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By Chris Snellgrove
| Revealed
Star Wars followers lately celebrated a milestone: the 20-year anniversary of Knights of the Previous Republic II. When the sport first got here out, it acquired some criticism from followers and reviewers alike for being an incomplete story that couldn’t fairly stay as much as the majesty of the primary recreation. Whereas it nonetheless lives within the shadow of its predecessor, KOTOR II is now celebrated by followers who lovingly restored a lot of its lower content material, and the sport’s storytelling has influenced the Disney period of Star Wars in some ways, together with the storytelling of The Acolyte.
The Story Of Knights Of The Previous Republic II
What’s Knights of the Previous Republic II about, although? On this recreation, you play as a Jedi exile who has been lower off from the Pressure after committing a brutally decisive act within the warfare towards the Mandalorians. Alongside the way in which, you meet a shady mentor and a colourful crew of supporting characters, and also you’ll want all their assist in the struggle towards two highly effective new Sith Lords who dream of taking up everybody’s favourite galaxy far, far-off.
Again within the day, the Knights of the Previous Republic II protagonist threw some followers off as a result of they assumed gamers would choose up the place the primary recreation left off. In that first title – beware spoilers when you’ve by no means performed these video games earlier than! – you play as an amnesiac character who’s later revealed to be Darth Revan, a fearsome Sith Lord who was mind-wiped by the Jedi and weaponized towards his former apprentice, Darth Malak. The reveal is arguably the most effective Star Wars plot twist for the reason that revelation that Darth Vader was Luke Skywalker’s father, and it nonetheless hits tougher than most franchise reveals earlier than or since.
The change in protagonist was off-putting for some followers, and others had been upset that Knights of the Previous Republic II had a few of its most bold content material lower to make its retail launch simply in time for the vacations. Why, then, is the sport a lot extra in style now than it was earlier than? For one factor, followers labored onerous to mod the sport and restore a lot of its misplaced content material, and this has helped followers higher perceive the sport’s epic plot and its extensive range of morally gray characters even because it helps them benefit from the recreation in a wholly new method.
Shades Of Gray In Star Wars
Talking of which, the ethical ambiguity of characters like Kreia signifies that Knights of the Previous Republic II provides some much-needed depth to the Star Wars universe. This fictional galaxy has lengthy been populated by characters who’re cartoonishly good or evil, and whereas that added to the archetypal appeal of the Authentic Trilogy, such one-dimensional heroes and villains had been already carrying skinny by the Prequel Trilogy and appeared utterly performed out by the point the Sequel Trilogy got here alongside. The viewers demand for extra advanced characters is an enormous a part of why Andor is so in style, and it’s value celebrating that KOTOR II gave us this complexity almost 20 years earlier than Andor blew our collective minds.
Talking of the Disney period of Star Wars, Knights of the Previous Republic II had a surprisingly direct affect on the controversial collection The Acolyte. Showrunner Leslye Headland beforehand confirmed that she was impressed by the character of Kreia, and whereas she didn’t elaborate additional, it’s truthful to imagine that Kreia influenced the design of Qimir, a villain who shares her disdain of the Jedi and skepticism of how these house wizards outline each the Gentle Facet and the Darkish Facet. Such open, onscreen criticism of the Jedi felt overdue largely because of the truth that we haven’t had a lot of it since KOTOR II first got here out.
Every little thing Followers Need From Trendy Star Wars
Far too many didn’t notice it on the time, however in 2004, Knights of the Previous Republic II gave us nearly every part that the trendy period of Star Wars is missing. We had authentic heroes who had nothing to do with the Skywalker clan, advanced villains much more compelling than Darth Vader, and a narrative with extra shades of gray than the Demise Star’s inside. Throw in the truth that the gameplay is equally unimaginable and you’ve got a title that continues to be one of the crucial refreshing bits of Star Wars content material ever created.
Knights of the Previous Republic II isn’t an ideal recreation, nevertheless it does one thing that fashionable Star Wars infrequently does: take main dangers and make large swings from starting to finish. In an period the place the franchise can do nearly nothing however trot out acquainted characters in an try and enchantment to our nostalgia, this recreation dared to do one thing daring and new and largely succeeded. It’s been 20 years now, however this title from a decade lengthy, way back continues to be value enjoying for any followers who need to keep in mind why they fell in love with the largest sci-fi franchise in cinematic historical past.
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