Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II - The Sith Lords stands as a classic role-playing game set in the expansive Star Wars universe. Released as a sequel to the original Knights of the Old Republic, this RPG places you in the role of a Jedi exile navigating a galaxy on the brink of collapse. With a focus on deep storytelling and moral choices, it challenges players to rebuild their connection to the Force while deciding the fate of the Republic.
Gameplay
In this RPG, you control a customizable Jedi character, selecting from classes like Jedi Guardian, Jedi Consular, or Jedi Sentinel, each offering unique abilities tied to Force powers and combat styles. The core loop involves exploring planets, engaging in dialogue trees that influence alliances and outcomes, and participating in combat encounters. Battles use a real-time with pause system, where you queue actions for your character and party members, incorporating lightsaber duels, blaster fire, and Force abilities such as lightning or healing.
Character progression relies on earning experience points through quests and fights, allowing you to level up skills, feats, and Force powers. Alignment to the light or dark side shifts based on decisions, affecting your appearance, abilities, and how companions react. Party management plays a key role, as you recruit and influence companions, each with their own backstories and skill sets that contribute to puzzles and combat.
Exploration includes solving environmental puzzles, hacking terminals, and crafting items using workbenches. The influence system lets you shape companion loyalties, unlocking new dialogues and abilities as relationships develop.
Game Modes
This title features a single-player campaign as its primary mode, delivering a narrative experience without multiplayer elements. The story unfolds across multiple planets, with side quests branching from the main plot.
Within the campaign, encounters vary from stealth sections to large-scale battles, but all tie into the overarching story mode. Players can replay the game with different alignments to experience alternate story paths and endings.
Story and Factions
Set five years after the first game, the plot follows a Jedi exile hunted by Sith Lords amid the near-extinction of the Jedi Order. Key factions include the crumbling Old Republic, the aggressive Sith, and scattered Jedi remnants. Your choices determine alliances, such as aiding Republic forces or embracing Sith teachings.
The narrative explores themes of war's aftermath and personal redemption, with companions like Kreia providing philosophical insights that challenge traditional Star Wars lore.
Is It Worth Playing?
For fans of narrative-driven RPGs with strong character development and choice-based storytelling, this game remains a standout. It has earned a Strong rating on OpenCritic from 22 critics, reflecting praise for its plot and depth, though some note technical issues in older versions. Community mods, such as the Restored Content Mod, enhance the experience by adding cut material.
The game receives ongoing ports to new platforms, including a 2026 Android release, keeping it accessible. If you enjoy strategic combat and moral dilemmas in a Star Wars setting, it offers substantial replay value through different alignments and party compositions. However, those seeking fast-paced action might find the combat dated.
