Games

Best of 2009 | 08 |07 | 06 | 05
Advanced Search

Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed games.

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic

EMAIL PRINT pc

8.9 User Score:

Universal acclaim

Based on 33 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

Based on 193 votes
Read user comments
Rate this game >

Game Info

Publisher: LucasArts

Developer: BioWare

Genre(s): Role-Playing Game, Third-Person Action

Players: 1

ESRB Rating: T (Teen)

Release Date: November 18, 2003

Summary

Engage in this saga set in the Golden Age of the Republic - over 4,000 years before the first Star Wars film, when both Jedi and Sith number in the thousands. With the Galaxy reeling from a recent conflict with the Dark Lords, the ongoing battle between the Jedi and the Sith rages on. Your actions determine the outcome of this colossal galactic war - and your destiny as a Jedi. [LucasArts]

Also On Metacritic

GAMES: Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords

Cheat Codes & Hints: Cheat Code Central IGN Insider Guide

Also On The Web: Game Revolution Preview GameSpot Preview GameSpy Preview IGN Hands-On Official Website

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

100

Thunderbolt

It’s rare that I get so excited over a game, but the interactive storyline, the solid gameplay, and everything else managed to make me a firm believer that the future of Star Wars will be bright one.

Read Full Review >

100

Computer Games Magazine

The elegance and accessibility that BioWare made part-and-parcel of this game should be the future standard for this genre. Don't pass it up. [Feb 2004, p.52]

100

Computer Gaming World

A masterpeice from BioWare. Easily the best RPG of the year, and possibly the best Star Wars game ever made. [Feb 2004, p.61]

100

GMR Magazine

A modern-day masterpiece that will be talked about for years to come.

Read Full Review >

Next Level Gaming

The adventures to be had, the replayability available from the choices to be made, and the sheer experience of playing a Jedi with your own ship and crew is mind blowing.

Read Full Review >

Game Chronicles

And there lies KOTOR’s most valuable feature, total freedom, freedom to go where you want to go, do what you want to do, and let the adventure unfold at your own pace.

Read Full Review >

Worth Playing

No other Star Wars game, including "Star Wars Galaxies," has done a better job of completely immersing you in the Star Wars universe. It's impossible to finish the game without somehow feeling like your actions have made a difference.

Read Full Review >

PC Gameworld

The only thing missing from this masterpiece is the fact that once you finish playing the game, you can’t watch it as a movie!

Read Full Review >

Computer Games Online RO

One of the best RPG’s ever made, and for me it’s definitely the RPG of the year.

Read Full Review >

Game Informer

The level of control that you have over your characters' actions is truly remarkable... Simply put, this is the best thing to happen to Star Wars since the original trilogy. [Feb 2004, p.112]

GameZone

It offers some pretty fundamental improvements over the Xbox version and stands as one of the best PC RPGs out there.

Read Full Review >

Gamenikki

A harmonious coupling of open and linear gameplay is applied smoothly to a Star Wars license that actually helps instead of hinders, and the end result is an absolutely must-own game and a damn fine title.

Read Full Review >

GameSpy

The best PC RPG of the year, and possibly one of the best RPGs I've ever played...It's got that obsessive/compulsive quality that keeps pushing you to solve just one more quest, to finish one more task, to go up one more level just to see what new stuff you can get.

Read Full Review >

Gamer's Hell

It's great to see that the interface has been heavily reworked for the PC version - it could perhaps have been even more intuitive, but it’s great to see the amount of work that was done as is. The controls have also been tweaked nicely for the PC.

Read Full Review >

2404.org

The battles look absolutely outstanding.

Read Full Review >

AtomicGamer

Bioware's awesome RPG Knights of the Old Republic feels right at home on the PC with high-res graphics and an excellent control scheme.

Read Full Review >

ActionTrip

A profound storyline, in-depth characterization and dialogue, tons of RPG elements to experiment with, so many side quests that you'd be hard pressed to complete them all and the ability to choose your own destiny and affiliation with the force, makes Knights of the Old Republic an exemplary new chapter of the Star Wars saga, as well as a grand single-player experience that can stand very well on its own.

