Highlights
- Knights of the Old Republic 2 introduces new party members with more nuanced and complex story arcs compared to its predecessor, thanks to strong writing and deeper development.
- Some party members, like Mical and T3-M4, may not be as powerful in combat or conversation but offer valuable skills and abilities, such as information gathering and security system manipulation.
- Characters like G0-T0 and Hanharr have unique traits and utility but may not be as memorable or impactful as other party members in the game.
As a sequel to one of the most acclaimed Star Wars games ever, Knights of the Old Republic 2 had a lot to live up to. Among the high bars are the characters. The first game gave players a host of crewmembers from all walks of the galaxy, and each of them had their own demons to overcome and stories to tell.
Knights of the Old Republic 2 crafts another party made of new and returning faces. While these guys aren't as memorable on a surface level, they ultimately prove more nuanced than their predecessors. This is largely thanks to the strong writing, but it also comes down to the deeper development. Many of these new party members can train in the Force to become Jedi or Sith.
Updated on September 30th, 2023 by Hodey Johns: "Best" is always going to be somewhat subjective. For example, nobody is lukewarm on HK-47. They either love his hilarious sarcasm and proclivity to start fights or find him one-dimensional and evil. Therefore, opinion will play a large role in how this list shakes out. But it is not the only factor. Knights of the Old Republic 2, after all, involves fighting and combat. Those are practical and can be measured. But this list has also adjusted for conversational and technical value since these checks and inputs also make a difference. The game can be won with any companions but the story will be much more or less dynamic based on the crew that comes along.
12 Mical
This party member is exclusive to the female protagonist, latching onto her like a lost puppy. Mical began his Jedi learning but never made it to apprenticeship due to the war. Meeting the player gives him newfound confidence. Throughout the journey, he organically displays an increasing initiative. His story arc is one players will root for.
His book smarts make him a valuable source of info and mean he's the easiest to train as a Jedi. Unfortunately, his stats are terrible for a Jedi Consular which is the class he ends up becoming. He's not in battle before or after. Without the technical skills or insightful dialogue, Mical is likable but not at all powerful.
11 T3-M4
This little R2-D2 knockoff fulfills the same function he did in the first game. Specifically, he splices into security systems and gets the group through locked doors. This also means he has the same weaknesses in combat as blasters are not particularly effective
The script admirably tries to compensate for this through narrative intervals. Certain solo sections give T3 a chance to come through for the rest of the crew, but these don't have the intended impact due to his continued shortage of personality. He's good at getting into areas for pieces that enhance one of the best weapon crafting systems in the ARPG genre but he's a letdown in both combat and conversation.
10 G0-T0
He may look like an Imperial interrogation droid, but G0-T0 is actually a crime lord. He's the mind behind the shadowy Exchange, and he reluctantly helps the heroes here. That's tricky when he doesn't believe in the Republic as a system. He prizes efficiency above all and doesn't let little things like ethics get in the way.
It's also why it's no surprise that he prefers machines to organics. G0-T0's specialty is scrambling droids. However, that only comes into play during certain situations. When fighting non-mechanized opponents, his utility is limited. He makes for some good accidental humor in the game, but he's hardly one of the best villains in Star Wars games.
9 Bao-Dur
This bionic boy has some novelty right off the bat: he's a Tech Specialist, a class new to the sequel. His little droid friend can misdirect, sabotage, or outflank enemies, and his mechanical expertise is a great help in crafting and customization. He can be trained as a Jedi, but this is a tough trade-off as he'll lose his great skill progression to become one of the weaker combatants even after training.
Usually, when he's in a party, it's because he has access to some of the best skills in the game. That can be useful if players have a duo that can handle everything else. Future Star Wars games can learn from this title and letting Jedi retain their skills isn't a bad idea.
8 Hanharr
This bounty hunter only joins players who align with the Dark Side. Not to say all Wookiees look alike, but Hanharr is basically Zaalbar from the first game without the honor or the depth. The developers must have taken his Dark Side allegiance as an excuse to make him a one-note beast.
On the upside, he does come in handy as a fighter. He can make one of the hardest Star Wars games a little easier in a pinch, but his attitude is a liability and his tanking abilities, while good, are easily duplicated by others or the main character.
