Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic is an RPG set in the Star Wars universe developed by BioWare back in 2003. A sequel was made in 2004 to continue the epic story, but sadly due to licensing issues, we will probably never see a KOTOR 3. An MMORPG was made in 2011, but it sadly has not scratched the same itch that the original two did. If you’ve played through the original two thousands of times and are looking for other games like KOTOR, check out these eight games that remind us of those masterpieces.
If you’re interested in more KOTOR content, check out our post on the best lightsaber builds or the best planet order for KOTOR 2!
The Mass Effect Series
Mass Effect is the first game on our list that reminds of us KOTOR. It was also developed by BioWare, so it has a lot of similar qualities as KOTOR and brings some new elements that you may enjoy. While there are four games in the series, the last game, Mass Effect: Andromeda, was not as well received as the first three.
Mass Effect is an action RPG with a lot of dialogue options and morality that affects the gameplay just like KOTOR’s influence system. Players are able to select a class for their main character, Commander Shepherd, each one with different benefits. Battles take place in real-time using various ranged weapons and grenades. Players are able to select a class for their main character, Commander Shepherd.
BioWare sought to create a big and memorable story and it is widely accepted that the Mass Effect Series was their best RPG series following KOTOR. Out of all of the entries in this games like KOTOR list, Mass Effect is without a doubt the best RPG fans of KOTOR will enjoy.
The Fable Series
Developed by Lionhead Studios, Fable is another action RPG. With a total of three main games and an anniversary edition, Fable is an epic RPG you should definitely play if you enjoyed KOTOR. It is easy to think of Fable as a medieval KOTOR. Fable features a third-person perspective with a rich quest fueled storyline and a similar combat system. Players can use either melee weapons, ranged weapons, or spells to defeat their foes. The game also features an attribute and an alignment system like KOTOR.
Dragon Age Origins
Another great RPG from BioWare, Dragon Age: Origins is a spiritual successor to two other games included on this list – Baldur’s Gate and Neverwinter Nights. A dark heroic fantasy action RPG based on The Lord of the Rings and George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire, Dragon Age: Origins took seven years to develop and is nothing short of a masterpiece.
Featuring a class system and choice of race, Dragon Age: Origins provides an immersive world of lore, quests, and companions to fight alongside you as you try to defeat the Archdemon. Origins feature a unique dialogue tree that offers several options for the player during a conversation with NPCs. Certain quests can be unlocked and lore can be revealed through dialogue. The player’s dialogue choices even affect the game’s world and character’s progression.
Morrowind
Probably the most different from KOTOR, but in a good way, Bethesda’s Morrowind is a great RPG from the early 2000s that can fill the hole left in your heart by the lack of KOTOR 3. Morrowind is an immense open-world RPG that features a multitude of races, classes, skills, items, quests, and more. You name it, it’s got it. Want to be an acrobat that jumps around and shoots people with a bow? Sure. Want to be a mage, crafting your own spells and potions? Go for it.
A medieval RPG, Morrowind will be missing the sci-fi elements of KOTOR, however it makes up for this with its immense freedom of choice and gameplay. You decide the character you want to be!
Baldur’s Gate
Another BioWare game and another fantasy RPG, Baldur’s Gate features an isometric third-person perspective, quest heavy gameplay, and Dungeons and Dragons based combat system. Like KOTOR, your damage, chance to hit, and more is based on the roll of a dice. 1d8 for a strike with a longsword, 1d4 for a dagger, a critical hit on a 20.
Dialogue is a very important aspect of the game. The dialogue in Baldur’s Gate features a number of responses the player can use. These options lead to new quests, services, or allow them to influence a situation.
Neverwinter Nights
BioWare is really just pumping out great RPGs huh? Neverwinter Nights, another BioWare RPG, another DnD based combat system. Neverwinter Nights has a similar character creation style as Baldur’s Gate. Create your own character or pick one of the ready-made characters. With 60 hours of gameplay in the main campaign alone, you’ll be playing Neverwinter Nights for a long time to come once you get hooked. If you do end up playing through every minute of content, Neverwinter Nights shipped with the Aurora toolset. This toolset allows people to create custom modules for the game. There are thousands upon thousands of custom adventures for you to choose from!
Jade Empire
This one is from the game development company… BioWare! While this is another fantasy-based RPG, Jade Empire is based on Chinese mythology. You are able to pick from six different characters, three of each gender with varying base stats. Dialogue choices also affect the character’s alignment like in most RPGs and alter the ending the player gets upon completion of the game. If you’re a fan of KOTOR, but want a different fantasy-style RPG, we highly suggest you check out Jade Empire.
The Witcher Series
CD Projekt Red’s critically acclaimed video game series, The Witcher is another masterpiece like Mass Effect. With three games in the series, there is hundreds of hours of content for any RPG lover. If you liked playing KOTOR for the amazing lore, rich dialogue, and an alchemy system like no other. If you have a habit of save-scumming, i.e. reloading past saves because you don’t like the outcome of your choices, then be prepared to break that habit! The Witcher features a time-delayed decision-consequence system. This means that your decisions will have repercussions later that may not be immediately apparent.
Players often find themselves making a decision between the lesser of two evils rather than a clear choice between light and good. In KOTOR, it is usually pretty clear cut and dry which decision will result in light side points or dark side points. This leads to a lot more interesting gameplay experience for the player throughout all three games.
Final Notes
When it comes to finding a game like KOTOR, you are ideally looking for one main thing – a great RPG. A lot of RPGs feature a variety of different combat or dialogue systems, but until you give them a shot you won’t know if it’ll be your next favorite. All of the above games are fairly similar to KOTOR, but if one of these isn’t to your liking try branching out and looking at other RPGs. We hope you enjoyed our 8 Games Like KOTOR article and are able to scratch that RPG itch!