Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (Xbox)

this time though, Bioware have done themselves proud. This is Baldurs Gate how it shoud have been, but with lightsabres and Jedi. For those who have played BG on PC, the format of the game is much the same, real-time combat, but pausable so you can stack commands. You have up to three players in your party, you can switch between them at any point. I have only 6 of the nine characters so far, but they are all different, Wookies, Mandalorians, Droids.....

Combat is fast and action orientated, but this is no button bashing hack and slash. You issue an attack command, and your character continues to attack, with some fancy sword play if you have a melee weapon equipped, or happily blasts away. Force powers are particularly cool, and include (so far) force push, burst of speed, stun.

I've only touched on the second world, and with promises of 10, this is going to be a pleasurable journey....

Finally we have a product that brings all it pledged. We have a game in 'Knights of the Old Republic' that not only gives gamers a true taste of the Star Wars universe we've come to know and love through the movies...but also a game that manages to almost eclipse the films that inspired it.

KOTOR's role playing story is rich and deep, full of 'dark' twists and character surprises. The sheer scope alone is staggering in it's ambition and execution. Other video games of this genre (RPG) are often condemned for playing too much 'like a movie'...for not being 'involving enough for the player'...and for...'not giving the player enough access to the character development at each progressive stage'.

Stand up developers 'Bioware' and take a bow! Using the game mechanic from their hugely popular 'Baldur's Gate' series, the little devils at Bioware have managed to deliver a game to the masses that will attract and mesmerise 'any' game player. Be they Star Wars fans or not. Even those die-hard anti RPG game players amongst you.

Too many mediocre games find their way into your collections. You know the titles I mean...go look on your shelf and count them off. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic is close to perfect. Close...but not perfect. That slot is currently reserved for Halo2.

Buy KOTOR...construct your lightsaber...or two...or even double-bladed. Use Force-Choke to extract info from an innocent if you want to play it 'Darkside'...try a little Force-Persuasion if you're playing 'Lightside'. Control various characters out of the nine in your party, level each and every one up into the superbeing of your choosing. Visit six planets and various 'other' locations. Hyperdrive across the galaxy to collect on an outstanding bounty. Compete in Swoop-bike races for respect, reputation and extra cash. Battle with droids, wild beasts, dark Jedi, and your own personal draw towards the dark-side.

What more do you need...apart from sleep and a social life?

First things first, DO NOT be put of by the fact that the words STAR WARS are in the title. This is unlike any other Star Wars game ever released, it is a bloody good one!!!!

You will be overcome by intense fighting action, which needs thought, not just high speed button bashing (Do I apply the Med Pack now, or the Hyper Battle Stim, or just go for a double bladed light sabre power attack?), torn apart by soul wrenching decisions (Good, Evil, or a mixture of the two?) and held in the utmost suspense about what will happen next (unlike the two most recently released films.)

Best part of the game for me?

Having a Wookie pledge a Life-Debt to me, my own Wookie, and be honest, how many of you out there that have seen the films, the ORIGINAL films, have had a secret dream about that?

Onto game play:

Plays like a dream.

Graphics: To be honest, REALLY good, walking through the city of Taris and seeing ships take off in the background, on the mysterious world of the Elders, seeing the wrecked ships on the sundrenched beaches.............
Ok, being picky, I hated it when running downhill, the fellow team members head would "appear" behind you, and at some points there was slowdown,(whether this was due to the graphics engine or the fact my XBOX had been running for so long I am unsure), but these points were few and far between.

Sound:

Amazing. ALL the sounds from the films. The correct "whoosh" from the sabers, the unforgetable sound of heavy balster fire, and an amazing soundtrack.

Gameplay:

SO easy to pick up. I never read the instruction booklet, you won't either. Wish more games played like this.

Gamelife:

A LONG LONG time. I want to go back and be a BAD guy now. I want to figure out how to save the underworld citizens of Taris from the deadly disease, to find out what happened to the talking fishes children, and to see if Bastilla's mother really was a bitch.

But I cant. I have to go to work, LOL!!!!!

Buy this game NOW.

Just make sure you can fake an illness.