Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic

 Xbox
User Score
9.1

Universal acclaim- based on 504 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 456 out of 504
  2. Mixed: 24 out of 504
  3. Negative: 24 out of 504
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  1. EkkloTRR
    Jul 25, 2023
    10
    Easily my favorite. The music - the characters - the story; everything lines up.
  2. Bucknorris
    Jul 9, 2023
    9
    Released in 2003, Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic (KOTOR) on the Xbox captured the hearts of Star Wars fans and RPG enthusiasts alike. Developed by BioWare, this iconic title took players on an epic journey through a galaxy far, far away, delivering an unforgettable gaming experience.

    One of the defining aspects of KOTOR on the Xbox is its immersive storytelling. Set thousands of    Released in 2003, Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic (KOTOR) on the Xbox captured the hearts of Star Wars fans and RPG enthusiasts alike. Developed by BioWare, this iconic title took players on an epic journey through a galaxy far, far away, delivering an unforgettable gaming experience.

    One of the defining aspects of KOTOR on the Xbox is its immersive storytelling. Set thousands of years before the events of the Star Wars films, the game delves into the conflict between Jedi and Sith, offering players a chance to shape their destiny. The narrative is rich and compelling, filled with memorable characters, surprising plot twists, and moral dilemmas that keep you engaged from start to finish.

    The graphics, while not cutting-edge by today's standards, were impressive for its time on the Xbox. The environments are beautifully crafted, showcasing a variety of planets and locations, each with its distinct atmosphere and inhabitants. From the bustling cityscape of Taris to the ancient ruins of Dantooine, the game brings the Star Wars universe to life in an immersive and visually pleasing manner.

    In terms of gameplay, KOTOR offered a seamless blend of real-time and turn-based combat. The strategic battles allowed players to pause the action, plan their moves, and execute them with precision. As you progressed, your character's abilities and powers expanded, allowing for a satisfying sense of growth and customization. Whether you chose to follow the path of the Jedi or embrace the dark side as a Sith, the game provided ample opportunities to shape your character's skills and alignment.

    The Xbox controller, with its intuitive button layout, made KOTOR a joy to play on the console. Navigating menus, issuing commands, and engaging in lightsaber duels felt smooth and responsive. The controls were well-adapted for the console, ensuring an enjoyable and immersive experience without any major frustrations.

    The sound design deserves special mention, as KOTOR's soundtrack and voice acting added depth and immersion to the game. The iconic Star Wars score, combined with the talented voice cast, brought the characters and the universe to life. From the menacing voice of Darth Malak to the wise guidance of Jedi masters, the audio elements elevated the overall experience and added to the game's authenticity.

    Despite its age, Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic on the Xbox remains a standout title in the RPG genre. Its compelling narrative, immersive world, and engaging gameplay continue to captivate players, even years after its release. If you own an Xbox and are a fan of Star Wars or RPGs, KOTOR is an absolute must-play, allowing you to embark on an epic adventure in a galaxy far, far away. May the Force guide you as you explore the mysteries of the Old Republic on your trusty Xbox console.    … Expand
  3. Funkydrummer
    Jun 20, 2023
    10
    One of my favorites games. Great RPG sytem, great story and great combat. This is the best Star Wars game by far.
  4. HydrophobikFish
    Jun 9, 2023
    9
    One of the all time great RPGs. Story is gripping with some interesting characters and dynamics. Every world you visit is well realized and feels unique, with good amounts of content. The main downside is that the into area, Taris, quickly outstays its welcome and drags on too long. After Taris the game is brilliant.
  5. Crimson9
    Dec 24, 2022
    6
    The gameplay is pretty bad. Its interesting how CRPGs really havent aged well in gameplay. The RPG elements aren't great either. The story and universe are good, but I'd wager if this didn't have star wars attached to it, no one would really care.
  6. dagloafuas
    Sep 28, 2022
    9
    Top Spiel! Habe es auf der Series X gespielt. Ab und zu sind Bugs dabei und die Syncro is manchmal nicht so gut, aber ansonsten zu Empfehlen.
  7. kyle20ellis
    Apr 21, 2022
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Warning: Spoilers
    This review contains spoilers.

    Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic is a 2003 role-playing game developed by Bioware. The video game's setting is thousands of years before the Star Wars movie prequels, the Old Republic comes into conflict with a Sith Empire. A secret Jedi mission is created to investigate how the Sith Empire became so powerful.

    Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic is an excellent game. The first and foremost advantage that this game has is its story. The story is presented masterfully over the course of a roughly 16 hour adventure. The characters that the player encounters are all memorable. In addition, the game feels like a Star Wars story. Despite being thousands of years in the past before the events of the Star Wars prequel trilogy, the video game has that distinct Star Wars feeling. The conflict between the Sith and the Jedi is palpable and easily understood.

    The gameplay of Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic can be found lacking. This gameplay is relatively simplistic. It is based off of D20 role-playing games. The actual combat that the player will do is a matter of using attacks or special attacks until the enemy is defeated. There is not much strategy to this game's combat. The combat is the worst part of this game. The dialogue options in this game are a welcome change and is where more of the gameplay went to. The dialogue is all voiced and voice acted well. I do not think there is any flaw in the game's sound from voices to effects. The graphics are dated but serviceable.

    The story is the centerpiece of this game and there are many side quests that the players can embark on. The side quests have had a lot of effort put into them that some of them are similar to the main quest in quality. There are many options for how each of the quests can go that it makes replaying this game with different choices more appealing.

    The main story is one of the best Star Wars stories. This story with the introduction continuing until the end held my interest. The story is one of the best paced stories that paced out its reveals and exposition. There are moments where the story slows down but this is more of the player's choice to explore rather than the main story being slow.

    I highly recommend "Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic".

    Grade: A.    … Expand
  8. LordFaidal
    Jan 13, 2022
    10
    If FF7 is the king of JR-PG's then KOTOR is the king of western RPGs. I cannot explain in words just how amazing this game is. The story, the characters, the customization, and build options. The game is so big and so full and it's so easy to get drawn in. If you haven't played this I highly recommend picking it up on steam. it's fairly inexpensive and is usually on sale a few times aIf FF7 is the king of JR-PG's then KOTOR is the king of western RPGs. I cannot explain in words just how amazing this game is. The story, the characters, the customization, and build options. The game is so big and so full and it's so easy to get drawn in. If you haven't played this I highly recommend picking it up on steam. it's fairly inexpensive and is usually on sale a few times a year. There are even mods to make the experience better.… Expand
  9. JimPickens
    Oct 20, 2021
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. There are still a lot of Star Wars games I haven't played yet, but I think KOTOR will be pretty damn hard to beat in my mind.

    Knights of The Old Republic, or KOTOR as its abbreviated to, is a 2003 game made by BioWare and published by the now defunct LucasArts exclusively for the Xbox in 2003, I played Xbox One port so any technical issues have been taken with a grain of salt, though I encountered very few, a couple crashes here and there.

    KOTOR as the name may suggest, takes place during the Old Republic and further cements my opinion that this franchise is at its best in the extended universe. Not to say the mainline movies are bad by any means, but be it due to time constraints or the need for a more tightly written narrative, I find the extended media is often able to explore places and concepts often left out of the movies, things like the Mandalorian are only ever briefly mentioned, but here and to a greater extend KOTOR 2, the Mandalorians are far more intrinsic to the story and characters.

    The characters are far and away the leading factor in this games high standing amongst fans, characters like Bastila, Carth, Jolee and HK-47 are ingrained into the minds of fans and for good reason, while not as well developed as some later BioWare characters like Allister from Dragon Age or Garrus from Mass Effect, these characters are still nothing short of incredibly memorable and lovable. The pinnacle of this however, is without a doubt the main character, Revan. His motive in more thoroughly explored in the second game through those characters, but his story is laid out here. He was a Jedi who forsook the Jedi Council to go fight in the Mandalorian wars and save the worlds the Jedi were seemingly leaving to ruin, corrupted by war, Revan and his apprentice Malak joined the Sith. They were eventually hunted down by the republic and Revan was "killed" by Bastila, though obviously not since we control Revan. The fight and blast from Malak gave Revan amnesia and he was brought back to the Republic by Bastila. After learning this the player is presented with a choice; forgiveness or revenge. Do you forgive Bastila and the Jedi for lying to you and trying to condition you back into being a Jedi, or do you want revenge for their deception? Obviously by this point in the game you'd have chosen your desired alignment already so it's somewhat arbitrary, but a fun point of conflict for the player and Revan nevertheless. Other characters of note are Carth Onasi, the first real companion you get, sorry Trask Ulgo. He's a republic soldier and somebody who was around for the Mandalorian Wars, he has history with Revan and Malak and has trust issues due to their betrayal, through his arc you can help him back on his way to learning to trust again, he's also Kaiden Alenko, so ya know... I like him. Bastila Shan, one of my personal favourite Star Wars character ever, she's the first Jedi you meet and the de facto female love interest for Revan, her story revolves around her family and her troubled relationship with her mother, something you can help mend, I love that her story doesn't revolve around the Jedi, she talks about the force ad nauseum but the game shows you she has a life outside of the Jedi. Jolee Bindo, our resident "grey" character, somebody who criticizes both the Jedi and the Sith, he has several lines that call out the Jedi code for being wrong, mainly on love and passion. He also has some interesting things to say about history and how the world views each individual period in time, seeing their own as the most important one. There are more characters, Juhani. Mission, Zalbaar, HK, but these three are the ones I think standout the most and are above all else, the reason you should play this game.

