KOTOR Content Download

By Hardcore

Attention! This piece contains a whole lot of spoilers for the new downloadable content for Star Wars®: Knights of the Old Republic™. You have been warned.

This week, in a very special edition of Hardcore’s Hardcorner, I have the inside scoop on (drum roll, please) …

The brand new Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republiccontent download available on Xbox Live!

What Light and Dark Sige equipment, weapons, and armor await on distant Yavin Station? What stunning new vistas and suspense-filled corridors lie just around the bend? What about that Rodian—is he really the only one here? Are there really Trandoshans around here, or what? Check out Hardcore’s hard analysis of the new equipment and your new best pal, Rodian inventor Suvam Tan.

Yavin Station, relic of the war against Exar Kun.

“I don’t really know much about this place. Sorry.”
That’s pretty much all your ol’ pal Carth Onasi has to say about the mysterious gas giant Yavin, the system from which Exar Kun launched his own Sith bid for galaxy domination a half-century earlier. Yes, the tried and true Yavin system—where ancient Sith went to die and future Rebels will come to discuss the finer points of exhaust ports and womp rats—is the new location that BioWare and LucasArts are offering Xbox gamers as KOTOR’s very first online content download. Yavin becomes available as soon as the galaxy map does (in other words, Dantooine). You can even go there before you complete the Jedi trials, if you have credits burning a hole in your robes.

Yavin Station (you won’t be visiting the jungle moon Yavin IV—at least, not yet) orbits the red gas giant Yavin, not far from Yavin IV. People in these parts really like the name Yavin, I guess. The station is a low-rent pre-fab job, not much more than a galactic trailer, really. The Republic left it behind when the threat posed by Exar Kun had subsided and most of the Sith ruins on Yavin IV were bombed into oblivion. Now, the de facto master of the place—in a manner of speaking—is a Rodian inventor named Suvam Tan. And, far be it for Hardcore to say it, but it seems that all this time in deep space with no one but Trandoshans and smugglers for company had made Tan a bit dodgy.

Meet the merchant.

“Is there anything else you need?”
Suvam Tan’s story is quite interesting, I don’t want to spoil it for my fellow hardcore KOTOR fans. However, I will give you a taste of the initial equipment outlay available from the Rodian merchant. Start salivating.

Suvam Tan’s Stuff

Tan says: “A relatively new type of power-assisted armor … resulting in greater strength and faster reaction times.”

Hardcore says: Of the two new sets of armor, the light exoskeleton will probably see the most use. Mission Vao is finally a decent melee combatant with the exoskeleton, and the Jedi main characters that value melee strength over Force power variety will find it useful, too.

Light Exoskeleton boosts Strength and Dexterity.

Tan says: “A specialty of the Baragwin, this modifiable suit has advance adaptive camouflage technology…generally only sold to respected governments, but a number have found their way into more disreputable distribution channels.”

Hardcore says: Another solid choice for Mission or your own stealth-centered character, but not as flashy as the Exoskeleton.

Mission Vao is ready for a night on the rooftops.

Tan says: “[They] allow the user greater accuracy when aiming their own weapons and also warn when incoming fire would likely hit the wearer.”

Hardcore says: Sweet! Finally, blaster bolt deflection for the common (i.e. non-Jedi) user. Of course, you can also slap it on a Jedi and free up a crystal slot that you’d preciously been wasting on the deflection crystal.

Tan says: “ … greatly heightens the user’s awareness … ”

Hardcore says: You will never miss a trick, trap, or enemy with this implant. The Dex boost doesn’t hurt, either. This is another great boost for stealth characters.

Tan says: “This detailed micro-computer attempts to stabilize the user’s system and remove undesirable elements from it.”

Hardcore says: Two great immunities in one! Worth the price.

Tan says: “A super-efficient version of a normal droid energy shield … the protection gained is equal, if not superior, to a normal light droid energy shield.”

Hardcore says: This is how you know it’s a fantasy game—this shieldnever runs out of juice (well, as long as the droid is still running). Light power, but endless use.

Please, Sir, Could Hardcore Have Some More?
It appears that there’s plenty of room, both plot-wise and on the physical map of Yavin Station, for things to expand. These Trandoshans and smugglers could provide new enemies or side quests, as Hardcore hopes. All the Xbox Live gaming public can do to show its collective love for KOTOR is to download the update—immediately. Let them know you want more. We all must do our part … because the galaxy hangs in the balance.

Now, go. Complete your training!