This is my comparison between KOTOR and KOTOR 2 to decide which one, in my opinion, is the best KOTOR game. Will the epic battles and ingenius characters give the first installment the victory? Or will the dark, gritty tale and the ability to influence characters presented in The Sith Lords give it the win. Reading on is the only way to find out:


Storyline:

The storyline in KOTOR is more epic and fun, feelings in Star Wars much missed in the prequel trilogy. The characters, such as Bastila Shan and Canderous Ordo, are interesting and have backstories that make you want to continue the game just so you can hear their entire history. It also gives insight into such enigmatic parts of the SW universe as the history of the Tusken Raiders and even the very colonization of the galaxy. Not to mention the game's twist nearly beats Darth Vader being Luke's father. KOTOR 2, on the other hand, is a much darker story of a Jedi Knight exiled from the Order for his actions in the Mandalorian Wars. Doesn't seem as great a character as one who actually is what he's trying to defeat, huh? Well, look much deeper into the game and you will find that there is much more to it. The Sith Lords, although not having as great characters, gives you the option to influence characters. KOTOR 2 is much more of an educational Star Wars game, most of the game, because of the mysterious Kreia, is about learning about the Force, the Light Side, the Dark Side, etc. Because of this, I must give the slightest nod to KOTOR 2.

Graphics:

Not much to say here. Although some of the CGI scenes in KOTOR 2 manage to have beings in them and not just ships and buildings and large battles, I must give the nod to KOTOR because Sith Lords has an unbearable amount of visual glitches.

Sound:

The sound effects are equally mediocre in both games because they lack giving the feel of this being ancient times in the Star Wars universe. The engine noises of the Ebon Hawk should be more all over the place in the days where space travel is probably still being perfected. However, I must say the soundtrack is better in KOTOR 2 because unlike its predecessor, it manages to produce a common theme throughout the game.

Gameplay:

Both games seem to have practically the same battle gameplay. But overall, I think it is better in KOTOR 2 simply because of the wider range of conversation options, not only because of influence but because your skills like computer use, repair, and intelligence can be applied to discussion in the game.


So, I overall believe KOTOR 2 to be the better game. Feel free to post comments on my analysis.