Read Full Review >

Game Over Online

BioWare did a nice job of balancing combat and questing in the game, and of giving you options for playing different types of characters.

Read Full Review >

PC Format

There’s no reason to fear its Xbox origins – while you may occasionally long for extra depth on a mission or perhaps some more involved combat, the rapid pace and dedication to narrative and character will soon have you back hacking away in the thick of the action.

Read Full Review >

TotalGames.net

The voice acting and sound effects are all spot on and technically the game is far superior to the Xbox version that came out first. The graphics are smoother, the frame rate faster and while a huge Jedi battle can cause slow down, there isn't much to slow the game up from its moderate pace.

Read Full Review >

Game Revolution

The deepest foray yet into the Star Wars universe and well worth the price of admission.

Read Full Review >

Armchair Empire

An easy learning curve, excellent presentation and a story that will keep you coming back.

Read Full Review >

PC Gamer

Its plot is arguably more satisfying than the ham-fisted narratives of the recent Star Wars films, and it certainly does a better job at conveying moral complexities. [Feb 2004, p.65]

GamerFeed

The PC version, long in waiting, takes advantage of system abilities to give you an immersive game that will leave you friendless, jobless and girlfriendless from the first time you play until you finish the game.

Read Full Review >

IGN

It's got enough Star Wars to satisfy the fans and enough pure fun to draw in people who normally wouldn't get into role-playing games.

Read Full Review >

Cincinnati Enquirer

Not only one of the best "Star Wars" titles to date, but it is also one of the finest games in recent memory.

Read Full Review >

Total Video Games

This is a class act that builds and extends the Star Wars game franchise and PC gamers are getting something their kindred XBOX owners loved to bits and will not be disappointed in any way.

Read Full Review >

Yahoo! Games

The graphics look great, the interface works a treat and the additions, while minor, fit well. Clearly a lot of work has gone into making the game feel like it was meant to be on PC.

Read Full Review >

Quandary

The story is well paced, with many plot twists to keep you guessing, and plentiful side quests to keep you occupied and chasing XP for that next level up.

Read Full Review >

GameShark

A true work of art.

Read Full Review >

GameSpot

A number of bugs and technical issues in the out-of-the-box product mar what otherwise is the best version of one of the year's best games.

Read Full Review >

1UP

The simple fact is Knights of the Old Republic doesn't do anything revolutionarily different or better in any single category than games like "Planescape," "Baldur's "and "Freedom Force." In fact, in some areas it's a lot worse. Nevertheless, this is as solid a Star Wars experience as we're going to get (since no one has the balls to make "Tie Fighter 2").

Read Full Review >

GamePro

It’s a testament to the strength of Knights’ original design that it manages to be gripping and engaging while in the midst of distracting technical problems.

Read Full Review >

What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this game is 8.9 (out of 10) based on 193 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Jon A gave it a10:
The people who gave this game 0's failed to realize that the game is an RPG. Do yourselves a favor and learn to read. The game is one of the most amazing gaming experience I have had in a while. The story is gripping until the end. There are various plot twists, one in particular is in the same league as "Luke, I am your father" (Just do yourself a favor and do not read anything that could possbly ruin the story for you...believe me, the plot twist is that awesome). The depth of each character and each setting is so deep that you'll constantly want to hear more about them. The gameplay is unique and feels like an MMORPG. It is turn based, but not in the Final Fantasy sense. Anyone expecting a hack n' slash game (like most of the people who gave the game low scores) look elsewhere. But for those who want a deep gaming experience, trust me this is one of the best of all time.

Mark O gave it a10:
KOTOR is truly a great rpg. The game immerses the player in the Star Wars universe, and It has some of the best voice acting and stories that I have heard in an RPG to date (and this is 2010). There's actually a focused and captivating story unlike most rpgs in the market today. I didn't really find any problems with the interface or gameplay (for its time). I really enjoyed Candorous' stories of the Mandalorian Wars, for example. They were compact with imagery and none of the dialogue seems superfluous. I seriously don't understand why this game should get anything less than a 9. I have played nearly every Star Wars game to date (and certainly many rpgs) and KOTOR is definitely one that sets the standards high. Don't be fooled by the low reviews. If you're a fan of rpgs, this is a must have.

