Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic 2: The Sith Lords Preview

We are also promised slight improvements to the interface and character development. KOTOR 2 is going to follow the footsteps of the original, depicting the conflict on a larger and more impressive scale. KOTOR 2 is very close to the original gameplay-wise, but now many of the game's elements have undergone further development, being improved or modified. It is still unclear whether the sequel is going to prove a successful successor, but from where we stand, we expect nothing less. One thing has become clear, more emphasis will be put on your moral decisions, meaning that alignment plays a pivotal role in what your character ends up doing. In the game this will of course mean that some missions require special powers, which are only available to those of certain alignment.

I could swear I defeated Darth Malak in this very room.

Good lord, it's that gigantic mushroom with three sets of teeth again! We've been ambushed!

Battles are now supposed to play better due to the added Force powers, but basically we are talking about the same combat system. There are some new additions though including the ability to switch quickly between two weapons without having to rummage through your inventory. You can also fine tune your weapons or build completely new stuff and you'll have even more options for customizing your light saber. Essentially though, all these changes are minor and only serve to make the game more interesting and playable. There are also some alterations to the Jedi classes, those at higher levels (level 20 in the Star Wars D20 system) will get to choose between three prestige classes: Jedi Watchman, Jedi Master, and finally Jedi Weapon Master. This also is what happens if you choose the dark side. You get to choose between becoming a Sith Assassin, Sith Marauder, or the dreaded Sith Lord. The Jedi Weapon Master for instance has a high pain tolerance, and Sith Lord, forgive me for saying, fucks with the minds of others, which pretty much sucks if it's happening to you.

There are seven worlds in the game to explore, like Dantooine, Korriban, Telos, and Dxun which is the largest moon to the new planet Onderon, a Republic ally. As I've already mentioned, the game begins at the asteroid named Peragus Station, and your first mission will be to repair your ship in order to get the hell out of Dodge and get yourself into some action. The environments get progressively bigger and are rendered with more detail so the game should look really impressive. There are also a few mini-games to play, and some special attention has been devoted to them. However they will be optional, so if you have no interest feel free to ignore them. There are also some "bonus" missions that, as Chris Avellone says, correspond to finding secret areas in first-person shooter mode. "Only by thoroughly exploring an area, effectively using specific skills, or perhaps paying attention at the right time can the player find that he can gain bonus missions for his characters to undertake", Chris tells us. These missions are a good way for the player to learn more about himself, his surroundings and to gain some exp. points in the process.

Well, we sure are promised an involving game, a perfected and more polished version of the original. The sequel follows the good-old principle of, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." which is a way of saying that everything that was good about the original is still in the sequel. However, at the same time it also attempts to win new players with the implementation of new options and features and the enhancement of the existing ones. KOTOR 2 is supposed to look and play impressive, and I must admit I am easily seduced by this one. This game won't be groundbreaking or revolutionary, but the successful implementation of the aforementioned changes and some careful polishing should make it as big as its predecessor was. Its only downside may be the lack of multiplayer and co-op mode. In order to properly gauge the quality of this one we will have to wait until this winter. Never fear however as the seasoned RPG veterans responsible for games like Planescape Torment and IceWind Dale seem to be up to the task of filling the boots of one of the best games of last year.