Knights of the Old Republic Remake

 The Force can do terrible things to a mind

So I ain't above admitting I got a little teary-eyed when I saw this, and maybe I was partaking in a bit of silent screaming too, (The showcase was at night over here) but can you blame me when this was the bounty of the night? Again, after a year of meh showcases I had no interest in another and skipped Sony's offerings, only to end up missing what is pretty solidly the best overall showcase event of the year. Ain't that just the biggest kick to the nads? And best of all, pretty much everyone came away with their "wow" moment. The single game which drowned out all the others and stuck with them in their dreams. It just so happened that the game which achieved all of this for me, was the game which the show kicked off with. Show all the cool new sequels and side projects you want, Insomniac, because Aspyr media won me over the second they showed off my main man, the one and only, Darth Revan. It's Star Wars time, baby; and we're going back to the heyday.

You have to understand how big this reveal was for me. Knights of the Old Republic is my third favourite game of all time, a literal masterpiece that I worship as such, the only news that could have struck me harder would have been another Bioshock game or a Metal Gear Solid 3 remake. Even with the endless rumours, which I suppose are now confirmed leaks in hindsight, detailing the existence of this project; a large part of me didn't believe. Or maybe I just didn't want to believe, because part of me loved the old games as they were and sees any attempt to 'remake' them as an attempt to fix what isn't broken. Maybe that pessimism will return again some day, and mar my feelings towards this remake, but it hasn't happened yet and I'm just giddy. Giddy, and shocked, and excited, and indignant. All these shades of anticipation grip me at once and it's doing a number on me, let me tell you! I don't even know how I'm finding the calm to sit down and write this. How are my fingers finding the right keys without shaking? (With trouble. I'll say that much)

And whatsmore this is a remake, not a remaster. Originally there was speculation on this front, considering Aspyr were responsible for a remastering of Kotor 2, it would make sense for them to turn their talents on the original; but I suppose with a prize this vibrant to hand, the prize of the greatest Star Wars game ever made, the team couldn't contain themselves with anything less than the whole hog. (I don't rightly blame them.) This is going to be a proper game, worthy of standing tall in the modern age of gaming. A tall undertaking, and one that just sends shivers up my spine to so much as consider. And yet, I hope that Aspyr are acutely aware of the precedent they've set themselves to follow by going this route. PlayStation has been home to some of the greatest remakes of all time, such as the gorgeous Demon Souls, and the genre bending Final Fantasy VII. Does Aspyr have what it takes to adapt and evolve content as well as those other titles could? I suppose this will be their proving.

If only we were respected enough to have a trailer, like a proper trailer, but instead we have to deal with a teaser somehow even more insubstantial than FF7R's original reveal. (At least in that footage we got to see a classic scene from the original remade) In fact, if we break down the actual marketing material itself, then what we got is literally no better than the model showcase videos that Unreal Cinema put out on Youtube for their upcoming serialisation of the game. (I assume that's still happening and hasn't been hit with a cease and desist. That would suck if it was.) In fact, if I really want to be nitpicky, I might point out that the trailer missed a genuine opportunity to sing to the fans even in it's stark presentation. What we got was a hooded figure who lights a red Lightsaber and then brings it to their face to reveal the iconic Revan mask. Fine. But how much more visually heartstopping would it have been to have the Red saber alight, there be a pause for the monologue, and then a purple saber alights in his oft hand. Fans would go wild for there was only ever one Sith who was depicted with both, and we wouldn't have had to end on that rather awkward 'guarding' animation to reveal his face. (What? I'm a mega fan of these games, I can get petty!)

What we know now can be counted on one hand; the game isn't ready to be shown off and we're not even allowed to be told basic details. Right now everyone is making it out like we're several years away from the actual birth of this Star Wars game, and I'm happy for that because 2022 is getting ridiculously crowded as it is. What we have been told is that Aspyr are reshaping themselves with a lot of new faces in order to make this work, apparently including developers of the original Knights of the Old Republic. I wonder if that means they're angling to get the same voice work done too, because I cannot imagine seeing Bastila, or heck, Carth with a different voice. (Imagine if Carth didn't sound like a whiney arse for the entire game? Nah, that'd be sacrilege.) Interestingly, the producer of the game has specifically stated that the story and characters are staying the same (although I'm willing to bet money on that really being 'mostly') so we might see some gameplay evolutions this time around.

As we are probably early enough to still make predictions and/or demands; I would like to take this time to say the following: For the love of god leave Revan alone. I understand the allure of a character as larger-than-life, yet mysterious, as Darth Revan. The Jedi who broke the backs of the Mandalorians and rose to become one of the greatest of his day, only to disappear and come back as one of the most terrible Sith Lords in history. Those burning questions of "What corrupted him out there?" "What did he see?" have stayed with us for nigh twenty years now. (Even though after meeting his master in Kotor 2, it seems decently clear that, if she were that creepy back when they still knew each other, his breaking bad might be a natural reaction to living with her in his life for several years) That mystery is what makes Darth Revan. And his iconic hold over the story, as this figure that haunts the background of events, is perfectly balanced to making the game's strongest moments land as powerfully as they did. So don't ruin that with 'flashback missions' or prolonged explorations of Revan's lost years. (Although I wouldn't complain if they touched on that in some post-launch DLC. I'm talking about the narrative balance of the core product right now.)

As for the things that I would want; for one I want a completely different play style. I adore the turn based combat and would want nothing else for Kotor, but I need this new game to differentiate itself to the same extent that FF7R did, so real time action is a must. I'd love for the storylines nearer the end to be buffed up so that we can get a better sense of the state of the world in the face of the big twist, specifically how perceptions and opinions shift. (Just a beefier third act in general would be nice) I'd never say no to a few more worlds being added into the great chase, but something tells me that's extremely unlikely. There absolutely needs to be more clothing options, specifically the ability to get that mask which we weren't allowed to do throughout the first game without mods. And I'd simply love it if companions were rewritten around the Ebon Hawk to interact with each other more so that the crew feels more like a family, similar to how Mass Effect Andromeda treated it's team. (One of the few things that game did better than it's predecessors)

But my wants and needs are ultimately insubstantial in the wake of the great Lucasfilm beast that lords over this project, because regardless of this game being several years out, there are so many hands in the kitchen for this game I wouldn't be surprised if it's every feature has been laid out in full for months already. Speaking of parties that are involved, why in god's name did Sony have to stick their heads where it doesn't belong? That just means yet again the Sony boys have swooped in and nailed exclusivity of another game that played best on PC in it's original form, why must you guys torture me so? (Oh and GIVE ME PERSONA 5 ROYAL!) It's been a good run for Xbox, they managed to buy up some studios and tease a year of exclusives from studios who are either unproven or have a shakey history; (Bethesda) but Sony have crushed it with this event. Banger after banger, crowned with the holy grail of remakes, all exclusive to the PS5? Pfft, it's over man. Now all these guys need to do is actually find a way to make and sell their consoles and the new generation will be theirs! (Imagine that) Still, if I must, and despite the fact that Disney had the funds to pay for this entire development cycle if they so wished to, (tight-fisted creeps) I will offer 'thanks', through gritted teeth, to Sony for making next gen Revan a reality. (Hope you liked my appreciation, that's all you're getting of it.)