Yesterday at the PlayStation Showcase aKnights of the Old Republicremake was announced as a console exclusive on PlayStation 5. Whilst fans are very excited to revisit the galaxy far, far away - here is a list of some elements which could be modernised for the present day.
Aspyr Media, who is developing the remake,have promised it will be a full remakeand not a remaster. WhilstKOTORis still a beloved game by many, I would love to see some of the rough edges of the original eased out and some of the mechanics, particularly the combat, modernised.
It is important to remember the context of theKnights of the Old Republicrelease. It was the first BioWare RPG to come out on consoles in an era when many western RPGs were sticking to PC only releases.KOTORreally did show there was a market for these epic adventures on console and it was a reason why many people decided to pick up an original Xbox.
1. Combat improvements
The biggest struggle I had playingKOTORwas the combat systems. I would propose that the combat system should be completely redone for the remake and the developers should take inspiration fromFinal Fantasy VII Remake.
This might seem strange but let me explain: The originalFinal Fantasy VIItook the standard form for JRPGS. You waited for the ATB gauge to fill, and then you could use a move in combat.Final Fantasy VII Remaketook this and modernised it by allowing you to switch between characters, attack and dodge to fill their ATB gauges. Once full you may pick a command; such as healing, doing a stronger ability or using Materia.
This is very much howKOTORworks as well. You switch between characters and issue a string of commands to them for use. Both use range and close combat attacking characters and both combine real-time and command-based battle systems. SometimesKOTORfeels very clunky like you are just waiting for the characters to do something.
What I would like to see is more action between commands. InFinal Fantasy VII Remake,you can still attack and dodge in real-time and whilst someFinal Fantasyfans did not like this change, it was critically well-received nonetheless. I think a system similar to this could make combat more exciting.
2. More modern lightsabre play
Additionally, lightsabre combat is another area I think could be improved upon. Since 2003 there have many games to take up the mantle of swinging a lightsabre. FromStar Wars: The Force AwakenstoStar Wars: Jedi Fallen Order, Lightsabre combat has developed a lot. Using the DualSense controller, this could very much be the first time receiving haptic feedback when swinging our virtual lightsabres (in the PS5 version ofJedi Fallen Orderthis was surprisingly absent).
If they are going to change the combat in the dramatic way I have proposed, having a great feeling lightsabre is another essential change.
In addition, I would also love to see some of theKOTORanimations be recorded with motion capture. InKOTORJedi and Sith are really happy to kick people which makes combat feel more savage than otherStar Warsgames. It would be great if they could modernise these little touches and make them look more realistic.
3. Take some graphical cues from the modern Star Wars films
When the originalKOTORcame out it was 2003 and we were in the middle of the prequel trilogy. The original release clearly took graphical cues from the most modern trilogy at the time. Many of the environments look similar to the green screens backgrounds thatAttack of the Cloneswas filmed against. Since then we have had the new sequel trilogy starting withThe Force Awakens. This went very much back to theStar Warsroots and filming in different locations. The environments felt much more lived in, dirty and real compared to the immaculately clean prequel counterparts.
As we are now in the 4K era, attention to small details is vital. I would love to see more dirtyForce Awakensenvironments in theKOTORremake. This would improve the world-building aspect by making it less perfect and more lived in. I think this would really improve the look and feel of the galaxy far, far away, especially as you do visit a variety of environments each with different cultures and social classes living there.
4. Keep the story the same
When fans talk aboutKOTOR, the story, characters and world-building are the things that stick in their minds. I think the story can remain mostly untouched. The twist is still one of the best in the history of games and there are still memorable companion characters. Even the morality system, whilst primitive, is still fun to play around with and encourages multiple playthroughs.
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic Remakewill be a console exclusive for PS5 when it launches, although there are no details yet on a release window.