7 HK-47
Like with T3, HK-47 sports the same pluses and minuses he did originally. The additional downside, though, is that players won't require his translation skills like before, so they likely won't add him to their party often.
The game tries to build some mystery regarding his memory banks and what happened to his previous master, but it players already know he was Revan's droid. Still, for those who love him, he definitely can be a contributor to what gives this game some of the deepest lore in the RPG genre.
6 Mira
Hanharr's rival joins the Light Side players. Mira's demolition skills make her similar to Mission Vao of the previous title. She can navigate minefields and rain down widespread destruction on enemies. What's more, her training as a Jedi later makes her enticing as a melee fighter. It's just a shame she's not as engaging as Mission.
She'd be higher on this list if she had a more clear build. Statistically, she's better geared to wield blasters than a lightsaber but the power of Jedi training is tough to pass up. Against some of the best bosses in Star Wars, she's usually not the star of the show.
5 Mandalore
Another familiar face returns, but this one hides behind a helmet. Fans, though, will recognize the voice of Mandalorian merc Canderous Ordo. Thankfully, he's a bit more interesting here due to the mystery and his goal of restoring his people.
He couples this with the same prowess with heavy weaponry and stat battle boosts. Fans who are worried that the years have made him soft can rest easy, as they'll need him for some of the tougher melee foes this time around. Statistically, he's all about damage and tanking, but unlike some other combat-heavy heroes, he has some good insight to offer. This Star Wars game needs a sequel and, if so, Ordo should be in it.
4 Atton Rand
Atton might seem like the discount Carth Onasi at first glance. His smart-aleck attitude and penchant for blasters only cement that impression. Granted, that's no bad thing during shootouts, but the past eventually comes out and he wants to redeem himself. He initially seems like a one-dimensional goof, but the journey from cold-blooded killer to loyal Jedi is the most fleshed-out in the game.
The fact that he's a strong ally both before and after this training would be enough, but he has other talents, too. His unscrupulous past means he can splice into computers nearly as well as a droid. Most beneficial is his resistance to mind-melting moves like Force Fear and Force Stun.
3 Brianna
The other Jedi novice only joins up with the male protagonist. Players meet her at the rundown Jedi Academy. Despite the place's sorry state, she and the other handmaidens have a fierce loyalty to their master, Atris, that borders on indoctrination. The best thing for her is to see the galaxy and interact with the player and the other denizens. Confronting Atris later creates a worthwhile yet tragic arc and making this one of Obsidian's best games.
Brianna wields her staff with skill and grace worthy of a warrior. She's definitely among the more capable melee fighters early on, a strength amplified by Jedi training. Like Mical, prior knowledge gives her a leg up in this area but, unlike Mical, she's gifted at the Jedi training she embraces.
2 Visas Marr
Visas suffers a similar upbringing to Brianna, but it's taken to a greater extreme. She's enthralled by Darth Nihilus, one of the most intimidating and intriguing villains in the Star Wars saga. Through their interactions with Marr, players learn the depths of terror that he instills. However, Visas also learns of a life beyond servitude. Confronting her master thus feels like a rite of passage akin to Brianna and Atris' battle.
Of course, it's easy to see why Nihilus picked her as his assassin. Her lightsaber skills make her deadly close-up, and she can use the Force to extend her range through guided throws. That's not all, though. On top of seeing through walls, she has access to countless Dark Side moves. Chief among these is draining one's life force; the same suffering that Nihilus regularly inflicts on her.
1 Kreia
The player's mysterious mentor defies the traditional binary nature of Star Wars, even more than a Gray Jedi. Kreia remains strictly in the middle of the moral spectrum throughout the whole game. She can master both Light and Dark Side powers, making her more widely useful than most other Jedi. True, some characters can be better fighters or more adept at certain abilities, but Kreia's malleability is an advantage in a party that needs to be ready for anything.
Conversations with her turn the entire saga on its head. She's always the wisest in the room, but that wisdom doesn't always translate to the traditional definition of "good." She's a challenge for one of gaming's all-time best morality systems. As a result, her conversations are full of insight and unpredictability, making her one of the best to have for any given social situation.
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic 2 is available now for PC, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, and Mobile.