Exploring the Galaxy Far, Far Away with Knights of the Old Republic 2
There have been dozens of Star Wars games over the decades, but not a single one is as fascinating as Knights of the Old Republic 2. The first KOTOR was one of the most wildly different Star Wars entries the series had ever seen, introducing a brand new era to the legendary universe and yet, somehow, the sequel was even more ambitious. Obsidian Entertainment’s take on Star Wars is one of the most thematically unique stories the series has ever seen, diving into the complex morality of Jedi, Sith, and the Force itself. It’s a bold entry that’s also wracked by a notoriously rushed development cycle and cut content. Knights of the Old Republic 2 is a messy, ambitious, and fascinating Star Wars game that every fan needs to play, and you can even get it for free as part of Prime Day through the Amazon Games App.
Knights of the Old Republic 2 is, of course, set in the Old Republic, an era of Star Wars that typically hasn’t been regarded as official canon, both before and after the Disney purchase. Taking place roughly 4000 years before the Prequels, the Old Republic is a wholly self-contained era, and KOTOR 2 directly follows up on the events of the first game, set five years later.
You play as a former Jedi Knight exiled from the Order and forcibly cut off from your connection to the Force by the Jedi Council. Initially, Knights of the Old Republic 2 keeps the reason for this a secret, but the pieces of the puzzle are slowly revealed and largely revolve around your character’s special connection to the Force. We won’t say more than that, as it would involve some pretty hefty spoilers. Even from just that initial setup, however, it’s abundantly clear that Knights of the Old Republic 2 wants to do things differently. The game isn’t afraid to ask big questions that most Star Wars stories won’t even touch. This is a story about Jedi and Sith, but not in the way you might expect. Everything in KOTOR 2 is painted in shades of grey. The narrative is much more about exploring the nature of the Force itself — how the ethereal energy molds people’s lives and the universe itself.
The way each of these characters ties into that big theme of moral complexity is astounding, and it’s fascinating to see a Star Wars story take this approach. That’s easily the game’s biggest strength: the fact that it doesn’t get bogged down by the age-old good versus evil approach. Story is obviously where Knights of the Old Republic 2 really shines, but it’s a deep RPG with plenty of satisfying systems. The gameplay is essentially lifted right from the first game, with a few additions and changes. Combat is semi-real-time and essentially similar to something like Dragon Age or the first two Baldur’s Gate games. Character creation is a massive part of the experience, really letting you lean into that Star Wars fantasy of being an intrepid galactic explorer. At the same time, you get a wide array of Lightsaber forms and Force powers to use, with new options opening up based on your affinity for the Dark Side or Light Side.
Unfortunately, there is one major downside to Knights of the Old Republic 2. As we mentioned before, the game suffered an intensely rushed development cycle that resulted in quite a bit of cut content, especially in the final act. As great as KOTOR 2 is, the end of the game comes quite suddenly and genuinely makes it feel like there’s a whole epilogue missing — mostly because there is. On top of that, there’s quite a bit of dialogue that was axed across the game. If you’re playing on PC, there are some intrepid fans that have restored huge swathes of all this with the Restored Content Mod, and it’s absolutely worth using.
But whether you play with the mod or not, the journey of Knights of the Old Republic 2 is still an unforgettable one. There are some incredible questions raised by the game, questions that Star Wars at large should honestly tackle more. If you want a story that asks why everyone treats the Force with such reverence (and if that’s dangerous) then KOTOR 2 is the game for you.
