The Enigmatic Star Forge

Ever wanted to be a Jedi?

Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic is a RPG of old that features an engaging story, a myriad of character development options, a heaping helping of things to do, and the opportunity to travel the galaxy with your own band of rogues. The mechanics are based on Wizards of the Coast’s Star Wars Roleplaying Game, which is a d20 system derived from the Third Edition Dungeons & Dragons rules. That said, if you don’t understand any of that, or you’ve never played those rules before, you are still able to fully enjoy this title as you can pick up the concepts quite easily.

Before you earn your lightsaber you’re going to need to create your character. You can choose from the Scout, the Scoundrel, or the Soldier and each will provide different combat and exploration bonuses. These are fairly general classes, though. So it’s a good idea to go through the different options, weigh up the benefits, and decide how you’d like to progress from there.

I’m usually be one for rolling a Soldier, but the Scout had some pretty impressive utility which swayed my decision.

You’re going to earn some companions along the way, too. So, don’t worry- you’re not alone. Some of these bring fairly unique abilities or weapons to your party, while others will allow you to access abilities a little earlier than your character would normally learn them. Their equipment and yours will be scattered all across the various locations you visit, while some of it is customisable and can be upgraded. Most commonly you’ll be able to upgrade your lightsaber components but other weapons can also be upgraded. There are some really cool companion choices as well, like, for instance, the Wookie, who is a beast (no pun intended) in close combat.

Go to Tatooine they said. Sand People are friendly they said.

Alongside the other customisation options there are also a number of special attacks that you can learn. Or, if you’re a Jedi, a selection of Force Powers. These range from fairly mundane overcharged blaster shots, to the ability to heal allies or injure enemies via the use of your Force Points. Using these abilities will significantly improve your chances of being successful in combat, too. As many of the enemies you’ll face will employ fairly similar- if not the same- abilities.

For this reason bosses can be quite tough as they have some really powerful abilities at their disposal.

Questing combines area specific objectives (where you’re either given or you find multiple quests in a single area) and exploring the galaxy for new planets (and the quests found therein). That said, most areas are quite small and so you’re aren’t expected to run back and forth over vast stretches endlessly. Exploration is advised as well, as there are many hidden locations where you can find either exceptionally powerful items or (at the very least) a few thousand credits. This is a title set firmly in older design principles, though. So if you forget where you’re going, what you’re looking for, or how to get there you’ll need to refer to the quest log. Quest markers not included!

It’s a fairly large adventure, too. You can easily sink several hours into exploring additional areas, talking to companions, and upgrading your equipment per quest run. It’s a rare blast of nostalgia in a familiar universe that many have come to know and love, which, despite being an older title, gives you a surprisingly expansive universe to explore.

Have a nice week, all!

Moggie