Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords

Lore & Background

The game begins five years after the events of the first Knights of the Old Republic. The protagonist, known as The Exile, is a Jedi Knight who was exiled from the Jedi Order. The Jedi Order has been almost completely wiped out by the Sith. The Exile regains consciousness on an asteroid mining facility and escapes with the help of party members, then seeks out the remaining Jedi to fight against the Sith. The story involves the Exile restoring their connection to the Force while traveling to six planets, including new locations such as Telos, Onderon, Dxun, Malachor V, and the Peragus Mining Facility, as well as revisiting Korriban and Dantooine. Key characters include Kreia, Atton Rand, Bao-Dur, G0-T0, Visas Marr, T3-M4, and Canderous Ordo (Mandalore). The main antagonists are Darth Traya, Darth Sion, and Darth Nihilus.

Reader's Guide

The game received generally positive critical reception upon release, with praise given to its story, characters, and writing, which were noted to be more morally ambiguous than the original. Particular praise was given to the character of Kreia, with GameSpy naming her the best video game character of 2005. However, the game was criticized for being too similar to its predecessor in graphics and gameplay systems, and for being launched in an incomplete state. Despite this, it has gained a cult following. The game was included in the book 1001 Video Games You Must Play Before You Die. Gameplay features pausable real-time combat based on the d20 System, 30 new Force powers, prestige classes, and an influence system with party members. The player can align with the light side or dark side through dialogue choices.

Did You Know?

• The game was developed by Obsidian Entertainment after BioWare offered them the Star Wars license.
• Initial story development began before the original Knights of the Old Republic was released.
• The game features 30 new Force powers not present in the first game.
• Kreia was named the best video game character of 2005 by GameSpy.

Creative Vision & Development

Rather than tethering their project to the then-upcoming Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones, the BioWare team opted for a bold alternative: a story set nearly four millennia before the prequel trilogy. LucasArts had floated both options, but the developers believed the distant past would grant them far greater creative latitude to shape their own narrative within the Star Wars universe. The game was announced in 2000 and endured multiple delays before finally reaching Xbox players in July 2003 and PC players in November of that year. Casey Hudson helmed the project as director, James Ohlen led design, and Drew Karpyshyn crafted the writing. The vocal cast included Ed Asner, Ethan Phillips, and Jennifer Hale, while Jeremy Soule composed the orchestral score. Aspyr later brought the title to Mac OS X, iOS, and Android, and backward compatibility extended its life across Xbox 360, Xbox One, and the Xbox Series X and S. A Nintendo Switch edition arrived in November 2021, ensuring the adventure remained accessible to new generations of players.

Gameplay Mechanics & Combat

Players begin by selecting one of three foundational classes—Scout, Soldier, or Scoundrel—and later refine their build with a Jedi subclass: Guardian, Sentinel, or Consular. Beyond class identity, characters accumulate skills, tiered feats, and Force powers that function much like spellcasting in traditional fantasy role-playing games. Feats and powers typically unlock at level-up, while skill points are distributed manually each time the character advances. Combat itself is structured in discrete rounds; all combatants act simultaneously within a fixed time window, though the presentation is sequential. The underlying mathematics draw from the Dungeons & Dragons d20 System, and while die rolls and modifiers are not shown on screen, a menu reveals the full calculation behind every action. Players can configure the system to pause at key events or run without interruption for a more fluid feel. Up to two companions join the party, fighting alongside the player and engaging in spontaneous dialogue that can unlock side quests.

Narrative & The Force Alignment

The story unfolds roughly four thousand years before the Galactic Empire's rise, in the shadow of the Mandalorian Wars. Renegade Jedi Revan and his apprentice Malak led a Republic force against the Mandalorian warrior society, then vanished into the Unknown Regions. A year later they returned with a Sith armada, and Malak ultimately claimed the title of Dark Lord of the Sith. The player steps into the role of a Jedi tasked with traveling across multiple planets to bring Malak down. Throughout the adventure, every interaction and decision feeds into an alignment system that tracks the character's pull toward the light or dark side of the Force. Generous, altruistic choices accumulate Light Side Points, while selfish or violent actions tip the balance darkward. The consequences are visible: a dark-aligned character's eyes turn yellow and their skin pales, and the pool of available abilities shifts accordingly. Dialogue options also change based on the character's gender, skills, and accumulated alignment, making each playthrough a distinct narrative experience.

Legacy & Ongoing Relevance

Knights of the Old Republic earned widespread critical praise for its characters, storytelling, and sound design, and it has been nominated for numerous industry awards. It is frequently cited among the greatest video games ever produced. Its influence extended directly into a sequel, The Sith Lords, developed by Obsidian Entertainment at BioWare's suggestion and released in 2004. The narrative thread continued with Star Wars: The Old Republic, a massively multiplayer online role-playing game from BioWare that launched in 2011. In September 2021, Aspyr announced a remake for Windows and PlayStation 5, though Saber Interactive replaced Aspyr as the development studio in August 2022. The franchise's momentum has not waned: in December 2025, Casey Hudson was announced as director of Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic, an upcoming action role-playing game positioned as a spiritual successor to the original. From its 2003 debut to modern remakes and new entries, the title has maintained a remarkable and evolving presence in gaming culture.

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