    The gameplay in KOTOR is... funky... It's based on DnD, dice rolls determined by your stats, the issue being, these dice rolls are hidden, so it's impossible to determine how your stats impact the game, it's safer to just max out Flurry and Force Lightning and just spam them at everything, building your team is harder here than in Dragon Age or Mass Effect simply because of the lack of communication on the games part.

    In conclusion, KOTOR is a great game, one of the best, but goddamn does it need this new Remake, the gameplay is confusing and often times frustrating, it desperately needs a new combat system and if the remake can manage to make the gameplay fun without ruining the story, it may just become the best way to experience this story, until then though, we can only hope.    … Expand
  10. Turdnuggz
    Aug 22, 2021
    10
    Not only is this game one of the best Star Wars games ever made, but also one of the best video games ever made! I've obsessively played this game since it released and have beaten it dozens and dozens of times. Every year I make sure to beat it at least once now. It just does everything right. The music, story, characters, and locations are incredible. The gameplay is also really fun,Not only is this game one of the best Star Wars games ever made, but also one of the best video games ever made! I've obsessively played this game since it released and have beaten it dozens and dozens of times. Every year I make sure to beat it at least once now. It just does everything right. The music, story, characters, and locations are incredible. The gameplay is also really fun, though over time I have noticed it's flaws, but it is a 2003 game so it can be excused. I highly recommend this game.… Expand
  11. RiseofPalpatine
    Apr 6, 2021
    9
    Bioware nail what they’re good at which are deep RPG world and character building games, with an in-depth view in the story. If you like star wars, play this. If you like Mass effect, play this.
  12. Dom007
    Mar 12, 2021
    10
    This game is a masterpiece. Brilliant storytelling, characters, music and environments. Usually I don't like the type of combat this game has but it works really well here.
    There aren't even that many flaws I can think of. Definitely in my top 10 games of all time list.
  13. RevanJedi
    Mar 5, 2021
    10
    I'm a big gamer and star wars fan so when I played this game back in 2003 i was blown away by the graphics and story. I see a lot of people complaining about the combat and bugs. And my answer to that is if you're some kind of retard or this is your first time playing a video game I reccomend you to play "cool cat in the house" where you can learn to press the A button without needing anyI'm a big gamer and star wars fan so when I played this game back in 2003 i was blown away by the graphics and story. I see a lot of people complaining about the combat and bugs. And my answer to that is if you're some kind of retard or this is your first time playing a video game I reccomend you to play "cool cat in the house" where you can learn to press the A button without needing any help. But for real the combat is strategic and thought based if you don't like that go play Call of Duty or some **** that doesn't require the rest of your brain. And when you boot up a game from 2003 you should really know what you're getting into. But the main part that kept me playing was the god tier story and the companions. Being a star wars fan in 2003 I adored the jedi and the sith and star wars in general so when I heard that this game was set 4000 years before that I was skeptical. But when I popped it into my Xbox and played it I saw that I was wrong. The story was so immersive and detailed. The worlds were intricate and beautiful and the companions were loyal and funny and just so goddamn likeable. If you haven't played this game go do it's $10 on xbox so bye.… Expand
  14. meop
    Jun 27, 2020
    8
    This game is solid, it's fun, you should play it. It's not amazing and earthshaking, it won't change your life... but you'll have fun.
  15. Mats2468
    May 5, 2020
    9
    Possibly the best RPG game that exist today without a doubt, it has it all when it comes to a good RPG system, im also very suprised that for once a RPG game can offer a great story, and maybe the best you can get into this genre. Of course, there are some moments where you can get stuck, since the game dosent tell you exacly what to do sometimes to progress a story or a side quest. ThePossibly the best RPG game that exist today without a doubt, it has it all when it comes to a good RPG system, im also very suprised that for once a RPG game can offer a great story, and maybe the best you can get into this genre. Of course, there are some moments where you can get stuck, since the game dosent tell you exacly what to do sometimes to progress a story or a side quest. The game can also be extremely tedious if you play it more than 4 hours every day, so it's a good tip to follow. Overall a great game and very enjoyable for those who loves RPG. If I where fan of this genre, I would give it a strait 10.… Expand
  16. breadcrumbs97
    Feb 17, 2020
    10
    The best Star Wars game out there in my opinion. The story is so good. And the voice actors for this game are incredible.
  17. Dylan117
    Feb 8, 2020
    10
    Everything about this game is perfect. The exploration, combat, story, universe, and dialouge is nailed to atee. If you have an xbox, PC, 360, or ONE, you MUST play this game.
  18. SolidSovereign
    Nov 24, 2019
    10
    Astonishing.

