IGN Gives KOTOR 2 a 9.3!

[Judge Hades]

Overall I give the game a C+, 78%, 7.8 overall.

 

This game is nowhere near deserving a 9.3.

[Archon_Black]

I would give the game around 8.5, probably less considering the bugs, but since I'm a fan of first one, I got over them.

 

Now I would say that the first one deserved a 9.5, so that's still way higher than the second one. I would lie saying that I didn't enjoy Kotor 2 but it's always frustrating to think of what the game could have become if they had have more time. Of course the ending was the worst... You just go off to Malachor 5 without any answer, without knowing why or what's happening.

 

But some stuffs are completely impossible for me to understand, like the poor music and video encodage, maybe they wanted to save space in order not to add another 5th CD? I didn't find any clear answer on that. And Obsidian isn't even answering to ANYTHING on their own boards.

 

Well, I will think twice before buying a Obsidian or LucasArts product next time!

[Judge Hades]

I usually give a company 3 games to come out with something really polished and good, unless they pull a PoOR2 then one is all they get.

[Volourn]

Since everyone seems to be doing it; 'll do it too. I'd rate the game around 80%...

[nehwon_death]

Since everyone seems to be doing it; 'll do it too. I'd rate the game around 80%...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I liked the first game and rated that quite highly, similarly I enjoyed playing the second (probably because it's star wars) BUT found the slow down in the PC version especially whilst at Dantooine for the first time really really annoying. This really spoilt the game for me, I was more than niffed, since I am running an AMD 64 bit processor at 2.4Ghz with 1GB of ram and an Radeon X800XT 256MB graphics card!

 

This bug has seen me save and turn off the game in frustration until I have calmed down enough to resume play (usually the day after).

 

Rating 7/10, Dantooine part 0/10

 

[Judge Hades]

Well, you are using a substandard card for the game. Its ATI when the Odyssey Engine was optimized for Nvidia.

[nehwon_death]

Well, you are using a substandard card for the game.  Its ATI when the Odyssey Engine was optimized for Nvidia.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

The game engine may well have been optimized for the slower Nvidia card, but nonetheless, you would expect the

[oddball]

Not that my opinion differs from many others, or that it will be taken with arms wide open, but I do have an opinion to express about this game. I do not own KOTOR 2, but I do own KOTOR. When I first played KOTOR I was expecting it to be another lame, failed attempt at reviving the Star Wars franchise within the video game industry. I was very wrong to assume this; I loved every second of KOTOR. When I finished the game I was literally in awe at the quality that the game had succeeded in brining from the very beginning. Nearly every aspect of the game was perfect, and this is coming from a gamer who doesn't even like RPG's.

 

Fast forward a year later and you have reviews from well respected publications praising the sequel. I'm generally not the type of gamer who follows what other people say without first delving deep into the community and really finding out how the game holds up. So I started searching around gaming forums and to my surprise I come to realize that many people are unsatisfied with the quality of the game as a whole. Now some people really got hung up on the ending, and others were disgusted at how many bugs the game had. But more to my surprise was how others were standing up for Obsidian as well as Lucas Arts in their tight lipped approach at acknowledging these failures.

 

In my opinion it is the job the game developer to put out a solid game that delivers on all fronts. This isn't always possible with a story line because that is subject to taste; but the stability of a game is well within the hands of a game developer. If they fail to hold up to their end of the bargain then it is your job as the consumer to bring this to their attention. A patch is indeed coming out for KOTOR 2, which should solve many of the crashing problems, but there still is the matter of the ending...

 

I believe that Lucas Arts is at fault for pushing an Xmas release which did not allow Obsidian to finish the game on time; but I also think that Obsidian is at fault for not delivering a worthy predecessor to such a great game. From what I read, there are many flaws in the dialogue, cut-scenes, as well as the bugs and story which doesn't fit together. For those of you who did enjoy the game, that's great. I'm glad to hear that you were satisfied with your $50 commitment. But there are still those who are completely unsatisfied with what they expected to be an over-all good, stable game. I am not going to purchase KOTOR 2 for the mere reason that I don't want to ruin my experience with the first. Now if there is a content patch released that fixes many of these errors/bugs and the ending, then I will purchase the game.

[jennahaze]

Not that my opinion differs from many others, or that it will be taken with arms wide open, but I do have an opinion to express about this game. I do not own KOTOR 2, but I do own KOTOR. When I first played KOTOR I was expecting it to be another lame, failed attempt at reviving the Star Wars franchise within the video game industry. I was very wrong to assume this; I loved every second of KOTOR. When I finished the game I was literally in awe at the quality that the game had succeeded in brining from the very beginning. Nearly every aspect of the game was perfect, and this is coming from a gamer who doesn't even like RPG's.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Im about 3 weeks in, started KOTOR2 first and then KOTOR. KOTOR definitely feels very star warsish. KOTOR2 is pretty awesome.

i have to give KOTOR a 10!!!

 

now KOTOR2 story seems a bit all over the place but its still a very good game.

[Judge Hades]

Obviously you have no idea how complicated hardware and drivers can be, nehwon_death. Odyssey engine has been optimized for NVidia use and therefore holds specific coding that makes it run better on Nvidia cards while that same coding will cause errors in ATI drivers. because there is no key NVidia bits to be found. It is like taking an X-Box system but give it the PS2's graphic processor. There will be errors and more than likely the game will not work.

 

ATI is not a popular brand and because of that I play strictly NVidia. It doesn't matter how fast your card goes if it can't un the software.

