Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic getting a remake is exciting for the amount of potential it could have through a modern reimagining. The remake itself is in a fairly contentious position, and a KOTOR remake may be a pipe dream at this point, but it is still interesting to consider how Saber Interactive could iterate upon the Star Wars RPG. For example, one of KOTOR’s planets could easily take inspiration from modern horror remakes such as Dead Space or Resident Evil 4.
There is the question of whether KOTOR’s round-based gameplay will be reprised with D&D systems to decide whether attacks land or miss, or if it will attempt to feature an open-world instead of particular levels designed as expansive planets. Each planet in KOTOR has its own unique feel that helps to make it identifiable apart from Star Wars’ traditional iconography, and Manaan is particularly distinct in that it could feel like a survival-horror level in the KOTOR remake by leaning on mechanics and features from horror’s recent remakes.
Star Wars: KOTOR’s Manaan Has the Foundations of a Horror Game
KOTOR’s Manaan has two separate sequences that are starkly opposite: one above water that delves into neutral Selkath politics and the ideologies between the Sith and the Republic, and one below water where players slowly inch their way through a narrative that could have been part of a survival-horror game like Resident Evil.
Manaan’s waters have been abandoned during research efforts and the Selkath who have seemingly gone insane, killing others in the process. It is soon discovered that a massive firaxan shark had somehow caused the Selkath to go insane, and only a few scientists are left underwater and helpless.
Players defend themselves from the Selkath here, but soon they must don a diving suit and wade out into the open water where other smaller sharks pose a unique threat. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic suddenly strips players of their weapons and only a sonic emitter is available for players to defend themselves. The sonic emitter has infinite uses and instantly kills these firaxa, but the whole sequence feels uniquely like an instance out of Resident Evil.
How Dead Space and Resident Evil Could Inspire the KOTOR Remake
Two scientists later pose individual ways to deal with the threat they are facing, and it is up to players to decide which they would like to follow through on. This entire sequence underwater would be exceptional in the KOTOR remake if it leaned heavily on its survival-horror foundations, such as having limited uses for the sonic emitter and having the pitch darkness of the underwater area allow sharks to appear suddenly.
Players are incredibly slow while in the diving suit and the KOTOR remake could take advantage of this in a terrifying way, similar to how EA Motive’s Dead Space remake improved the original’s lighting in order to create much more threatening corridors. Having a purely survival-horror sequence would also be a fantastic way for the KOTOR remake to break up its regular gameplay, and is what makes Manaan as distinguished as it is already since it emulates the limited resources and creepy atmosphere of a Resident Evil game.
It would be a shame to see this section omitted or changed in the remake as a result, while mistakes on KOTOR planets like Taris have a lot that could be changed or improved about them. Manaan is easily one of the more laid-back or passive planets without nearly as many combat encounters as Kashyyyk or Korriban, but that is what makes it special, and the remake would do well to honor that faithfully.
The Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic remake is reportedly back in development.