[Retrospective] Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic & Bioware

[Big Thanks]

The game that launched Bioware to stardom.
Was curious if anyone else here experienced the rise to stardom of Bioware, starting with this game.

Bioware Golden Age of games:

-Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (16 July 2003)
-Jade Empire (12 April 2005)
-Mass Effect (20 November 2007)
-Dragon Age: Origins (3 November 2009)

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My experience with KOTOR is very limited (bought it a couple days ago) BUT my childhood friend "Fred" was addicted to it at the time of release, and everytime i went to his house he was either playing KOTOR or Jade Empire on Xbox.

Decided to buy it on Steam for 2,86€
I was instantly immersed in the world via exploration and dialogue being rewarded with random events and fights.
It plays and feels like a Elder Scrolls game and the world feels ALIVE for some reason.
I think is because of the constant random events happening, plus the obvious immersion from Star Wars theme/story.

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Are you a Bioware fan?
Have you experienced the Bioware's Golden Age of games?

[Low Hanging Fruit]

Before the dark times... Before the Empire[EA]...

[Onikaroshi]

I tried it, wasn't my type of game. Seemed like a decent game though if it is your type of game. I also really haven't been a fan of any of biowares games except Anthem, but Anthem didn't have enough content, just the gameplay was fun.

[Heathy]

I remember watching a friend of mine play kotor 1 on the xbox agesss ago, then I eventually played kotor 2 on pc, although i think i played with one of the older version of the missing content mod, the game is pretty dated now but it is interesting how it runs on a modified version of d&d 3rd edition rules.

largely speaking though I think kriea in kotor 2 is likely the best written character in the entirety of star wars.

[ohiostate124]

Best SW games imo

[Big Thanks]

I remember watching a friend of mine play kotor 1 on the xbox agesss ago, then I eventually played kotor 2 on pc, although i think i played with one of the older version of the missing content mod, the game is pretty dated now but it is interesting how it runs on a modified version of d&d 3rd edition rules.

largely speaking though I think kriea in kotor 2 is likely the best written character in the entirety of star wars.

My friend Fred already spoiled the "ending" for me like 10 years ago i still remember it
So ive watched reviews on youtube, and it seems like there is another loved character by the playerbase on KOTOR...an extremely racist robot LOL

Another fun fact, if you play a female character...you can have a lesbian romance with a party member. One of the first games to do it?

[Tommi]

KOTOR 2 was Obsidian Entertainment though, not Bioware.

[Big Thanks]

KOTOR 2 was Obsidian Entertainment though, not Bioware.

I see, thanks for pointing it out

[Heathy]

hmm I think you could have a lesbian romance in baldur's gate not sure about the first maybe the second.

hk-47 is probably one of the best morally corrupt droids the things he has said can be hilarious.

[rayvio]

played Jade Empire out of desperation for something new during a drought in point and click adventure games and got hooked. quickly bought both KoTOR games, discovered Mass Effect and then, while waiting for ME2, was blown away by Dragon Age: Origins. I've been back and played the Baldur's Gates and Neverwinter Nights since as well but Jade Empire and DA: Origins remain my all time Bioware favourites

[Littleraven]

I have a weird relationship with KOTOR. I remember I got it on my Xbox well after it had come out. I don't remember exactly when but I got it from like a gamestop or something not knowing anything about it other than it was a Star Wars game and everyone talked about how amazing it was.

So I bought it. Went home. Popped it in and hated it instantly lol. I hadn't played an RPG like this I think ever and for some reason I was expecting a more action RPG hack and slash type deal. Because of that I never went back to it and just kinda shelved it. Flash forward to the Old Republic MMO coming out. I bought and played that and loved it so much it made me want to go back and give KOTOR another shot. I never actually got to playing it again but I dove down the rabbit hole on the lore hardcore.

I really need to go back and play it one day because I think about it alot.

[Val the Moofia Boss]

I quit KOTOR about five hours in.

[Airlick]

I keep going back to both KotOR games, and somehow they never get boring. They might be the best story-driven RPGs ever. The gameplay was certainly not the best and it was very easy to abuse some mechanics, just rolling through the game spamming one skill, but the writing and characterisation was mind-blowing. The characters and their interactions are unforgettable. I just with that KotOR2 was not rushed, it definitely had the potential to be the best RPG ever.

[Lorgar Aurelian]

I got way more out of swtor with just one class campaign then i did out of Kotor. the gameplay was pretty awful and the story was ok but basic.

[StillMcfuu]

Bioware's Golden Age ended around Mass Effect.

They gave us Neverwinter, Kotor, Baldur's Gate 1-2, and then they started pushing into consoles and that was the end. ME and DA had a decent chunk of that lineage they were knows for, but ultimately neither has aged very well (not nearly as well as the previous mentioned games) and their sequels just fell flatter and flatter. The real death of Bioware was SWOTR being hot garbage.

I think their push into the console market is what hurt them most.

[lionofwar87]

Just combine dos2 and fallen order them bam, kotor3

[Biomega]

To me Dragon Age: Origins is the high point of modern Bioware (the old one being Baldur's Gate II, of course, which is probably one of the best games ever made). I played KotOR but it didn't age too well and there's just enough things to turn me off that I can't quite enjoy it as much as other people seem to. But that's okay, I still get that it's a great game.

I personally also enjoyed the SWTOR campaigns more, which are probably still underrated. That game is a hot mess as an MMO but if you squint real hard and just ignore all the other players, it's quite a lot of fun to play on your own. The various class stories are almost universally great, and the expansion stuff is also very good.

[Big Thanks]

I got way more out of swtor with just one class campaign then i did out of Kotor. the gameplay was pretty awful and the story was ok but basic.

Does SWTOR have the same "world building" as a fully fleshed-out solo RPG?

Like...for example...in KOTOR:

1) You can have detailed dialogue with a random Merchant.
There is an option to buy a robot from her...and as you are leaving the robot explodes.
You can go back to the merchant and ask for your money back...

2) Some random ass female character at a Bar, if you talk to her, she looks down on you and mistakes you for a waiter who works there.
If you do not "roll over" and let her look down on you...she storms out of the Bar promissing revenge.
You then have to face and fight her guards at the exit.

I could go on and on...and on...and tell you a lot more random encounters i had in the world...and i just played a little tiny bit of the game
The world building in insane.

[Dakhath]

For those who want KOTOR 3, go play the Jedi Knight class story in SWTOR, its better than KOTOR 3 would have ever been. SWTOR has many failings, but the vanilla content is the best storytelling in any MMO.

[Heladys]

Bioware were stars long before this.