How do those who have the game already find it?

[Maco]

KotOR II is, in all its glory and splendor, a lengthy exspansion pack. The improvements are subtle, yet well noted, but none of this is said with contempt. It is everything I loved about the first game and then some, and I am thankful I did not have to wait another couple of years for the same game with a prettier face. I see no sense in bickering about Obsidian reusing the same graphics engine when the game looks as good as it does; how much more character detail could one possibly need, anyway?

 

I thought the plot was excellent, though it had its fair share of... iniquities. As others have noted, a lot of key plot points were left open and unexplained, as well as a lot of quests being so vague that I didn't even care to finish them the first time around (the second time through the game, though, I had a better understading of things and was able to finish most of my previously incomplete quests).

 

The character creation/devlopment, to my pleasure, remained intact. There were changes that I noticed, like the level of implant a character can equip now only relies on their constitution rating, special feats to deduct the costs of cross-class skills, and the fact that every class starts out with all the special melee attacks (flurry, critical strike, power attack); that only makes sense for Jedi, and I'm glad Obsidian included it. The Force power additions, however, seemed pretty useless to me. The inspired little confidence in straying from my usual selections (choke, lightening, drain life, push, heal, speed). I was also disappointed to learn that I had to wait until the end of the game to obtain the prestige powers such as Force Crush, which is, if I may say so, the ultimate Dark Side punishment. It's just a shame I can't Crush those annoying Cannoks.

 

I was most pleased to see new robes! As much as I loved the first game, I couldn't stand watching my evil badass run around in a tight bodysuit. The red Norris robes are my favorite. =D

 

Since the gameplay was essentially the exact same as it was in KotOR I, I don't have much to say about it, except to note the improved attack animations and their varieties. Combat was much less repetitive than in the first because of this; I was evil just to pick fights and use them. Oh, and not to mention the flourish with dual blasters. Good stuff.

 

So, all in all, I love this game. I knew it was going to be the same face with a different personality, but that's what I wanted. I wasn't prepared to wait so long for a sequel to my absolute favorite Star Wars game--and RPG--of all time. Maybe now I can rest easy for a good while--until KotOR III.

[NNTakot]

Great game, addicting, finished it in 1 day, played it the whole time =P

 

Ending was crap though, thats 'bout it

[Maria Caliban]

kenan,

 

Be careful what you wish for.

[JEDIDAN12386]

It's a great game untill you get to the end. but still a 9.0 at least.

[EnderAndrew]

Halo 2 seems to be little more than an expansion pack.

 

Same graphics, worse level design, same engine.

 

It's just new maps, and poors ones at that. The combat has been tweaked, with dual wielding being a plus, and the other tweaks a big negative. Head shots are far too easy, and the pistol has been weakened signficantly, while the rocket launcher now looks on.

 

Despite Halo 2 having the one of the worst endings in video game history, worse level design, and nothing really new on the table, every reviewer on the planet is giving Halo 2 a 9.8 or 9.9

 

Why is KoTOR:2 (a sequel in the same engine) being judged that much harsher? Halo 2 had more hype, a longer wait, and more promises. Many of the promised features were cut, the new XBox Live component features poor matching, etc.

 

KoTOR:2 looks improved from KOTOR:1 in most categories. The engine isn't largely overhauled, but interface tweaks, a better art style, better characters, more dialogue, more feats, better implementation of skills, more villiants, tweaked minigames, etc. etc. etc.

 

Other than the complaints in regards to KOTOR:2's ending (which I suspect I may like if the ESB comparisons hold up), most people say this is a better game than KOTOR, which swept 99% of the Game of the Year Awards last year.

 

Why is everyone so down then?

 

I'm truly confused here.

[Darth Carth]

I dislike some of parts where you play as someone else, especially the little round thing.

[Bless]

The ending is nothing like the feel of ESB. I love ESB, but at least ESB doesn't feel like a vortex. I mean, the game is awesome: for the first 25 hours or more you'll be wishing it will never end. I know I was: I wanted it to go on FOREVER. If I could sit down and play that game and have it be 100 hours long (and have the whole game the quality of the first 3/4's) I would. But don't be too hopeful for the ending. It's just . . . ends. It's not an ending. The game starts up different side things that you expect to have meaning, or expect to find out about, but then you're just left out in the cold.

 

It really is a great game, don't get me wrong (and your Halo 2 comparison is well received, even though I loved the game n_n and I'm not into the Halo hype) but don't hope for an ESB feel.

 

I liked playing as the other characters. It expanded the game more, even if it could be annoying (because you wanted to find out more about your character and such). It was different, and it allowed you to . . . interact with the game and characters more. I dunno, I thought it was cool. Maybe it should be an optional thing in III?

[Mr. Brightside]

Bad end in kotor2?

