Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic 2 made many improvements over its predecessor, the original Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. The series is one of the most beloved Star Wars gaming properties even to this day, which may cause some to wonder if they should play the original KOTOR or wait for the coming remake. Obsidian actually made significant changes to KOTOR 2's gameplay and story based on what they learned from the first game, though it has gone down in history as the less popular title due to releasing in an unfinished state as a result of a rushed publishing deadline. To remedy this, fans made a mod for the game that restores much of the unfinished content and is considered to be near-essential for modern players.

With KOTOR receiving a full remake from Saber Interactive sometime in the coming years, it's not unreasonable to assume that KOTOR 2 may receive a similar treatment assuming the first remake sells well. This would be great news for fans, as they would be getting a modern adaptation of a classic and underrated game hampered by bugs (KOTOR 2 needed a patch on Switch just to be completed, even, despite it being a more recent port). The remake would also have the opportunity to incorporate the lost content from the original game so that fans could see the full vision of what KOTOR 2 was meant to be; a direct upgrade to the first KOTOR.

Related: Star Wars: KOTOR Hid Some Of Its Best Tusken Raider Story Secret

A large portion of KOTOR 2's improvements on the original were gameplay-related, in many cases allowing the player more freedom for character customization. This included adding new feats and force powers for the character to unlock, adding expansive weapon and armor modifications, increasing the variety of weapons and armor found in-game, and adding secondary classes for the character to choose from. Additions like these are only available in KOTOR with its best mods. With all these additions the variety of character styles and builds was significantly increased, allowing for greater replayability. Additionally, the player can be granted new powers and abilities from their interactions with companion characters, giving a strong gameplay incentive to get to know your companions where in KOTOR there was none.

KOTOR 2 Recognized That Gameplay & Narrative Intertwine

Three Jedi in the overgrown ruins of Dantooine's Jedi Enclave in KOTOR 2.

There was a significant change to the way the narrative affected gameplay decisions as well. Where in the first game the player starts as a non-Jedi and only discovers their latent force abilities when they almost halfway to the max level, in KOTOR 2 the player starts as a Jedi. This narrative difference had a major impact on gameplay because the original KOTOR's first mistake was a slow start on Taris, and players often wound up with an awkward level split between a non-Jedi class and a Jedi class, hampering gameplay. So many players took issue with this that it was common to simply refuse to level up the character until they had reached the Jedi council on Dantooine. KOTOR 2 faced no such issue, making for a stronger opening.

Additionally, companions were given a significant overhaul. Each companion had specific perks that gave them a unique twist during gameplay, and players gained the ability to change their alignment and personality through the influence system. Essentially, companions reacted to the player's actions in ways specific to their personality, and their ideals changed towards the light or dark side depending upon their opinion of the player and the player's own nuanced light or dark side KOTOR 2 choices. This was a far more in-depth relationship than the player had with companions in the original game.

KOTOR 2 had significant advantages over the original KOTOR, though these advantages were unfortunately outweighed by the consequences of a rushed development schedule. Without that error, history might have viewed the second entry in the franchise very differently. If the KOTOR remake does well, Saber Interactive will soon have the opportunity to give KOTOR 2 the second chance it deserves.