The Best Xbox Game Every Year 2001 - 2024

22. 2003 - Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic

Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic KOTOR
Bioware

It's one thing to press a button and swing an electronic lightsabre, but it's a whole other to step into the galaxy far, far away and live it. This is what made 2003's Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic as special as it was.

KOTOR, as it's come to be known, is revered for a good number of things. It's one of the games that really put BioWare on the map before they started work on their own IPs. It innovated on character customisation for the genre, offering various classes and the chance to fight on either the light or dark side of the force. More than this, alongside Elder Scrolls III, it was one of the first truly massive feeling Western RPGs to land on a console, as the Xbox version pre-dated the game's release on PC, showing that console gaming could rival computers.

KOTOR sold out in four days thanks to hungry Star Wars fans that were inspired by its rave reviews about its story, writing and fully-voiced characters.

If you enjoyed the recently released prequel films, this game felt like an epic continuation. If you disliked them, KOTOR's deep narrative was the salve for your wounds. Knights of the Old Republic is still heralded by many Star Wars fans as one of the most engaging tales in the universe over 20 years later.

Contributor

Coming from a content creation background that now spans over two decades, Psy cut her teeth on personal video production and community radio. Originally joining the team as a writer and presenter, she added video editing duties to her responsibilities over time and became the longest-standing editor of the irreverent gaming show Tues Your Own Adventure. Psy has worked on many previews and reviews, long-form editorials (either her own, or supporting as an editor), as a frequent quizmaster and more. Praised for the two-pronged attack of her hard work ethic and light-hearted editing style, Psy is otherwise known as a font of retro video game knowledge which has caused her to rack up many quiz wins. Outside of WhatCulture, Psy runs First Aid Spray Podcast - a long-running channel that focuses on Resident Evil in all of it's forms. You can follow her on BlueSky at http://psywhite.bsky.social and Instagram at http://instagram.com/therealpsywhite