Why Knights of the Old Republic Matters

Oft referred to as the “best Star Wars video game” of all time, a soon-to-be remake puts the original back in the spotlight….

Arguably, it was last week’s top story out of both Star Wars and gaming circles – big circles, mind you.

The headline out of “PlayStation Showcase” announced:

BREAKING: ‘Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic Remake’ Coming to the PS5!

However, for some of us — perhaps those of us whose Star Wars experience was much more (too?) centered on the films — it’s hard to understand just how seminal the Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic really is to the generations who grew up with consoles not named Atari, Colecovision, or Commodore 64.

KOTOR Returns

Full disclosure, I have played KOTOR and enjoyed it (although I did not finish it). Therefore, it doesn’t loom large in my view of Star Wars.

That said, I am planning on delving back into the saga, especially if — at some point — the reboot is given canon status.

However, it definitely makes sense to delve into the original’s influence on gaming and fandom. Now, as I divulged, that’s not my ballywick. But there are plenty of peeps who can write about it.

Knights of the Old Republic – Remake

In a piece called, “Knights of the Old Republic remake – here’s why you should be excited,” Dave Hanratty posted on Joe:

I’ve never played Knights of the Old Republic, what’s the story?

Trust me, dear reader, this is a very exciting development.

The story in question is an excellent one… [but we don’t] wish to spoil too much because there are notable twists and turns that are worth playing through for many hours to unlock.

The basic gist is that you play as a mysterious figure with no memory of their past. After escaping a crashing ship, you travel around the galaxy, visiting exciting — and dangerous — new worlds and putting together a crew of your own, all the while facing down a most violent date with destiny in the form of the villainous Darth Malak.

Okay, I know of the twist, and it is a very cool plot device. As are many of the other details outlined by Hanratty:

Building a lightsaber

• Unparalleled world-building.
• New characters and creatures.
• The choices between light and dark.

In the PlayStation Blog, Sony explained:

With Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic – Remake, our hope is to give both series newcomers and long-term fans an experience that can live alongside the very best modern releases. We’re rebuilding it from the ground up with the latest tech to match the groundbreaking standard of innovation established by the original, all while staying true to its revered story.

In terms of this fan’s look to the future, here’s hoping that Remake is made cannon and, like the Star Wars: The High Republic publishing project, sets up another era from which to spawn new content.

Read the entire story off Joe.ie for more on reasons to get excited for the game.

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