Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic is highly regarded as one of (if not the) best Star Wars games ever made. Many fans of the RPG classic are having a mixed bag of excited and anxious reactions to the rumors of a remake of Knights of the Old Republic. The original is held in very high esteem in general, so a level of apprehension about any changes to the original is natural. If a KOTOR remake is indeed in the works, its developers would do well to take a look at a title that was in a similar position: Final Fantasy 7 Remake.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake had a lead up that was very similar to the one now about the rumored KOTOR remake. The original Final Fantasy 7 is held in similar regard to KOTOR by many fans. Many were worried that changes to the game's combat system would betray the spirit of the original game. While it will be impossible to make every fan happy, if the rumored KOTOR remake wants to meet the same level of success it could stand to take some notes to how Final Fantasy 7 Remake handled the adaptation of the original's turn-based combat.
What a KOTOR Remake Could Learn From FF7 Remake
Adapting such a hugely popular and well-regarded title like Knights of the Old Republic will be a challenge regardless of what changes are made. Much like the original Final Fantasy 7, many veteran fans are likely to feel spurned by any minute changes.
Since it's likely that a KOTOR remake will make serious changes to its combat it would be worthwhile to look to what Final Fantasy 7 Remake did right given its similar circumstances. Bringing KOTOR into the modern era of gaming will likely include updating the turn-based combat to a more action-focused affair. While some are likely to be resistant to the change, it doesn't inherently mean it's a bad decision. Learning from where Final Fantasy 7 Remake succeeded in adapting older gameplay mechanics would be a good jumping off point.
What Final Fantasy 7 Remake got right was in how carefully it adapted the formerly turn-based mechanics into an action foundation. Starting with a solid framework for the real-time aspects will be crucial.
In Final Fantasy 7 Remake, each characters combat felt unique. Tifa's combo system mixed with her weapon abilities that empowered her normal combo felt distinct even from the most similar character, Cloud. His sword combos and stance switch created a unique feel, and his weapon abilities were more about balancing range and inflicting heavy damage all at once. If a KOTOR remake is hoping to improve on the original, while shifting towards real-time action, the base combos between the different characters need to feel unique and satisfying to play in the way Final Fantasy 7 Remake succeeded.
The second, and likely more important, factor will be in how a remake of KOTOR incorporates its RPG elements into the combat. A system similar to Final Fantasy 7 Remake might work well for KOTOR. Final Fantasy 7 Remake faithfully adapted the Materia system from the original that felt very similar. Managing abilities and special skills in a KOTOR remake will be just as crucial, and it might be worthwhile to even emulate the way Final Fantasy 7 Remake handled the tactical side of combat.
A system for slowing down time while players make more strategic decisions and issue commands to companions wouldn't feel out of place in a game set in the Star Wars universe. It could feel natural for a Force-sensitive to be able to take a moment to assess a situation before employing unique abilities. Many fans already think KOTOR can't be topped, so walking this tightrope will be crucial. But examining the successes of Final Fantasy 7 Remake could be a great place to start.
A Knights of the Old Republic is rumored to be in development.