The underrated 83 OpenCritic RPG with the best plot twists on Xbox, and more on the way

22 years later, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic Still revered for its ability to capture a well-written, wide-ranging cast of diverse characters, its laser-focused plot, and its wonderful but sometimes foreboding atmosphere. Star Wars the universe. But above all, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic It is remembered for its plot twist, which has gone down in history as one of the best plot twists on Xbox.

The story leading up to Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic's big plot twist

For those who haven't played BioWare's 2003 masterpiece, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic Players take control of a customizable, anonymous character who wakes up in the middle of a space battle above the planet Taris with almost no memories. This happened 4,000 years ago Star Wars: A New HopeAnd a brutal war is being waged between the Galactic Republic and the Sith Empire led by Darth Malak.

During the game's first and second acts, players meet and recruit various characters to help them in their mission to track down ancient star maps that the Jedi Council believes may lead to a powerful superweapon known as the Star Forge. Throughout the game, the player-character is haunted by visions of Darth Malak and his former master Darth Revan who are believed to have died at the hands of their Sith apprentice.

Why Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic's Plot Twist is the Hardest Hitting on Xbox

After activating three star maps and moving on to the fourth, the player's party is captured by Darth Malak and boarded the Sith leader's flagship, the Leviathan. It is here that Darth Malak reveals that the player-character is actually Darth Revan, who survived Malak's assassination attempt and had his memories suppressed by the Jedi Council in the hope that it would lead them to Star Forge. Close friend and Jedi Knight Bastila Shawn confirms this is true before sacrificing herself so the party can escape.

the genius of Star Wars: Knights of the Old RepublicIts plot twist is about how multifaceted it is. on the surface, Star Wars: KotorThe plot twist is immediately shocking. The reveal that the player is actually the big bad of the galaxy is a surprise the entire time, but there are enough breadcrumbs laid out to ensure that it makes perfect sense and that it rewards those who pay attention to the game's dialogue and lore.

but Star Wars: KotorThe plot twist goes beyond that initial, satisfying shock. After Darth Malak's escape from Leviathan, the weight of this twist sets in immediately. Friends who would otherwise trust the player-character with their lives waste no time in voicing their fear and concern that a warmonger is unknowingly serving a Sith Lord. At the same time, players are completely immersed in the role of Revan as they, like Revan, are blindsided by the revelation, forced to react on the spot to the inquiries of their friends.

Even after players restore or reshape their relationships with their friends, Star Wars: Knights of the Old RepublicDoes not leave a twist. This ultimately affects how players view their own relationship with the character they've created, as well as how they're taking on that character. For example, if the players were following Kotorof Dark Side Path, they may see this twist as confirmation that they are fulfilling Revan's destiny, while Joe was following. KotorWho's Light Side Path could see their journey as Revan's redemption after the twist. Regardless of how players decide to act after the reveal, there is no denying it Star Wars: Knights of the Old RepublicRevan's twist is one of the most powerful in gaming, affecting almost every aspect of the game from that point on.

Other great plot twists on Xbox

of course, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic It's not the only Xbox game to feature an incredible plot twist. Here are some other Xbox console games that have memorable plot twists centered around the player-character:

• Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty – Raiden is the main playable character, not Snake
• Halo 2 – The Arbiter is a secondary playable character and the Prophets activate the Elites, leading to a Covenant Civil War.
• Silent Hill 2 – The player-character is responsible for his wife's death, and the monsters of Silent Hill are a manifestation of his grief.
• bioshock – The player-character is brainwashed and controlled throughout the game
• Specific Ops: Line – The main villain was actually a hallucination brought on by the player-character's PTSD.
• Assassin's Creed 3 – The first playable character is actually a member of the Templar Order

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic's plot twist set an incredibly high bar for future games.

Just a handful Star Wars Games over the past four decades have advanced their own original plot twists, and those games that haven't have always done so successfully. Star Wars Jedi: Survivor This is one of the exceptions. throughout JD: Survivor, Players work with Bode Acuna, a mercenary who helps protagonist Cal Kestis in his search for the hidden planet of Tanalor. After finding the sanctuary planet, Bode turns on Cal, kills Jedi Master Cordova and reveals himself to be a former Jedi and fellow survivor of Order 66, but forced to work for the Empire as a spy.

Star Wars Jedi: SurvivorThe plot twist is certainly shocking, and it gives Respawn's Star Wars An intense third act sequel with high personal stakes. However JD: SurvivorThe twist cannot reach the high bar Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic Set 20 years ago.

No other plot twists Star Wars Video game history has managed to transcend the medium like many Kotorof, and also with the original Kotor Sports Director Casey Hudson on board, Star Wars: The Fate of the Old Republic Will have a hard time delivering a twist that's powerful or memorable. Still, with The KOTOR remake Hope is happening with one day and a possible, bright future FOTORRevan's legacy and plot twists may one day eclipse themselves. But until then, Kotor Always a great game to go back to.

issued

July 15, 2003

ESRB

T for Teens: Violence