Why Taris is GENIUS | Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (KOTOR) | (SPOILERS)

Let’s talk about why we shouldn’t skip Taris. For being such a historic RPG, the first level of Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (2003), Taris, is strangely different from the rest of the space opera adventure that follows. In this video essay, I draw on cognitive narratology to conduct a close reading of Taris, and explore how Taris serves the overall narrative of kotor.
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Chapters
00:00 How You End Up on Taris
00:53 The Premise of Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
01:53 Intro to Taris
02:36 If You Think Taris Is A Drag, I’m Not Here to Drag You (Disclaimer)
03:21 A Thought Experiment: In This Essay I WILL
04:05 KOTOR Spoiler Warning
04:43 Thesis Statement: Taris is Essential to the Narrative of Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
06:30 Cognitive Narratology: Foregrounding My Reading of Taris
07:41 What Does This Have To Do With KOTOR?
09:13 How Taris Establishes Lore and Themes
19:50 Bastila as Mythic Figure and How This Shapes the Playable Character’s Position in the Narrative
20:31 How Quest Design Shapes Narrative Experience: The Search for Bastila Spiralling Out of Control
26:06 Local Power Dynamics on Taris
29:31 Taris: A Thematic Critique of Wealth Hoarding
32:57 The Emotional Shock of Meeting Bastila Shan: An Analysis
38:01 Canderous Order Joins the Party and Carth Can’t Cope
42:23 Bastila Analysis
44:23 The Destruction of Taris and Its’ Narrative Consequence
48:29 KOTOR Post Taris
51:48 SPOILER WARNING | Also, How Taris Sharpens The Cognitive and Emotional Experience of the Late Game
55:27 TLDR: Why Taris is Genius
59:50 Anyway
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More From @Loadingscreen_Keva:
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I’m also on Instagram! @LoadingScreen_Keva
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#starwars #kotor #starwarsknightsoftheoldrepublic #swkotor #retrogames #xbox #swtor #revan #videogameanalysis #videogamevideoessay #bastilashan #carthonasi #canderousordo #taris #darthmalak #gameplay #pc #dantooine #lore #videoessay #retrogaming #gamereview #maythe4th #maythe4thbewithyou #maytheforcebewithyou

[@smartalec2001]

Swoop racing tip - on your first swoop race, your 'training' race, race as badly as you can. Go slow, barely move, take ages. The rest of the game's swoop races will take that as your average, calculating the times to beat for the rest of the game around that. If you race really badly on purpose, the rest of the game's races are hilariously easy as a result.

[@manaayek8091]

You are an actual legend.

[@garlottos]

A lot of people hate Taris, and a lot of people hate Peragus, but I love both of these planets a lot

[@LoadingScreen_Keva]

Me too! Fun fact, this upload originally started out as “why Peragus is genius” but I quickly realised there were too many cool things to discuss and analyse throughout the Peragus level, and thus I tactically switched to Taris. Very much looking forward to digging into Peragus in the future!

[@MultiKool13]

Peragus is pretty cool on a first playthrough. But after that, it's extremely miserable to get through

[@AndrewTime9106]

Both do amazing jobs as setting the tone & gameplay loops for their games. Both can be a bit much after years & years of doing them, but they both do their jobs very well for first-timers.

[@someguycalledCh0wdah]

I don't hate Peragus as much as I hate Telos

[@bluestrategist9aby540]

Telos is much worse than Peragus, as it is just running back and forth for the sake of a dialogue, and the Bao-Dur section is boring fighting and nothing more. Getting to Atris is the only good thing on Telos

[@DavidFernandezBass]

Influence Lost: Kreia fucking SENT me.

[@crunkers_]

Taris has a mechanical purpose I never noticed as a kid. Taris forces you to multiclass. You have time to roleplay as a scout, scoundrel or soldier and you get all their basic skills. You feel like you weren't raised as a jedi, and makes building characters more interesting.

[@BriGuy77711]

I feel like repeat players can skip Taris. But they should never *forget* Taris.

[@youngcanuck5397]

I was, like, 12 when I played Kotor for the first time and I spent hours running around Taris, getting quests done, talking to the NPC’s, helping as many people as I could, getting all those Promised Land journals…. so I was pretty miffed when it got destroyed. Taris made me really hate Malak lol

[@ankuriboh]

I never knew people hated Taris. I enjoyed it when I played KOTOR and seeing it again in TOR.

[@Takegat]

Same here

[@sydneymads5220]

Yea, my only problem with Taris was that I didn't understand the game well and kept failing at Bendak's fight All my homies love Taris

[@patchpatch4008]

When I was younger, I got scared to talking to the Hidden Vek guard at the front of the door and essentially got stuck on Tarris for about a two or so years. When I got a bit older, I was able to ask if I could see the boss, thinking it start a fight or a game over and I was surprised when I was able to move the story along. Child me was a very weird, I know.

[@LoadingScreen_Keva]

Totally understandable! When I was little I used to get scared of the enemies in the second home world of Spyro the Dragon lol

[@whossname4399]

I played this as a young teen and remember getting stuck on Taris. I can't remember exactly what I got stuck on, but I remember getting frustrated by how long it took to travel between the upper and lower city.