Kajemby gave it a9:
I agree with Ome Gee. If you bought this game thinking it was something other than an RPG, maybe you should learn to read. No, really, as the box has RPG all over it, as does the Steam download. Also, Bioware only make RPGs', so expecting anything else was a little silly. So, yeah, as an action game it would score low, but as it is not a third person shooter, these scores are not valid. If it was scored low as an RPG however, I respect that peoples tastes are different. Personally I think it is a brilliant game, with a great storyline, and a lot of tactical combat. The only problem that I had with it on the first play through is the level cap, but if you play it through again, then you can plan your character better. Also I understand that the cap was for gameplay balance towards the end of the game. Definately give this game a chance.

Genevieve F gave it a10:
Everyone comment with a 0 I've read so far down below has been a bunch of whining from a few 6 year olds that didn't even bother finding out about the game they were buying. This game is an RPG. which stands for Role Playing Game, which in turn means you role play in your character's skin and make choices for him/her in a story with a life of it's own. There is no doubt that there will be a lot of reading. Like many other Bioware RPGs such as Jade Empire, SWKotorII, Neverwinter Nights I and II, it will be turn based which also means you can't do freestyle like in Star Wars Outcast and Academy(Which I happen to like btw). If you don't like it, don't buy it. I personally bought at least 10 copies of this game on steam for the cheap price of $2.50 and sent it to everyone that was online at that moment, and so far I've received nothing but positive reviews. I'd suggest to all of the halo fans here who decided to come out of their cages to go back where they came from. Its not only this game that you review badly, but Dragon Age and many other RPGs that you hound after just because you don't know how to read. In any case, this is way after the fact, after I've played this game at least 20 times in so many different ways each and every play through. The story is by no means as great as Dragon age these days but back then it was the best. You really came to care for the characters, or you hated them and wanted to throw them in a ditch somewhere. The choices you had to make weren't always obvious, such as Sunry's trial. The graphics were at its time pretty nice I thought, but there really wasn't many RPGs I could compare it's graphics with. Some of the twists of the plot in this game will really make you wonder: "Why didn't I think of this sooner?" which was my basic reaction at some parts of it. From beginning to end you'll be wrapped in a complex oldish version of the overly cheesy Star Wars movie titles, you'll like it so much that you won't even stand to watch the Star Wars movies anymore. They were all rubbish anyways but this time you'll put them away for good, I guarantee it. :) And honestly if you don't put them away or you still think it deserves a 0, no offense, but you've got horrible taste in games. My brother is one of those PEW PEW YAY SHINIES type of people too and yet he still found SWkotor interesting and managed to finish it recently before he release of SWtor. If you want exciting combat in this game, turn up the difficulty to max and play without anyone in your party throughout the entire game, or another challenge would be to play it on max without ever pausing. I've done both and let me tell you, its not easy. I would have rated this game an 8 back then, but this game need a little help in the user ratings unfortunately. So up you go. <3 ya Bioware

[anonymous] gave it a10:
This was the first Star Wars game I played, and I was and still are amazed over the game play,the story line and the way you can played it without getting bored. Absolutely a great game.

Mike K gave it a10:
One of the best games I've ever played. If you're looking for a shooter game, THIS GAME IS NOT IT. This is a game with intelligence, a developed plot-line, intriguing characters and side stories and an awesome conclusion. The graphics are good for the time, the levels and worlds look amazing, and the aliens and weaponry are all you'd expect from a Star Wars universe. Not to mention the combat system is very fun if you actually understand it. Naturally, with it involving more than pointing and clicking, that's probably not most of you. ;)

Ome Gee gave it a9:
Giving this game a bad score for being an RPG is silly, giving a game made in 2003 a bad score for not having next gen graphics a bad score is silly. KOTOR is a wonderfully deep RPG based in a living Star Wars universe. The game is wonderful. The only reason it didn't get a perfect score is because I found the controls to be less than intuitive. Otherwise, this is a spectacular game.

Games

Sony

Microsoft

Nintendo

Other Platforms

Upcoming &Recent Releases

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic

Game Info

Summary

Also On Metacritic

What The Critics Said

What Our Users Said

Upcoming &
Recent Releases