gives the player and his/her companions a mission to find certain star maps which will locate a mysterious ancient weapon, the Star Forge. The player travels to four planets to find the location of the Star Forge. In the middle of their mission, a confrontation between Malak and the player reveals that the player is actually the former Sith Lord, Revan, who had lost his/her memory after Malak's initial betrayal. Also during this incident, Bastila is captured and eventually turned to the Dark Side.

After all the clues are found, the player crash lands on Rakata Prime. The player goes through confrontations with the natives but finally reaches the temple where Bastila is waiting. After a confrontation, the player chooses either to not go with Bastila and help his/her companions reach the star forge and defeat the Sith threat (Light Side Path) or the player chooses to go with Bastila and usurp the throne of Sith Lord from Malak (Dark Side Path).

The game has separate endings for both light and dark side paths. If Revan is lightsided, Admiral Dodonna awards Revan with the Cross of Glory on Rakata, stating Revan and his/her friends will be known to the Outer Rim as saviors and heroes. If Revan is on the dark side, Bastilla announces Revan as the Sith Lord as they stand before the Sith forces.

[edit] Critical reception

The general critical response was extremely enthusiastic. KotOR has won numerous awards, including Game Developers Choice Awards's best game of the year, BAFTA Games Awards's best Xbox game, Interactive Achievement Awards for best console RPG and best computer RPG, and has been named an Xbox Platinum Hit. KotOR has seen success as the game of the year from many sources including IGN, Gamespot, Computer Gaming World, PC Gamer, GMR Magazine, The Game Developers Choice Awards, Xbox Magazine, and G4.^[1] Interactive Achievement Awards named it Best story and Character Development.^[1] IGN gave KotOR additional awards in Best Sound (Xbox category), Best Story (PC category), Xbox RPG Game of the Year 2003, PC RPG Game of the Year 2003, Xbox Game of the Year 2003, PC Game of the Year 2003, and Overall Game of the Year 2003 across all platforms. The game is also part of The Xbox Platinum Series/Classics, for sales in excess of 1 million units.^[1] In 2007, A story twist within the game was ranked number two in Game Informer's list of the top ten video game twists of all time.Template:Game Informer Issue

[edit] Sequels

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords was developed by a different studio, Obsidian Entertainment, using an updated version of the engine from the first game. BioWare was occupied with producing Jade Empire and wanted to focus more on their original productions than licensed games, but recommended Obsidian for KotOR's sequel. It was released for Xbox in December 2004 and PC in February 2005.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• BioWare's official Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic site
• Official LucasArts' Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic site