Studio's early impressions of KotOR II

[StudioAlex]

It makes me wet. I'm about ten hours into it, and I'm having trouble figuring out how this game is getting lower scores than the original. Nearly everything about it is better, except the graphics. This is an awesome game. IT seems to be significantly longer than the original. It took me five hours just to get off Paragus, but it was awesome. Everything is deeper and makes more sense. Bashing crates instead of using security risks what's inside. The bots are definately more fleshed out. You can affect other's alignment, but they also threw in an chaningine influence element on top of it, meaning you can only change people depending on how much they respect your opinion.


This game is buttery goodness with a cherry coke.

[skorp]

So Obsidian Entertainment did a good job taking over the game then?!... I can't wait. I'm going to pick up the game tomorrow after work.

Thanks to Obsidian, Bioware, and yes.... Also Peter Molyneux we are getting some really good RPG's coming out for the X. I know I'm probably missing some other worthy names (not really a big RPG gamer, sorry) but these people make me enjoy RPG's. I don't know about Level5 (TFLO) though. But I heard their new game out in Japan is making a killing. Anyway, the Xbox needed a "Square Enix" type following of their own in the beginning. Thanks to these people I can look forward to RPG's coming out on my box instead of playing mostly FPS's... WOOHOO! :p

[Sheeyt]

With Bioware on board for Xbox 2 Square can go F themselves!

[LTM360]

As great as KotOR is Sheeyt, I can't say I didn't wish that Square-Enix would end up developing for Xbox 2, and you can't either. :p

I'm pickin this up tomorrow after school, can't wait. Thanks for the 'impression' Alex.

[TOTTEN]

I cant wait till saturday jeez. I loved kotor and hopefully I will love kotor 2 even more. My first xbox rpg was kotor and the best rpg ive ever played.

[Sheeyt]

Honestly LTM I can. I loved the early FF games for NES and I loved FF7. But eventually I grew tired of the FF games. The same turn based crap over and over again. Now I know that they have gone away from the turn based fighting style. Unfortunately games like the original Boulders Gate, Never Winter Nights, Icewind Dale have all spoiled me to a certain type of RPG and Bioware delivers!

[MixMasta]

Have you played the Republic Commando demo on the disc yet? I heard that demo is sweet!

[Uncle_Rage]

Yes, the game is tasty. Yes, it has been a long wait. But...

What's with the dropping frame rates on Telos Station? Egad, there are times I get the feeling I need to upgrade my GPU... then I feel like an idiot for a moment.

Seriously though, it is a great game so far.

[Sheeyt]

Yea I read that the framerate takes a major hit sometimes. Its disappointing really that developers still can't optimize a constant framerate.

[thrAsher]

Graphics almost seem worse to me, and the interfaces, while the inherently the same, just don't look as good.

But being able to break down items into components to make into other items (weapons, armor, security spikes, etc.), as well as the new 'Influence' system, is reason enough to pay the full price for admission. I've been pretty absorbed by Halo 2, and haven't given Kotor II a real good look, but I have gotten off Peragus and barely started scouting out Telos.

So far, the sequel is standing up surprisingly well, though. If you loved the first, this one has some even deeper RPG elements and so far, just as intriguing a story.

[StudioAlex]

The fighting system is way more indepth, with much better AI choices for your team mates, like allowing a ranged fighter to pull out a sword if confronted face to face automatically. Also, your character essentially develops different styles of fighting, some defensive, offensive, or balanced, which can be switched to accomodate your current situation.

The graphics are the only flaw in this game. The frame rate, which barely ever seems to run at even thirty fps, takes some serious hits in the large open spaces. Also, some of the aliens don't look as good as I remember. But with a game this fun, and a story this involving(I'm not even sure who the real villain is yet, even some of the "good" jedi seem ripe for end game villain, but the ones I've seen are awesome), I can't say I really care about the graphics. If obsidian decides to captain the KotOR franchise on the Xbox next I would be more than happy with that.

[LTM360]

The graphics are worse in this game than in KotOR 1, which doesn't make a hell of alot of sense, but oh well. Fighting system is deeper, just for the most part a noticeable improvement. As far as being a better game, I don't know, I won't know until I beat it. KotOR 1 didn't become "One of the best" until the last 2-3 hours.

As little as I care about graphics, this is a bit pathetic. Espcially since the graphics are nothing to get excited about, I don't understand the framerate drop. I like the sound effect it makes when you finish a battle gain/lose light side points too, but I think I'll get sick of that after a while. Good game so far, can't wait to see what all happens.

[Anthony4sho]

This game has me hooked like crack. I can't even play Halo 2 anymore until I beat this one.

[GordonJ]

This game is great! Topsa even Halo 2. Only thing that seems a little shallow is the plot. I guess I am only on my third planet so it will become deeper......right?