kotor

[mighty bean]

My rant is on the recent reviews of KOTOR by most games media (and that damn Darkman-wannabe, Burton)

KOTOR is supposed to be a richly rewarding, deeply involved RPG game. But, as stated by most reviewers, you have to suffer through the first 5-8 hours of gameplay before it gets fun. So, I borrowed a copy for a couple evenings and tried to suffer through the 5-8 hour prerequisite for the game to get to the 'good'.

I couldn't do it.

The first 5 hours of gameplay go something like this:

• watch long load screen
  enjoy ~10 minutes of game
  do a periodic save, which includes...
  watching a long save screen
  watching a long load screen
  lather, rinse, repeat

then there is the games obvious flaws that you need to deal with

• there is no way to skip through some cutscenes, even after viewing them many times (the gladiator introductions, etc)
  The star wars universe contains about 8 unique people, dressed in slightly different clothes. I hate them all.
  Your AI party member cannot be pushed out of the way. If you run into a dead end with the bozo behind you (like mingling through the tables at the cantina) you will often get stuck. The only solution is to switch characters, move the bozo out of the way, then switch back.
  Your AI party member can't keep up with you to save his life. Run through the bar and watch him teleport to keep up with you.
  It takes aliens an hour just to say hello.

Those are pretty minor annoyances, but they add up. The one brutal flaw is with cutscene triggers and the 'stealth' mode. Here's one scenario:

I'm traveling through a tunnel with my AI Bozo and I spy some bad guys ahead. I'm on my last nugget of health, so I decide to switch to Bozo-Control and use my AI companion to scout ahead. I put him into stealth mode, which makes him invisible, and attempt to walk up to the bad guys for a closer look.

What happens next is very frustrating. Even though I'm in stealth, the bad guys have a cutscene attached to them that will trigger whenever you get too close. So, when I walk the bozo past them, his stealth is immediatly turned off and the cutscene plays. Even more frustraing is that the game designer decided the cutscene must be played with my main character present, so even though I used the AI Bozo to scout ahead I now find my main character standing next to the bad guys. Cutscene plays, the bad guys attack, I'm dead. So what's the point of the stealth mode and the AI companions if my main character will get teleported to wherever the game decides, and stealth is deactivated by cutscenes?

So, to wrap it up. I can see how this game could get fun after 5-8 hours of time invested, but I had enough with my two evenings. I chalk this game up to fan-boy hype and the fact that it's the ONLY rpg available.

If they put out a 8-hour fast-forward patch on LIVE, I'll try it again.

[Jack Burton]

I'm sorry you didn't like it that much. I haven't run into any bugs except for the stupid buddy AI, which has only gotten in my way a few times...it really wasn't that noticeable. Plus, I actually had fun on Taris, as it was a good way to get me introducted into the combat and the decision-making/quests that I was going to have to do as a Jedi later in the game.

I find the combat to probably be the best part of the game, and I love it. There really aren't that many character models throughout the game, but you know what, I'm willing to let them slide on that from the great voice acting...I usually just skip the alien talk, because yeah, it is pretty lengthy, even if they're just saying "hi".

Overall though, I find KOTOR extremely fun. It's probably the best RPG that I've played since Kingdom Hearts, and I can't wait to finish it off this first time as a Light Jedi so I can go back through as a Dark Jedi who don't take no shit from anyone. He's gonna be a bad-ass motherfucker.

And also, Darkman got 6th at Halo50K2....he blows...his team also lost 3-0 in one of the earlier rounds. They went to NVGL on their way to NJ apparently, and were bragging about how they were going to win the 50k2...then they got pwned. Oh well...i guess that endorsement deal is going to his head

-Jack

[BreakmanX]

I've been playing KOTOR for a bit over an hour and yet to have any fun whatsoever. I guess there is a bit of sufferage like Bean said.

I think games should be like a book and have a good introduction to get you into the game. And, I agree with Bean that this game doesn't really have one. I may give it some more time, but I'm not impressed yet.

[ShadowmanX]

actually break there isnt any sufferage. See if you watched The Man Show, you would know that sufferage is the right to vote, so i doubt there is any right to vote in the game........

[BreakmanX]

Actually that meaning of the word is spelled, "suffrage." Sufferage isn't really a word, just something I made up. A Breakism if you will; meaning "to suffer, as if playing the beginning of KOTOR."

[Jack Burton]

You played it for 5 minutes, break. There was no sufferage on your part. Before you hate the game, play it for more than an hour. That is all I'm gonna say about this.

I finally beat it last night, and it was just awesome. I already started a new game last night, and this time I'm going through as a dark jedi...I can't wait to force choke some stupid nerfherders in the middle of a conversation just because i don't like them ;D

-Jack

[Realm]

i'm going to buy it when it comes out for pc (Nov. 19!). but the fact alone that gamespot gave it a 9.1 and g.s. readers gave it a 9.4 says volumes. the PA guys like it too. i hope it's as good on pc as on xbox.