[Lcaus Scuks]

ATI is not a popular brand and because of that I play strictly NVidia.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You're right about that, I'm surprised that ATI is still in the business with nVidia selling 5-6% more video chips, these canadians shouldn't work with Microsoft and Nintendo for the next gen consoles just like SiS shouldn't provide quality chipsets for Intel because they are not as popular as VIA. Why isn't 6800 Ultra SLI much better than X850 XT PE ?

[nehwon_death]

Obviously you have no idea how complicated hardware and drivers can be, nehwon_death.  Odyssey engine has been optimized for NVidia use and therefore holds specific coding that makes it run better on Nvidia cards while that same coding will cause errors in ATI drivers. because there is no key NVidia bits to be found.  It is like taking an X-Box system but give it the PS2's graphic processor.  There will be errors and more than likely the game will not work.

 

ATI is not a popular brand and because of that I play strictly NVidia.  It doesn't matter how fast your card goes if it can't un the software.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hmm, you must be the best saleman Nvidia have got. "

[Judge Hades]

Nah, I am just using practical experience. I use to run with ATI but I kept getting too many graphic erros and other bullcrap. The newest game drivers from ATI never seemed to help so I deep six it and got with NVidia and haven't had a problem since.

[RiK]

I have an ATI 9600 pro on an AthlonXp2400+, 1gb ram. Never had any technical problems with KotOR2. The only serious bug i had was in Korriban... the stupid bug where Kreia doesn't show up/open the doors after I defeat "you know who".

[Judge Hades]

Sounds like a script misfire.

[phalzyr]

ATI is not a popular brand and because of that I play strictly NVidia.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You're right about that, I'm surprised that ATI is still in the business with nVidia selling 5-6% more video chips, these canadians shouldn't work with Microsoft and Nintendo for the next gen consoles just like SiS shouldn't provide quality chipsets for Intel because they are not as popular as VIA. Why isn't 6800 Ultra SLI much better than X850 XT PE ?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

ATI might sale alot off stuff and be praised a lot but strangley game makers tend to go nvidia only when making games. I noticed this and why I have always bought nvidia cards, and have NEVER had a game crap out on me due to video card.

 

I hear every freakin game I look on forums that ATI people complianing it doesn't work, and that makes me glad I pay attention to whats going on in game makers trend. NVIDIA is almost always the card they program/test for thus no bugs for those who have nvidia.

 

I wish this would change because the way I see it ATI is actually better/faster than the competing Nviadia models, and a lot of PC salers are giving only ATI options I'm going to buy a new top of the line soon and hope to get NVIDIA...

[Judge Hades]

Don't hope. Do.

[nehwon_death]

ATI is not a popular brand and because of that I play strictly NVidia.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You're right about that, I'm surprised that ATI is still in the business with nVidia selling 5-6% more video chips, these canadians shouldn't work with Microsoft and Nintendo for the next gen consoles just like SiS shouldn't provide quality chipsets for Intel because they are not as popular as VIA. Why isn't 6800 Ultra SLI much better than X850 XT PE ?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I wish this would change because the way I see it ATI is actually better/faster than the competing Nviadia models, and a lot of PC salers are giving only ATI options I'm going to buy a new top of the line soon and hope to get NVIDIA...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I agree, previously only ran with Nvidia, but went with ATI this time, due to favourable reviews and being fastest card. Seems like you say though, Nvidia is card of choice when it comes to games testing, many of the games I have bought have the "The way it's mean't to be played" Nvidia logo on, wish I had noticed this before splashing out on (the then) top of the range ATI card.

 

Think my next upgrade will be Nvidia.

[tmp]

Odyssey engine has been optimized for NVidia use and therefore holds specific coding that makes it run better on Nvidia cards while that same coding will cause errors in ATI drivers. because there is no key NVidia bits to be found.  It is like taking an X-Box system but give it the PS2's graphic processor.  There will be errors and more than likely the game will not work.

 

ATI is not a popular brand and because of that I play strictly NVidia.  It doesn't matter how fast your card goes if it can't un the software.

Frankly, "optimized for Nvidia" is no excuse -- there's quite a difference between 'running better' and 'running at all'. If you're making a graphics engine, then you can "optimize" it all you want for vendor-specific extensions... after you have the generic specification compliant code path done and running. It's not like checking which extensions are supported is hard thing to do with openGL. <_<

[Lcaus Scuks]

Never had problems with Radeon 9800 Pro, it's the game that has problems. nVidia's drivers, performance and image qulity is worse and UT2004 which is "meant to be played" on nvidia runs faster on ATI and not only that, it has a higher image quality that with a nvidia card and the same settings. Don't say ATI is bad unless you've tried it, they actually have a better support for games than nvidia crds with their poorly optimized shader model 3. Games are tested with all major cards, nvidia isn't the only choice. "the way it's meant to be played" means nothing just like the 3dmark05/03 score. ATI is now better than nvidia, I see no reason to buy a nvidia card instead of a R520 card, maybe the next generation nvidia cards will be different.

[Judge Hades]

Its no excuse. Its just the way it is.

[tmp]

Its no excuse.  Its just the way it is.

It is an excuse when it's offered as reasoning why the game engine is missing basic functionality.

[Guest MacleodCorp]

IGN Gave KOTOR 2 a 9.3? - I would have given it a 7!

The game was good, but I would have given it a little lower rating, for their was problems that kept me from fully enjoying the game. But it was a cool game!

[Powerslave]

[Hive]

IGN Gave KOTOR 2 a 9.3? - Is that a joke right!

Okay, okay... I get it, its a joke. LOLOLOL That is a good April Fools gag!! So, what did they really give this piece of garbage game?

 

Please keep in mind, KOTOR II was made by the same peole that made that other horrible and lame game FallOut!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

One thing is critisizing KotOR II, but don't you dare to talk ill about Fallout... :angry: