How the KOTOR remake can learn from Final Fantasy VII Remake

Knights of the Old Republic (KOTOR) is a fantastic RPG, but some elements are dated. Even though graphics might be the first thing that comes to mind for many, there is a very disliked aspect that feels more aged with time. This is referring to the combat, which was turn-based in the originals.

The Knights of the Old Republic (KOTOR) video game was released in 2003 and suffered from the restrictions of the day. It was perfectly legitimate for a triple-A developer to release a turn-based game at that time, and great combat would have taken up precious time and manpower. This is a stark contrast to today when turn-based combat is more of an indie game feature.

A majority of gamers today prefer high-action or well-developed combat. It's hard to imagine playing as a Jedi and not having high control of how they swing their lightsabers. Final Fantasy VII also had this problem, and the developers did a fantastic job of fixing it.

Knights of the Old Republic (KOTOR) can learn from how Final Fantasy VII satisfied old and new fans

In 1997, Final Fantasy VII was released at a time when most JRPGs had turn-based combat. Final Fantasy VII had a much larger fan base than many other JRPGs and even greater expectations. Square Enix could have easily messed up this game, but instead, they set a perfect precedent for a remake of Knights of the Old Republic.

Square Enix essentially enhanced the speed of Final Fantasy VII and made it more responsive to player input, making the game feel much faster. The turn-based aspect is still present, but things are running at a much faster pace. In fact, the player can hold down the attack button and have the same experience as button mashing it.

The turn-based aspect has not changed, so players can proceed as they normally would. This allowed Square Enix to appease fans of the old combat and those who thought the combat was dated. BioWare already did the same thing in Dragon Age 2, but the remake of Final Fantasy VII managed it so much better.

Knights of the Old Republic (KOTOR) has fans who would be very vocal if KOTOR removed the turn-based combat, so the developers need to be careful. Since this worked so well in the Final Fantasy VII Remake, I think the KOTOR Remake deserves it. Final Fantasy VII Remake is a shining example for KOTOR, and they shouldn't ignore the positive reception.