Muad'Dib

True, but didn't OXM just play a preview that had so much of the game? This says the story is strong (Though less than the original which I find hard to believe given the impressions up until now) but the ending isn't as strong as it should have been. Of course like you say it may be just the reviewer's opinion and we may differ from that but the ending is something very important for a story driven game imo. If this is one of those cliffhanger endings or one of those congrats you won lets gaze at the camera, I'll be extremely disappointed. Hopefully the endings are much more elaborate, moving, and gratifying than the reviewer felt.

Boy I hope I disagree with them on the ending issue, that would really ruin the game for me if the ending wasn't as strong as the story leading up to it.

I sympathize with you Naso but I really don't like Multiplayer to begin with so I wasn't affected by those problems which I know pissed off the MP community of the game. Not to deviate from topic so much but I liked JA just fine, was my favorite of the series in fact, save for not enough story and character development...oh and Rosh, man I wanted kill him from the first scene. Meshugger: I thought I heard that also, but wasn't the entire team scrapped? I thought I read something about that. Maybe it will be given to a proper developer instead of being made inhouse...I can only hope as their last inhouse games had less than stellar records.

Volourn: All cool with me, just didn't like the "Who are you to say this" bit, makes it sound like just because IGN is an official reviewer than their word is superior to that of someone who isn't. And if GCD's comments are accurate then IGN's review is as typical as I've always known them to be, and thus likely to only annoy me...that though is just my personal opinion of them, no criticism to your pov. You get me I'm sure. Naso: What kind of problems did you have with KotOR on the PC? I'm a PC gamer myself and never once had any problems with KotOR though I did add the patches as they came out just in case. But I rather liked KotOR's engine, FarCry I also never had problems with aside memory caused lag maybe I missed something.

Your original question is a very good one Ghost. To be brutally honest I don't really know, although I might lean more towards 2 than 1. While I want a beautiful looking game, for me graphics are not the end all be all to judge a game. I don't really need to see every single sequel in a game line have a brand new engine each time, frankly it kinda bothers me that it seems that has become expected now, if it doesn't have a new engine then it's crap or it's an expansion like was said about JA. The most single important aspect of a game for me (Especially in an RPG) is the story and characters. As long as both of these are really well developed and they are intriguing and moving then I'm more than happy to see the same old KotOR graphics. Expansions I've found are usually not to my liking. Aside from being too short for the asked price which sometimes is almost as much as a brand new game, they usually just finction as a self contained mini-game that truly doesn't enhance anything in the original, just adds a couple of extra things for the new mini-campaign which hardly ever lives up to the story of the real game. In any case I'd be more worried as to what the following installment of KotOR was going to be about and how good the story will be than what kind of engine it will use. So I guess I'd pick the less popular 2 as long as I get a superior story and very well developed characters. But this is just me.

Judging what? Whether there are spoilers or not or whether I agree with IGN? Someone mentioned there are a few minor spoilers in the review, I'm trusting their word on it. My opinion of IGN is based on other reviews of many other games if that was what you were referring to DSLuke. Volourn: I get what your saying. But take me, I for the most part don't like IGN either, I've seen some reviewers make some comments so silly it made me want to clubber them over the head. However, since IGN gets pics, videos and reviews before many other places I still read their reviews, agree with them or not, if only to get an impression of what the game will be like aside the reviewers opinions. Like I said, I think 9.3 is a pretty darn good review and among the best I've seen in that site, doesn't mean that it changes my opinion of them. All I was saying is everyone including them, can have their opinions about it, if MasterRevan thinks IGN sucks that's his opinion to have about them, the same way your opinion of them being a reliable source of info or being a good site (If that's what you believe) is just as credible point. I didn't expect them to do much gushing myself, only Halo 2 or San Andreas get gushed over whether it's deserved or not, however I think they could have split even reviewing the good aspects as much as the bad they found...at least according to word of mouth which indicates the review features much more problems than anything else. But I digress, I'm no true reviewer myself so maybe all you are supposed to do in a review is complain about the problems instead of also highlighting all aspects of the game. Hope you get what I mean. MasterRevan: Come on man lets keep this friendly, no need for that either.

Although I'm not going to read the review to avoid as many spoilers as possible until Feb, 9.3 is a pretty good score as far as I'm concerned. They nitpicked and complained about minor details, that's nothing new for an IGN review and in spite of all this they still gave it a great score so even though they might have not liked certain things seems like they did like the vast majority of the product. Volourn: He's got as much right to his opinion as you do yours or IGN's, I'm certain if 2 different people at IGN reviewed the game they'd give it different scores and have different impressions of the game, after all a review is always subjective to the tastes of the player. Frankly I myself care nothing for IGN's reviews, or any ohters for that matter, I disagree with their reviews more than I agree. Is my opinion any less valid because I'm not paid to review the product or isn't posted in an official capacity? You like IGN good for you, no need to attack someone who doesn't.

