Old review, thought I'd share:

I'm not a veteran Star Wars fan. I started watching it about a year ago (I know), and really loved the world and its strangeness. I was actually quite surprised how odd some of the original trilogy was! I quite like all the eras.
But I was looking for more, something different from the main flagship films. I thought that, with the force, light/dark side, the morality in Star Wars, that it could be really fascinating. Then I of course stumbled onto the KotOR games.
Man, this is what I was looking for. While I love the films, KotOR gave me a different view of Star Wars. I know George Lucas said Star Wars was for kids, but I think it can be so much more. Just what has been created in its world gives so much material. KotOR II I think is the best example. I know people want more of these games, but honestly, I think we're lucky to even get that, with such a mainstream and famous franchise.
I'm sure this has been said many times, but KotOR essentially deconstructed Star Wars for me. It was a mature, dark and thought-provoking take on it, written by intelligent writers who were really trying to expand it. It transcends just the simple good v evil, makes it complex, layered; and the way the force is developed is intriguing. What the true nature of the force is. To me its more like arthouse than big budget films. It's hard to really sum it up, I'd have to play it again.
But that's the beauty of it; it's not all neatly tied up, not hit you over the head with it, it respects the audience and let's you make your own interpretations. That's rare to find in media. All in all, both games are epic too, with some great characters. I love KotOR too, just felt no 2 went above and beyond what was before.
I suppose this is just an appreciation post of what I've found, and also that I wish more people saw this side of Star Wars, its potential.

Old review but thought I'd share:

I'm not a veteran Star Wars fan. I started watching it about a year ago (I know), and really loved the world and its strangeness. I was actually quite surprised how odd some of the original trilogy was! I quite like all the eras.

But I was looking for more, something different from the main flagship films. I thought that, with the force, light/dark side, the morality in Star Wars, that it could be really fascinating. Then I of course stumbled onto the KotOR games.

Man, this is what I was looking for. While I love the films, KotOR gave me a different view of Star Wars. I know George Lucas said Star Wars was for kids, but I think it can be so much more. Just what has been created in its world gives so much material. KotOR II I think is the best example. I know people want more of these games, but honestly, I think we're lucky to even get that, with such a mainstream and famous franchise.

I'm sure this has been said many times, but KotOR essentially deconstructed Star Wars for me. It was a mature, dark and thought-provoking take on it, written by intelligent writers who were really trying to expand it. It transcends just the simple good v evil, makes it complex, layered; and the way the force is developed is intriguing. What the true nature of the force is. To me its more like arthouse than big budget films. It's hard to really sum it up, I'd have to play it again.

But that's the beauty of it; it's not all neatly tied up, not hit you over the head with it, it respects the audience and let's you make your own interpretations. That's rare to find in media. All in all, both games are epic too, with some great characters. I love KotOR too, just felt no 2 went above and beyond what was before.

I suppose this is just an appreciation post of what I've found, and also that I wish more people saw this side of Star Wars, its potential.

Have you played Silent Hill 2?

Silent Hill 2 was an unforgettable experience. It’s hard to describe these sorts of experiences, but for some reason we get this need to share the feeling. It’s a very subconscious kind of experience, that’s more felt than anything. That doesn’t really translate into words. But I do want to express it.

SH2 haunts me. And to be honest it’s hard to look at games the same way. I’ve played a lot of games but none have affected me like this. I almost wonder why there aren’t more games like this? It’s a game that feels real (despite the surreal nature of it). It’s a real human story hidden in a horror game. To credit SH2 as just a horror game does a huge disservice to it. It’s so much more than that.

SH2 can really teach you things about who you are as a person. There are these fascinating hidden choice mechanics which are so much more subtle and organic than ‘RPG’s’. In RPG’s typically it’s choices like ‘charm/agressive/kill or save this guy’. SH2 choices are internal, they are you inside and they affect you in a real way. They are real things (looking at knives, reading suicidal notes, staying close to a loved one etc.). Like before I played this I never thought of mechanics like that, I’m baffled in a way in how obvious it is yet simple. Personally I’ve yet to see it replicated anywhere else with this quality.

The story...man the story. This is a psychological, human masterpiece. I literally am struggling to get that experience with any other game. Everything flows beautifully into one another. The slow unravelling of James (our protagonist), and what the story really is. All the characters have their own story, their own journey. Tragic, real stories. They're damaged in some way and they're looking for something. It’s not just a game for game’s sake, I feel like the creators really wanted to say something worthwhile. Meaningful. It’s just so mature and smartly realized. And utterly compelling. I think it’s because it’s an internal story most of all, it’s a game told through the inner life which is incredibly rare. And a town that reflects your subconscious. Genius! I think I’ve seen that idea in once before in a Tarkovsky film. It’s harrowing in the way that when you realize this about the game, you can interpret the monsters the way you see them: the nurses, monsters, Pyramid Head etc. And it depends on each person’s personal experience. Alongside that, you get so many different endings which completely change the story!

So all in all, it’s a layered piece of art. Art because it tries to go beyond a game into something more and higher. The characters aren’t ‘saints’, they challenge your conceptions. And I’d say it’s one of the best protagonists around because he’s so mysterious. Flawed but real. Whilst I think it’s easy to hate James and call him a terrible person (I know he killed someone), I think the game doesn’t present it in such a clear way. It isn’t just black and white, it wants you to think about it. Because his soul is in torment. Should we hope for his redemption?

Anyway, I don’t know if it just hit me at the right time. I recently went through a break-up, and somehow I found some comfort in playing SH2, maybe some catharsis. But I’ll never forget it.