Mass Effect and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic were both developed by BioWare, but that's not the only thing these two space operas have in common. In many ways, the first Mass Effect game feels like a spiritual successor to KOTOR. Both have customizable characters, multiple classes, a morality system, branching dialogue trees, and a cast of beloved crewmates with which each protagonist can build relationships.
The commonalities between the two titles are incredibly apparent when exploring the first major area of each game, too. Mass Effect 1's Citadel and KOTOR's city of Taris both present futuristic city-scapes, but the resemblance doesn't stop there. The two settings fulfill gameplay, story, and worldbuilding purposes within their respective titles to such a similar degree that it's almost uncanny.
Mass Effect 1 and KOTOR: A Quiet Break From the Action
Both KOTOR and Mass Effect 1 start off with a bang; the former tasks players with having to escape a spacecraft under siege, while the latter kicks off with a highly sensitive mission gone horribly wrong. After each of these intense introductions, both titles deliver a quieter change of scenery. In KOTOR, players are dropped onto the Sith-occupied city of Taris, while Commander Shepard arrives at the ancient-yet-advanced Citadel following Mass Effect's first mission.
These locations offer a reprieve from each game's action-heavy opening by presenting players with their first chance to explore their surroundings. Through talking to NPCs, reading data logs, and even just simply observing the layout of these cities, one can learn a lot about each area. This exploration is mostly free of conflict aside from a few key areas, too.
Taris and The Citadel: Layout And Entertainment
Beyond an obvious physical resemblance, the two cities also share similar layouts. KOTOR's planet-wide city of Taris is divided into a few different sections. The Upper City is reserved for the wealthy elite, whereas less-affluent folks are relegated to the middle, lower, and under-cities. On the other hand, the Citadel, as it is presented in Mass Effect 1, is only divided into two core sections — the Presidium and the Wards. The former is a prestigious locale that boasts a bustling marketplace while housing the Citadel's well-off residents. The latter is a tad seedier, as it's rife with crime, black market merchants, and shady underworld bosses.
Comparable forms of entertainment can also be found in each city, as KOTOR's card game, Pazaak, and Mass Effect 1's Quasar minigame are both seemingly inspired by Blackjack. For those unfamiliar, Blackjack starts with each player being randomly dealt two numbered cards, and the goal is to build a hand that has a higher numerical value than the dealer's hand. If a player needs to stack their hand, one can "hit" to draw an additional card, or they can "stay" to end their turn if their hand is desirable. But if the value of a player's hand surpasses 21, their funds are forfeit.
KOTOR's Pazaak is nearly identical to Blackjack, except that the upper limit is 20 instead of 21. Additionally, negative-value cards can be used to decrease the grand total of one's hand, which is simply not possible in real-life Blackjack. Quasar is a little plainer, as there's no dealer to beat, but the central goal is still the same as it is in KOTOR's minigame: Hit or stay to get as close to 20 as humanly possible.
Species Discrimination in Mass Effect 1 and KOTOR
The two locations also touch on themes of discrimination in galaxies inhabited by multiple species. Mass Effect is largely focused on humanity's response to the discovery of extraterrestrial life, and as one can probably assume, there are many humans who hold ill will towards their galactic neighbors simply because they aren't human. Such discriminatory behavior is most visible on the Citadel, which hosts an incredible number of alien races.
While roaming the Citadel, Commander Shepard can be confronted by Charles Saracino, head of the Terra Firma Party — a human-exclusive political organization built on an anti-alien platform that opposes diplomacy with non-humans. Saracino tries to persuade Shepard, who was recently declared the first human Spectre, to endorse him in an upcoming election, and the commander can either support him or condemn him for his views.
As for Taris, players can encounter Gorton Colu, leader of the aptly named Anti-Alien League. The human supremacist tries to recruit the player to his cause, and just like Shepard's interaction with Saracino, the player can either confront Colu on his views or outright join the discriminatory organization. Players can also observe an Ithorian resident of Taris suffering physical abuse at the hands of two kids. They add further insult to injury with some xenophobic rhetoric, tragically driving home the point that humankind may not look too kindly on aliens in the Star Wars universe.
Mass Effect 1 and KOTOR: Getting the Gang Together
It's also worth noting that players will pick up a great deal of each game's party members in these two early areas. Upon arriving on the Citadel, Shepard will already be allied with Ashley Williams and Kaidan Alenko, and by the time the Alliance commander departs for the next world, the commander will have recruited Garrus, Wrex, and Tali to come on board the Normandy. Likewise, the protagonist of KOTOR wakes up on Taris accompanied by Carth Onasi, and can recruit T3-M4, Mission Vao, Zaalbar, Bastila Shan, and Canderous Ordo prior to heading off-world in the Ebon Hawk.
There are also some uncanny comparisons to be drawn between certain party members met on Taris and the Citadel. KOTOR's Wookiee companion, Zaalbar, and Mass Effect's Urdnot Wrex are two brutish characters who have left their homeworlds behind thanks to family conflicts. Zaalbar was exiled following a heated battle with his brother, who was selling Wookiees into slavery. Inversely, Wrex voluntarily left his home planet after his father tried to murder him due to Wrex's differing ideology.
Additionally, Tali and Bastila Shan's introductions are quite alike, too. Both are rescued by each game's protagonist, and the two characters are also critical in advancing their respective plots; Tali delivers Shepard evidence of Saren's betrayal of the Citadel Council, while Bastila's rescue prompts the Jedi warrior to convince the Jedi Council to train the protagonist.
Getting Off of Taris and The Citadel
Before ending the first stops on their respective journeys, Mass Effect and KOTOR's protagonists each get their hands on a high-tech spaceship. Shepard is granted control of the Normandy, while KOTOR assigns players the Ebon Hawk. However, the circumstances under which each protagonist departs differ; Shepard leaves with little trouble, but KOTOR's heroes have to steal the Ebon Hawk from a local crime lord while circumventing a planet-wide lockdown. Funnily enough, Shepard and his squad are also tasked with getting around strict travel restrictions while trying to leave the Citadel during the third act of Mass Effect's story.
Mass Effect and KOTOR have a great deal in common with one another, and the similarities between the Citadel and Taris showcase how BioWare's prior work might have played a role in shaping the developer's landmark space trilogy. What's truly impressive is that despite these common traits, the two locations still feel distinct, which is perhaps a testament to BioWare's affinity for making familiar settings, storylines, and world elements feel fresh; a knack first exhibited when the developer put its own unique spin on Star Wars in 2003.
Mass Effect: Legendary Edition is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.