[envida]

I loved the ending!!! The problem is Americans loves their happy

[Maco]

I'm not bummed about KotOR II's lack for a ground-breaking graphics engine. I didn't really care too much about it, I just felt compelled to mention it. There doesn't really seem to be a point in noting such minimal enhancements when the game still suffers from the same technical flaws as the first, however few they are.

 

Like I said, it's everything and more of the game I loved to begin with. Why wouldn't I be happy? The ending? I will admit, there seemed to be a lot left unsaid. I expected a more profound closure since another sequel is at least a few years off--if any. But I'm happy--extremely so. The replay value is high and, after that, I have modding to look forward to. I will be playing this game for at least a year-and-a-half.

 

As for Halo 2, well, I don't really like that game. I'm a hardcore Halo: Combat Evolved fan. It was extremely over-hyped (the energy would've been put to better use promoting KotOR II!), and a lot of the aforementioned features were cut out at the last second that, if I may say so, would most likely have made the game a lot better. The multiplayer is no longer how much skill a person has, but who has what weapon and when--and how many.

[Darth Barth]

I loved the ending!!! The problem is Americans loves their happy

[ryan12177]

The fact that the same dialogue popped up the entire game hurt it more than anything else.. It doesn't have the feel of ESB as much as it has the feel of the Matrix sequels. A lot of questions asked and then at the end none of them answered.

[nightcleaver]

Ok, so it's not just me. I'm not crazy.

 

I'm american, by the way. If it's just a matter of culture, I suppose this game has a chance to do well... as it should.

[thesnowman]

Before I go off on a rant let me state I do really like this game. I have only played it through once being LS and I am sure that playing through DS will be satisfying as well.

 

However the technical problems are doing my head in. The framerate at times is really bad, slowing down for no apparant reason. Its worse than the first game which is suprising as it is the same engine and it should have been optomised more. Also one time I was running around Duxon, I walk past a tree, next thing I know I am stuck in between a branch half way up the tree. I couldnt get out and had to reload. Using the triggers to move between menu's is slow and sometime have to wait for the menu to catch up. Sometimes my character wont attack an enemy (even when in combat mode and being aggresive). I have also had the game crash once while loading a section of the map.

 

The dialogue tree's seem broken at times, with characters saying the same dialogue twice in a row. Some of the characters dont seem to have a lot to say and feel rather underdeveloped. Although I will hold back on judgment till I have played a few times, as I might not have had enough influence.

Also Visa was still spouting the same nonsence about her master (how she must obey him etc), after I had killed him and she had made peace with what happened on her planet. It just breaks the illusion

. It just didnt have the same effect as the dialogue in kotor, my anger at carth accusing me and the fun I had at winding up bastila. Although I did have a giggle about parkign in the handmaidens landing ramp.

 

As much as I do like the story it doest have the same effect as the first one when I found out I was revan or when bastila told me she loved me at the end.

Also being a huge fan of the first one I was expecting to see revan (I know you kind of see him, but thats not what I meant) especially since one of the devs said that revans story would be explained. However except from finding out he went after this big bad, thats about it.. Darth Nillhus (sorry cant remember the correct spelling) is a very cool character, his design his excellent, but you seem him about twice before you kill him and you cant speak to him properly. It just seems a waste to have very cool character and then under use them, the same could be said for atris.

 

 

the game just feel horribly un-finished and rushed. the whole thing about

the droid factory not getting developed is just silly and hanrar and mira thing not really getting resolved either, along with goto and the other droid just ending as well.

 

 

before anyone starts flaming let me reiterate I did really enjoy this game and some of these issues might get resolved through repeated playthroughs. I do enjoy the influence system (though it does feel slightly underdeveloped) and I thought the peragus, telos and duxon/onderon levels were great.. I just wish the developers had, had the chance to finish the game properly.

 

In saying that I am back to off to play DS.

[nixion]

I'm only 7 hours into it but it seems already better than the first one

[Mr. Brightside]

What characters are with you from the beginning?

[i c stupid people]

probably in my top five this year first being halo 2 then halflife 2 then this game

[kenan]

I liked the ending. My problem with it though is that it was a conversation. I didn't want to hear what happenned to the other crew, I wanted to see it, or have them there when i left. Hearing Kriea tell you is a let down because you miss the opportunity to get last reactions in from them. I know it's what Kriea told you and it might not be true bc she was a little shady. But cutting the ties yourself, face to face, immerse the player into the ending, instead of making him feel forced into it.

 

Kenan

[AlanC9]

I loved the ending!!! The problem is Americans loves their happy “goody-two-shoe” Hollywood ending, so when they get an ending like in Kotor 2 they feel robbed.

I think the ending was perfect and had that mysterious feel about it. And I think they handled Revan the best way they could without upsetting the different views players have of him..

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

No, that's not the complaint -- at least, not my complaint (I would have been perfectly satisfied with the original ending).

 

It's not the ambiguity that bugs people, it's the way things are simply forgotten. Where's everyone else on Malachor V? What the hell happened with the remote and GO-TO?