TheKnights of the Old Republicgames are a highly respected addition to the gaming catalog ofStar Warsmedia, and it is clear to see why. Offering a truly expansive RPG experience set within a relatively unexplored older era of the iconic space-set franchise, rumors and reports of remakes for the titles have long dominated sections of theStar Warsdiscourse.
While theKnights of the Old Republicgames carry a level of prestige with them, a relatively underappreciated aspect of the titles is the exploration of more macabre horror elements that are not seen elsewhere in theStar Warsfranchise. Given the recent state ofStar Warsmedia and a growing fan desire for more unique approaches to the franchise’s media, remakes for theKnights of the Old Republicgames would do well to lean into these aforementioned horror aspects.
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The State of the Knights of the Old Republic Remake
Official confirmation that a remake ofthe originalKnights of the Old Republicis in the works first came in 2021 during the PlayStation showcase, generating huge amounts of hype for long-term fans of the franchise. The original title released in 2003 and was developed by BioWare, with the intense cult following that the game possesses to this day leading many to believe that an eventual remaster of the game was an inevitability.
Despite the clear desire for such a remaster, fans were recently disappointed with the news thatdevelopment of theKnights of the Old Republicremakehad been suspended indefinitely. The title was originally under the development of Aspyr Media, with the team being made up of some of BioWare’s originalKOTORwriters who wanted to bring the title up to speed with the modern gaming landscape while remaining faithful to the original story.
However, a spate of firings and internal disappointment regarding the state of development behind the remake has led to significant delays and likely outsources to other companies, leaving the future of the remake shrouded in uncertainty. That being said, given the work that has already been done with the remake as well as the intense fan desire for the project, it is still likely that the game will eventually release, and it could provide a much-desireddarker twist toStar Warsmedia.
How a Knights of the Old Republic Remake Could Use Horror Elements
While it is true thatStar Warshas an undeniable level of family-fun charm to it, the sheer scope and scale of the universe it is set in fosters an essentially limitless amount of tones and genres to be explored. Given howserious the stories ofStar Warsmedia often areat their very core, fans have wanted darker and even scarier themes have long been desired to come to the forefront of the franchise for some time.
For example, therecentAndorTV showowes a lot of its success to its darker themes, which has won the show a perhaps unexpected amount of plaudits from viewers. Many have used this success as a tangible indicator for a desire for darkerStar Warsgames, and aKOTORremake would be the perfect place to deliver this.
TheKOTORgames are already known for their comparatively darker tones, with the earlier time in which they are set evoking an almost Medieval overarching influence to the story and overall ambiance. A remake would do well to expand upon these pre-existing themes, utilizing the already-sinister role of dark side forces in a more foreboding and overtly malicious manner. With how the game allows the player to choose either the light or dark side of the force, the horror elements of the title could even be propagated by the player themselves, should they choose to explore the dark side. Given the already existing darker tone ofKOTORand the more recent success of darker themes withinStar Wars, a more horror-focused tone within the highly anticipated remake of the original title would be a fantastic move.
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic Remakeis reportedly still in development.