    The greatest star wars game ever. And one of the best RPGs ever.

    Story 10/10
    Setting 10/10
    Gameplay 10/10
    Replay-ability 10/10
    Music/Sounds 10/10
  19. JayNxtGen
    Nov 9, 2019
    10
    This is without a doubt the best STAR WARS game of all time. Ill keep it short...

    It is a absolute masterclass in the RPG genre and a true adventure for any STAR WARS fan. if you have not played this game do yourself a favour and play it now.

    It is backwards compatible with all XBOX ONE consoles and on PC and IOS/Android.
  20. Dperks
    Sep 10, 2019
    9
    Kotor holds up pretty well with a star wars story still better then any of the Disney films have managed to make. But that's really where the game shines in story telling and characters. While there are a lot of little nitpicks i could make the worst part of the game is the turret sections it forces you to do at random when going from planet to planet.But ya great game just play it ifKotor holds up pretty well with a star wars story still better then any of the Disney films have managed to make. But that's really where the game shines in story telling and characters. While there are a lot of little nitpicks i could make the worst part of the game is the turret sections it forces you to do at random when going from planet to planet.But ya great game just play it if you like star wars.… Expand
  21. draken3581
    Dec 18, 2018
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. there is very little that can be said about this game to really convey its true depth. One simply needs to experience it fully in order to understand what it is. And it is this; the best written game based on an existing IP. The most interesting characters following a story that starts with an interesting prelude and then builds from a slow crescendo to an incredible thunderstorm. The gameplay options are interesting and varied, but what will take the player is the depth of choice in how the story will proceed. I started as a simple character trying to survive the battles in front of me using basic melee weapons and some pistol. I eventually, after 12-15 hours of gameplay became a Jedi and started training my powers and exploring the world more comfortably, gaining companions, solving interesting quests, having a blast. I built up my character and eventually learned more about the game's antagonist and confronted him, after nearly 50 hours of gameplay, expecting that this is the last battle, the last boss of the game, credits to be rolling soon. How incredibly and delightfully mistaken I was. What the game throws at you at that moment is probably one of the most incredible reversals in all gaming history. What it does to you; is just messing up with your mind. I remember waking up the wife who would tentatively follow some of the adventure from time to time in excitement I could not contain. No amount of novel books, or movies, or any other medium can do that to you, because they can't make you invest 50 hours over so many months of involvement and then play that twist on you. Only gaming can do this. And no game has ever done it better than KOTOR. I hope a remastered version will find its way to newer hardware for many generations to come.… Expand
  22. joesmith123315
    Oct 15, 2018
    10
    A great RPG for anyone. I have two gripes, but I guess that is because of modern RPGs. One is no (so far, as I have yet to fully complete the game) re-playable side quests, or at least on some which you can fail. 2nd is the graphics could have better, like Halo, but I'll let slide. The game has a diverse set of things to do like card games, trading, and RPG action. There is also a forceA great RPG for anyone. I have two gripes, but I guess that is because of modern RPGs. One is no (so far, as I have yet to fully complete the game) re-playable side quests, or at least on some which you can fail. 2nd is the graphics could have better, like Halo, but I'll let slide. The game has a diverse set of things to do like card games, trading, and RPG action. There is also a force meter, telling you how your choices affiliate with both sides of the force. The character development is great, and the story will keep you guessing.… Expand
  23. Tegakari
    Mar 19, 2018
    10
    Even 15 years later, I can't say I've played a better RPG than Kotor. It's contemporary Morrowind comes incredibly close, and many other RPGs are definitely engaging, but Kotor just did it all the best.

    The gameplay, the score, the writing, the worldbuilding, the decision-making. A deep, rewarding RPG that still warrants replays to this day.
  24. Broyax
    Apr 17, 2017
    10
    Sans aucun doute le meilleur jeu basé sur la fameuse licence Star Wars et peut-être bien le meilleur jeu de rôle réalisé par Bioware à côté des Mass Effect ! il brille par son scénario très travaillé, ses personnages forts, ses dialogues toujours intéressants, son système de combat presque aussi agréable qu'un vrai tour par tour.