I think I understand what you mean and to an extent I do agree. I'd like to see a world that functions independently of the PC and the party's actions, but since PCs are always the central focus of any game it's difficult to visualize how to make a world function like that. It's more realistic but from a gameplay standpoint I just can't see it working, obviously the PCs actions have to shape the course of the story. It would be like the events of RotJ having no impact on the galaxy; ok the Emperor and Vader are dead, the 2nd Death Star was detroyed, the Imperial fleet decimated. But the status quo remains the same afterwards and the Empire is as strong as it ever was. If there was a way to implement a world beyond the PC and still have their actions carry the weight of an epic accomplishment then I'd love to see that. But at least as far as this type of storyline goes, I wouldn't know how to make it work.

You and me both Ghost...you and me both... Don't forget also Vader and Luke's duel before the Emperor's throne in Coruscant instead of the Death "Didn't we already build one and got trashed by snubfighters?" Star....

Whatever you say

Personally, I agree with the poster that mentioned the LotR soundtrack, that's very moody and can work within the SW universe if done right. Hey Thingolfin you beat me to it! My absolute favorite music that I'd go with (Even over Williams SW tracks or Shore's LotR soundtrack) is the score of the miniseries Children of Dune by Brian Tyler. It has every kind of music piece befitting an epic; emotional, love, loss, sadness, darkness, battles, triumph, betrayal and glory.

This is very subjective depending on the player's tastes. I agree with the general concept that games should have great endings (And many bad endings have detracted greatly from my experience with a game I was really liking until then too many times) but what may be considered a great ending for one person is not necessarily a great ending for another. Personally I like endings that more or less hint where the characters will go next, I like seeing interactions between characters in the end and shows how they've grown, but mostly I enjoy an ending that gives a resolution to the events on the story and the internal strife of the characters. I hate however "cliffhanger" endings, not only do they leave in me a sense of non-accomplishment but sometimes are left there as the continuation is never made and the story is left unfinished. I liked the LS ending in KotOR, too plain and not inspiring for me to love it, but I liked it. The DS was ok, I would have preferred something darker and seeing Revan holding much more power than a couple of people gathered arpund the temple. My two cents.

Actually all the chronicles have done thus so far is give brief synopsis of stuff that was written in the EU; the comics and novels. A lot of the stuff comes from Tales of the Jedi and related stories. I;m really disappointed in the chronicles, I was expecting something original for the game, like stories of what had happened between KotOR and KotOR 2, not what they have done.

Putting the droids aside, since it's already confirmed they appear, the original characters I'm most interested in seeing return are: Bastila, Revan, Jolee and Canderous. In that order of preference. Since your choices determine how KotOR turned out, every single original character could have survived. It would also add a lot of replayability if different choices affected different combinations of party members between original and new. That way you'd get different banters and side quests depending on which members where chosen together.

Taris was described to be the hub of one of the most important trade routes through the Outer Rims, at least at some point in the past before the game it used to be. Tha planet was also compared to having been almost as great as Coruscant but had withered into a world were the wealthy lived in the uppermost levels. the middle and lower clases in the lower levels and the poor, diseased and criminals in the Undercity. If Taris had at some point been an important trade route, perhaps it provided some kind of tactical or strategic advantage to those who controlled it. Maybe it is a nexus to multiple areas or otherwise unreacheable systems in the Outer Rims. I'm stretching here but who knows? It was apparent to me that the Endar Spire was the last surving ship of an ambushed convoy. Since we are never told of the Endar Spire's original destination or mission I can't be sure, but it's what makes the most sense to me. The Endar Spire was also not engaged by enemy capital ships only Sith fighters, perhaps they were forcing them towards the Taris blockade. Or perhaps the fleet had already wiped out the Spire's companions and given the extreme damage the ship had already endured it was left for the fighters to finish off. I really have no better ideas as to why the Spire ended up at Taris other than speculations they were forced into the system, maybe they were forced out of hyperspace or were headed to a nearby system and rerouted. But what I do believe is that the ship was not alone from the get go, it was just the only one left in the opening of the game. Whatever the reason it must have been important enough for Malak to send Bandon aboard to kill Bastila and her Jedi companions, but I'm just guessing like all of you here.

That's fine, the game says Sith though. They're probably wrong.

That's weird, in the Battlefront game it states the ruins and monuments are Sith not Jedi. I don't know why the site and the game don't match on this, from the description ingame Rhen Var is an ancient Sith outpost. Though it's clearly bigger than an outpost considering it has a citadel and fortress.