[RurouniQ]

Shit, I hope it's BETTER on PC than it is on Xbox; i.e. they get all those damn bugs worked out. Tch tch tch... Poor Bioware. Still used to making PC games which can be flawed when initially released but patched later...

[jayt11]

i played the game for a week, and had no fun with it.

for a free roaming adventure, i wasn't given many options. I was trying to get with a Sith chick, and she just disappeared after a party.

i was running in a battle, and the guy with a sword(a good 20 feet away) still nailed me full force. not fun

I hope Fable turns out a lot more cohesive. I'd like to meet the same people and get diff't reactions w/o worrying about them going into a synchronised vaporlock when the load screens hit.

[Realm]

oooooooo! Fable! damn that looks like the coolest game! that game alone almost makes me want to buy an xbox.

[Clegane]

I must admit to some degree of surprise regarding the majority negative opinion of KotOR. I actually purchased an Xbox solely for this game and considered it to be a rather sound investment, even if I never pick up another game.

I'll grant that it was a pretty buggy piece of shit in terms of reliability and yes, some of the glitches are gamekillers (a few of which have the fuckin nerve to show up near the endgame sequence). I realize that an hour of online research -shouldn't- be required when purchasing a new game (Heh, BIS anyone?), but in the game's defense, a quick trip to GoneGold or Gamefaqs will provide you with a pretty comprehensive bug list, as well as work-arounds for just about all of them. Sure, a little more thorough quality control on the developer/testing level woulda been nice, but shit. Its fucking STAR WARS with a 3E core mechanic. How much more can you ask for!

That said, the game's negative aspects were pretty much all summed up with the bugginess. I can see some mild disenheartenment, I suppose, for hardcore freeform RPGers in that the plot was excruciatingly linear at times, but this IS a console piece, lads. It isn't really fair to expect Torment level plot development out of them. Mind you, the differentiating story arcs between Dark and Light sides was pretty immense and richly rewarding; it still boils down to only two real core options.

Still, you get a solid 50+ hours of gameplay with sidequests and, quite frankly, thats hella noteworthy on a solely Western quasi-RPG title for a console system.

The storyline itself, as well as the voice acting, were both Par Excellence. Each character is remarkably well-developed and brilliantly portrayed during the course of play. The eventual hardcore plot twist that marks the game's height is a real doozy and was both masterfully written and explained.

Yes, it'd be nice to see a bit more Eastern-style longevity and replay, but given what the game signifies, it's still pretty damned impressive. In case you missed my urgency the first time I mentioned it, I'll reiterate:
We FINALLY have a fucking platformer with a 3E core mechanic! And solidly represented, at that!

I didn't have any 'sufferage' whatsoever, myself. Not even on the second replay. Even for those of you with short attention spans, the early level storylines aren't anywhere worse than Persona (either of the NA releases), FFX, Thousand Arms, Brigandine, or..shit...well, take your pick.

My wholehearted recommendation is to give this sublime piece another shot, all of you dissenters. If you gave up before even becoming a fucking Jedi, then you really didn't give the game its fair shake.

Maybe I'm just dating myself here, but shit...I can't imagine any gamer at heart being told "The Force is strong with this one." and not getting a tingle of ecstatic joy.

[Realm]

alrighty, I bought KOTOR-PC opening day, had it reserved at our new Gamestop! (o the thrill!) I don't feel like i'm far enough into it to make a judgement, only about 8 hours, but my first impression is very positive. aside from the repetitive a.i. models and the sometimes lengthy dialogue, my experience thus far has been very fun. (ya i know, i've had the game 5 days and only put 8 hours in, just shows how fucking busy i am). I'll post again once I get a lot farther into it.

[Realm]

I finally finished Knights of the Old Republic (for pc). Yes I know, it took me over a month, but I got sidetracked several times. I absolutely loved this game. If you have even the slightest bit of good will towards RPG's or Star Wars, you owe it to yourself to play it. I think it's the best thing to come from the Star Wars franchise in a long time. Tycho and Gabe love it too. KotOR heals the hurt and emptiness that Galaxies left me with. It gave me back purpose, substance, and dammitall, it's FUN!

The graphics are excellent, all shiny and shadowy. The plot is awesome, better than the last two Star Wars movies have been. The classes and choices and weapons and stuff are all well done, well balanced, and effective. The characters (you, your crew, your enemies) are all interesting and deep. The action gets a little dry in places, but stick with it, because the last 3rd of the game is absolutely incredible. The only faults I would find in the game are: the repetitiveness of the voices and characters that you meet (every damn Twi'lek looks exactly like the other 55 you meet and talk with), the voices are repetitive as well (but that can be easily forgiven because of the huge amount of spoken dialogue), and a few minor bugs (crashed about 3 or 4 times on me thru the course of my playing).

All in all, KotOR gave me back all that which I was lacking. I am now complete.

[Deadman]

I played KOTOR for xbox, I did not beat it because i rented it.
The game was intresting because the Star Wars games have never been a RPG, the only real problem with me was the fighting, it was very plain, and you could not really have very much control of what you did, as in lightsaber strikes. But it was a RPG like game so I can see why.