    A dire vrai, ses graphismes sont tout juste honnêtes et    Sans aucun doute le meilleur jeu basé sur la fameuse licence Star Wars et peut-être bien le meilleur jeu de rôle réalisé par Bioware à côté des Mass Effect ! il brille par son scénario très travaillé, ses personnages forts, ses dialogues toujours intéressants, son système de combat presque aussi agréable qu'un vrai tour par tour.

    A dire vrai, ses graphismes sont tout juste honnêtes et sujets néanmoins à pas mal de ralentissements mais la direction artistique superbe sauve la mise. La musique est superbe, la VF impeccable et la durée de vie n'est pas négligeable ! Je l'ai fini deux fois à l'époque sur Xbox. C'est d'ailleurs le jeu (avec Splinter Cell) qui m'a fait acheter une Xbox (ce fut une exclusivité pendant de longs mois). Excellent souvenir.    … Expand
  25. dcutler
    Apr 2, 2017
    10
    This game is the best star wars game and one of the greatest games of its time. It's got a combat system that you will never find in today's video games. The game included great characters, an Amazing story and a plot twist that will be remembered forever!
  26. EpicLadySponge
    Mar 21, 2016
    9
    If you want to play a true Star Wars RPG game, this one is it and it's only for the original Xbox so get the Xbox console and get this game if you want to live up such glory.
  27. DoomsDai
    Nov 26, 2015
    10
    My favorite game of all time, played it almost every year since 2006 and it still hasn't gotten old!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  28. everin
    Oct 1, 2015
    9
    Tier 1
    + A classic RPG that gets nearly everything right in story progression and branching narrative
    + Expands on the Star Wars universe in ways more compelling than any of the films managed
    + An eclectic range of quests, companions, and RPG progression rewards
    - Combat is fairly tedious, though standard fair for an RPG of its age
  29. Bjolley35
    Jun 25, 2015
    10
    One of My all time favorites, played through multiple times, can still play through and have a blast 12 years later, instant classic few games like it
  30. LongSlayer
    Aug 1, 2014
    9
    Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic is a fantastic RPG. Star Wars is one of my most favourite franchises ever so being an RPG lover and a Star Wars lover, I had to play this game. The story is pretty great with you being light side or dark side and your path chooses the outcome of the endgame. The story has you traveling to different planets with their own unique atmosphere, people, andStar Wars: Knights of the Old Republic is a fantastic RPG. Star Wars is one of my most favourite franchises ever so being an RPG lover and a Star Wars lover, I had to play this game. The story is pretty great with you being light side or dark side and your path chooses the outcome of the endgame. The story has you traveling to different planets with their own unique atmosphere, people, and creatures so there's lots to explore and it gets to be quite adventurous. The quests are good and exciting, the characters are great that have very good dialogue and the AI is pretty good too. The leveling system is decent with you having to choose different powers ranging from "Force Push" to "Saber Throw" to "Force Lightning", there are a lot of options. My favourite RPGs are the ones where there pretty much nonlinear but this game is a lot more linear. I feel like that you just roll along to each planet one by one and when you're done with the main quest and side quests there's nothing else to do. I want to be able to keep revisiting places that have activities or something going on all the time. One little tiny complaint I have is that the robes you find throughout the galaxies don't really look like robes. If I want to play like a jedi, I want to look like a jedi. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic is an amazing RPG that will please anyone, and it's a must play.… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

2
#2 Best Xbox Game of 2003
1
#1 Most Discussed Xbox Game of 2003
1
#1 Most Shared Xbox Game of 2003

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
94

Universal acclaim - based on 72 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 72 out of 72
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 72
  3. Negative: 0 out of 72
  1. GMR Magazine
    100
    The battle system rocks. Not quite real-time, not quite turn-based, but somewhere in-between, KOTOR's battle engine offers tremendous depth while being intimately adjustable. [Sept 2003, p.78]
  2. Gamestyle
    100
    It's a luminous use of an indelible vehicle, and it deserves to be held aloft; suitably accorded the very best nomenclature in Gamestyle's vocabulary. A Ten, then.
    Read full review
  3. Thunderbolt
    100
    It isn't one thing that makes Knights of the Old Republic such a masterful RPG, but a remarkable amalgamation of brilliant gameplay elements, jaw-dropping presentation and a huge helping of that special Star Wars magic.
    Read full review
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