Video game developer Obsidian has a busy 2025, with it having launchedAvowedin February and looking to releaseThe Outer Worlds 2later in the year.Avowedtakes place in thePillars of Eternityuniverse, and it explores themes typical of that series, such as faith, moral ambiguity, and shifting perspectives. Players who enjoy these themes are recommended to try outStar Wars Knights of the Old Republic 2: The Sith Lords, another game developed by Obsidian.
KotOR 2is a sequel toStar Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, a video game developed by BioWare. Instead of developing the sequel, BioWare passed on the project to Obsidian. Rather than emulating BioWare’s style, Obsidian applied its own unique approach towriting and themes toKotOR 2, making it a uniqueStar Warsstory. Set five years after the end ofStar Wars: Knights of the Old Republic,KotOR 2follows a new protagonist, the Jedi Exile, as they navigate a galaxy that is post-war, hostile to Jedi, and currently going through a Jedi Purge.
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic 2’s Themes
KotOR 2was released in 2004, and it was notorious for its many bugs, for its glitches, and for being unfinished at the time. It didn’t have a real ending, with the fates of most of the party members being either ambiguous or unresolved due to cut content. Despite this, it developed a cult following thanks to the quality of its writing and its deconstruction of theStar Warsuniverse, which was thoughtful, carefully done, and respectful to the source material. In doing so,KotOR 2enrichedStar Warsrather than making it lesser through its deconstruction.
KotOR 2andAvowedshare similar themes, and they both avoid presenting simplified binaries like right vs. wrong. There are no clear answers in these games, and, instead, their narratives ask the player to consider what the answers could be. Themes of colonialism, the effects of war, the relationship to the divine and the Force, and the importance of personal action (and the consequences of action and inaction) are heavily explored, primarily through the games' stories, but also through their main characters.
Where to Play KotOR 2 After Avowed
AsKotOR 2was released over 20 years ago, playing it can be a big adjustment. WhileKotOR 2isn’t turn-based or isometric likeBaldur’s Gate 3orPillars of Eternity, it is similar to those games in some ways, with pausable real-time combat based on d20 rules. Building on its predecessor’s classes and Force powers, it expands its morality system and adds subclasses, lightsaber forms, and more RPG elements such as dialogue paths. With so many options, there is vast potential for a variety of builds.
While it is an older game,KotOR 2was recently rereleased on the Nintendo Switch, with a patch released to fix a game-breaking bug that prevented all Switch players from finishing the game. PC gamers have more options, with the Restored Content Mod restoring essential storylines and other mods fixing performance issues on modern systems. Unfortunately,Switch players still don’t have access toKotOR 2’s Restored Content Mod. Despite the issues that can come with trying to runKotOR 2, it’s well worth the effort because of its unique themes, story, and characters, and it’s a must-play for any fan of Obsidian’s games andStar Wars.