That planet is featured in Battlefront, if it is the same planet I wonder if they will be similar in appearance.

Hmm, since the game has gone gold...I'll do absolutely nothing since the PC version is the one I'm interested in he, he.

I can't really say if I dislike any character truly yet seeing as I have yet to see what kinds of characters they are. I can tell you which characters I don't like from their appearance like Atris with white hair or Bao-Dur's bionic arm but I can't really judge the characters beyond that yet. If I have to choose I character I dislike, again from his appearance, I'd go with Sion. Hate the way he looks, like a Resident Evil zombie running around shirtless. But I may find him to be a great character later so I guess I can't choose him just for that either. On Mira, I agree that her personality should be a bit tougher given her chosen profession but I must have missed it when bounty hunter and assassin became synonimous. The whole point of bounty hunting is to bring in your target alive, otherwise Mira would be a conract killer. I think her demeanor should be a little tougher though and I wished her head was more femenine. Other than that no probs with her for me.

@Sorall - You are correct that the spice in SW is not an important mineral at the level the Dune spice is. However, according to the info I found on SW spice, there are several types of it, only 1 or 2 are used as hallucigenics, I'm not sure but I think I read about one spice type used for medicinal purposes. In Dune, spice allowed the navigators to fold space thereby allowing Interstellar travel, it allowed the Bene Gesserit Sisters to have their mind powers, it extended the life of anyone who consumed it (Like a drink or food), and obviously was the center of the entire Empire's commerce. I know they aren't the same, I said they are both mineable minerals which have importance in their universes, albeit one more than the other. @Rosbjerg - To me, there are just too many similarities to dismiss as mere coincidence. I completely agree they aren't carbon copies but they overall themes and their developments are too similar in my opinion to say that one wasn't influenced or inspired by the other. Still I don't think any less of SW because I believe it copies Dune in a lot of things, I love both quite equally. @Laozi - On point: 1. I never said Anakin was prophecized to be the perfect being, he is prophecized as a messiah-like chosen who will bring balance to the Force, and it is he (Anakin) not Luke that brigns freedom to the galaxy by redeeming himslef and killing Palpatine. Luke is actually just the instrument of Anakin's redemption, Anakin is after all the central figure in SW. Paul of Dune is born under 2 prophecies, for the Bene Gesserit he is hoped to be the Kwisatz Haderach or perfect being and the Fremen believe he will be the Mahdi or savior who will lead them to freedom or paradise. While you may not see the resemblance in the overall storyarc and the meaning of the prophecies between the two characters I see great similarity. 2. Tatooine and Arrakis are similar in more than just being desert planets. They are similar in the sheer importance they share within their respective stories. Both worlds are considered wastelands and undesirable. Yet both share the fact that they hold great importance to the stories. Arrakis of course is the only source of spice in the entire galaxy thus making it invaluable. Tatooine meanwhile may not have such a rich export, yet so many important things happen there or so many characters come from there that the world stands out against a supposed major world like say Corellia which has never even been seen in the movies. 3. My point is that the two creatures were virtually identical. The way 3PO describes the Sarlacc in RotJ is that the Pit of Carckoon is where the mighty Sarlacc makes his nesting place or something like that. This leads me to believe the Sarlacc merely nests there and isn't trapped there. Nevertheless the comment was that both are just really big desert sandworms. 4. I fail to see what that has to do with the fact that both powers are really similar to each other. Those gifted with Force powers can "influence" (control to an extent really) those with weaker minds. Those that learn the voice can do the same thing. 5. Force speed was seen in Ep1 when Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon run from the Droidekas aboard the Trade Federation ship in the beginning. Again basically the powers are both faster than normal human movements, I see them as the same thing. I'm not sayinbg this is original or independent to Dune, vampires sometimes have this as well as Superman and the Flash. 6. See above my answer to Sorall. 7. Dune was clearly inspired by the Greek tragedies. The protagonists Atreides are not only based on but written as directly related to Atreus, the father of King Agamemnon and Menaleus from the Iliad. Dune is one huge Greek tragedy, I never meant to imply that anything written in it was by any means 100% original. Still both stories' (Dune and SW) original protagonist have twin children, a male and female, so even it has been done by many mythological books before I still find them similar when comparing both SW and Dune. 8. True, but I find a great similarity in the fact that the original protagonist falls from grace in both stories. Either story could have had as much conflict without converting their protagonist into a villain or in the case of Paul someone whose reign brought forth the death of countless. The point is both protagonists similarly go from heroes to bringing about dark times. 9. Ok I blame him....j/k lol. I find similar that both fathers were redeemed by the actions of their sons. 10. While I realize it wouldn't be as similar as say if Paul had been the one to turn into God Emperor and lose his humanity, I still find it similar that the two characters lost their humanity, only in different ways. I know there's not much but I see at least some. 11. And your point is? So you named a bunch of small, elite, tactical units. My point was that I found it similar that both universes were subjugated by a vast army controlled by their Emperors; SW's Stormtroopers and Dune's Sardaukar. The fact they were elite is irrelevant, the point is they both were huge armies that oppressed the universe under tyrants and so I find that similar. 12. I fail to see your point here. I found it similar that in SW you can see with the Force if you are blind where in Dune Paul who had been blinded could still see because of his abilities of being the Kwisatz Haderach. I don't really see a religious connection in the comparison, unless you are interpreting the Force as a religion which it isn't exactly or Paul's powers as being religiously founded which they weren't. 13. Not sure what you mean here either sorry. What I referred to was the possibility that both protagonists fall from grace after the death of their wives, thus making it similar. Though going bad because they killed your spouse is original to neither story, in the context of my comparison as sci-fi stories I find them similar. And as for Vader not knowig about Leia and such, that's just to explain how many plot holes the OT has. Along with the prequels, the OT itself had a bunch of stuff that doesn't make sense or was made up without being planned. If you look at Vader fro Ep4 he is very different from Vader in Ep5, if you look at Ep4 it was setting up Luke to have a revenge story with Vader for killing his father, not that Vader was his father, they made that up for 5 I'm sure. The same way the movies were setting up a love triangle between Luke, Leia and Han, the twin thing was probably made up between 5 and 6. It isn't just the content of the similarities, it's the amount of similarities which makes me feel that there was very strong borrowing, inspiring, influencing, call it what you will of Dune in SW. You may disagree and that's cool, this is just my opinion. Anywho sorry for the long post!

