Rogue One’s Jyn Erso, not Kyle
Katarn, who stole the plans for the
first Death Star from the Empire,
Dark Forces remains a superb Star
Wars game. Some fictional universes
benefit from a consistent, traceable
timeline, but Star Wars is like a myth,
a fairytale, and that makes this less
important. Who really knows what
happened 4,000 years ago? Knights of
the Old Republic is just one possible
version of those events.
However, despite the
chronological gulf, KOTOR still has
plenty to scratch any Star Wars itch
you might develop. If anything,
BioWare made its take on the
universe a little too similar to classic
Star Wars – especially considering
the amount of time that’s supposed to
have passed between this game and
the original trilogy. But I’ll let it slide,
because the established language of
Star Wars – blasters, speeders,
astromech droids, cocky smugglers,
pious Jedi, and so on – lays a familiar
foundation to tell this new story on.
BioWare could have created
something completely different and
alien, and I’m sure they would have
done a great job of it, but it might not
have felt very Star Wars.
And even though some of the lore
has since been contradicted by Jon
Favreau and Dave Filioni’s TV show,
a heavy Mandalorian presence makes
KOTOR particularly enjoyable if
you’ve just finished watching the
adventures of Din Djarin and his tiny
green Force-sensitive friend. At this
point in time the Mandalorians have
just lost a war, scattering their clans
around the galaxy. You run into a few
of them, including a gladiator named
Bendak Starkiller (no relation to the
hero of The Force Unleashed), and
Sherruk, the powerful leader of agang of raiders who loves nothing
more than killing Jedi and collecting
their lightsabers as trophies.
You also party up with a
Mandalorian: a grouchy war veteran
named Canderous Ordo, whose Dark
Side alignment makes him an ideal
companion for anyone role-playing as
such. And if you’re not, then he
always has a sarcastic remark ready
when you follow the Jedi Code and
deny a reward for doing a good deed.
Turning down credits gets him
particularly hot and bothered. I also
really like BioWare’s take on whatThe Ebon Hawk is very much
a proto-Normandy.About to drop the freshest
album this side of the Rim.OUTER WORLDS A selection of the planets you visit in KOTOR
TARIS
A planet-sized metropolis.
The upper city is safe,
relatively speaking, but the
dangerous lower levels are
ruled by crime-loving
swoop-bike gangs.TATOOINE
A barren desert world you
may have heard of before.
When the protagonist
arrives, the Czerka
Corporation has laid claim
to the planet.MANAAN
A vast ocean-covered
planet. The protagonist
visits its capital where
they uncover an evil Sith
plot to brainwash children
who are Force sensitive.DANTOOINE
A quiet, remote world
where the protagonist
learns the ways of the Jedi,
and tests their new
lightsaber out on a group
of Mandalorian raiders.OLD GAMES, NEW PERSPECTIVES
REINSTALL
Mandalorians weren’t always
as stylish as Pedro Pascal.