Ok. just a few of the top of my head here: SW--------Dune 1) Prophecy of a chosen savior to bring balance to the Force and frees the galaxy (A combo of 2 Dune prophecies)------Bene Gesserit prophecy of the perfect being (Kwisatz Haderach) and Fremen prophecy of a chosen messiah that brings true freedom to the galaxy (Lisan al Gaib or Mahdi). 2) Tatooine------Arrakis. 3) Original Sarlacc-------Shai Halud (Sandworm), almost identical except Sarlacc had the tentacles coming from the mouth. 4) Jedi's Force Persuasion-----------Bene Gesserit Voice. 5) Jedi's Force Speed--------Wierding Way. 6) An important mineral mined in the galaxy is spice---------The most important mineral in the galaxy mined is spice. 7) Chosen One has twins Luke and Leia----------------Chosen One has twins Leto II and Ghanima. Anakin falls to the Dark Side by helping destroy the Jedi and establish the Empire-------Paul falls from grace as his reign is the cause of a galaxy wide jyhad that kills trillions. 9) Anakin is redeemed by son Luke by being brought back to LS---------Paul is redeemed by son Leto II by putting humanity on the Golden Path. 10) Vader loses his humanity by becoming mostly machine----------Leto II loses his humanity by becoming the Sandworm hybrid. 11) Emperor Palpatine has elite terror troops that subjugate the galaxy Stormtroopers (Even though after the opening of Ep4 they ended up sucking)------Emperor Shaddam Corrino IV has elite terror troops subjugating the galaxy Sardaukar. 12) Blind Jedi can see through the Force--------Blinded Paul could see through Oracular vision? (Can't recall the name of it). This next one is only a possible theory in SW: 13) Anakin finishies being lost to the DS after the death of beloved wife Padme-----Paul loses his messiah-like powers after the death of beloved wife Chani. Those are just off the top of my head, there are plenty more I can't think off right now. Of course they're not direct duplicates but clearly similarities I can see borrowed or inspired by Dune.

There are waaaaay too many rip offs from Dune in SW to post. While some might not see any similarities I see so many that I lost count. While I completely agree SW rip offed Dune, I don't hold it against SW though, after all imitation is the highest form of flattery or so they say.

Personally I hope HK-50 isn'y like HK-47 at all, because if they share similar personalities (Homicidal trash talkin' droid) then 50 nwill be nothing more than a cheap rip off of 47 and I'm hoping to see a unique character from 50, with his/her own motivations and way of being. Besides it has been stated countless times that 47 is back in the game, so I'm certain there will be enough of his "wit" to go around.

No I haven't read Republic yet. Maybe I'll check it out. But genrally I've found I like much better anything done before the movies, and mostly I've read novels not comics. However I did read enough of NJO to know I didn't like it a bit so on that one we differ. I still would have to buy the TotJ comics if I were to begin a collection, I never read all of them. Then maybe Republic, and then Heir to the Empire and Shadows of the Empire. I think that might be an alright place to start. Thanks Nur!