[@josephbroseph3003]

In a similar vein to this, I defend Peragus II in Kotor 2 as an opening level (which also has its own skip mod). I love it in the same way that I love the opening half-hour of Empire Strikes Back; a mostly self contained short story that becomes the foundation for further adventures to come. I love the creepy haunted house vibe as you try to solve the mystery of how you ended up here, what happened to the station and figuring out what/who is hunting you halfway through the level. OF course the writing in Kotor 2 does a lot to elevate the gameplay and story.

[@juststatedtheobvious9633]

It's such a cozy, yet horrifying little mirror to our present dystopia. You'd almost think they had a force vision... 20 years ago, it felt a bit by the numbers. I couldn't wait to escape and see the galaxy. In 2024, fighting for that planet feels like fighting for us. Even knowing it can't be saved, I delayed the escape until I was sure there wasn't anything missed. Looking forward to seeing your take on it.

[@LoadingScreen_Keva]

Thank you for your insightful comment on Taris! It’s scary to think about how it mirrors reality, but a very important point to make.

[@hian]

The argument for Taris imo is the simple but efficient truth of "necessity for setups if you want payoffs". Delayed satisfaction is more satisfying than being given everything on a silver platter without working for it for a reason, and the reason becoming a Jedi felt good and was memorable in KoTOR1 to begin with is because you were forced to endure being a commoner on Taris first. Sure, I get it. People want their cheap lightsaber/force power thrills immediately. But that letting people have that would have rendered KoTOR1 a much less memorable experience overall.

[@control5586]

I played this game so much as a kid. It's been what, 20 years? and I can still tell you every twist and turn necessary to progress through Taris.

[@mauriciocamposnoemi9721]

Taris was disliked? I had no idea because to me Taris was the Midgar from Final Fantasy VII, colossal with several places to explore a similar theme about a city built on level that segregate people and a memorable part of the game, actually I was a little disappointed at the rest of the game for being so small in comparison.

[@Vahki100]

Taris is honestly one of my favourite parts of the game

[@George_M_]

You get sick of Taris because its the most replayed part of the game, being first. But it's really quite solid and the buildup to saving Bastila is great. And it ends in one of the very few actually depicted orbital bombardments in media. If you gave KOTOR the FF7 remake treatment, Taris could be an entire game. Also I love that the whole Battle Meditation is due to the author Timothy Zahn rationalizing why the superior Imperial fleet fled Endor after the Emperor's death - he'd been using the ability and when it suddenly ended, their morale broke.

[@Eletrikelly]

When I first played this as a kid I got way too connected to the janitor at the alien apartments and was devastated when Taris was blown up. It really hit me to see genocide on that level.

[@im_piano]

The title is where I learned that some people actually skip Taris!

[@nananamamana3591]

Taris is more engaging than Kashyk. There's barely anything to do on Kashykk that isn't related to the main quest. There's a couple Czerka goons to assist or kill, there's the monster hunt which is basically a linear path where you tap interact, there's the mando hunt, and that's about. That part of the game is *HARD* carried by Zalbaar's interractions with people and the implications, all things that the game *NEVER* capitalizes on, and of course, *JOLEE BINDO* Taris has more interactivity, more responsiveness to your player choices. Because you're such a low level and don't have your jedi powers *EVERY* fight is interesting, you have such limited resources that you can't just force your way through it. Taris also some *REALLY* good fucking loot that you can get *REALLY* early and use *THROUGHOUT* the planet. You can get Bendak's Blaster like, 30mins in and that gun will last you literally the whole game if you chose. There's also the echani double blade there, a fantastic early game double weapon, Missions Vibroblade is god tier at that point for duel wielders and single swordsman alike. Taris' problem isn't that it's a tutorial. Taris' problem is that you never get to go *back* You *never* get to follow up. The problem with Taris is that while your decisions on Taris matter for Taris, the decisions on Taris don't matter to *you.* If you found all the items exclusive to Taris and got all the credits and XP you get from the side missions as a payout in some loot crate on the Ebon Hawk the galaxy wouldn't know the difference, the characters wouldn't know the difference, the *story* wouldn't know the difference. Taris' problem is that you don't closure for any good that you do, you don't face any repurcussions for the evil that you do -- meaning on repeat playthroughs you have *ZERO* reason to engage with the world outside of its ability to feed you resources. Imagine if instead of functionally destroying Taris, Malak just devastates the planet. After your second star map you get informed that Taris is in turmoil, the republic is trying to land but the planetary defenses were engaged some time during the bombardment and are shooting down any ship not listed within a short list of scheduled arrivals, and since Malak's blockade prevented anyone from leaving, the only ships who might have been able to come and go were locked on the planet, and destroyed, when Malak razed it... all except the Ebon Hawk, Davik's personal ship, which has free admittance to the planet, naturally. The surface of Taris is in total chaos. There are rioting, desperate people everywhere and *YOU* have the only way off world. You land at a port not too far from your old apartment. People in the area come to check it out and your port encounter isnt some goon asking for a docking fee, it's desperate people begging, *demanding* you take them on your ship. Accommodating them would amount to you losing a few credits for the cost of ferrying these people home, but, you get some lightside points and can do some interactions with potential friends, family, and criminals on the planet as it relates to people. You can choose who to save, what to charge. Do you rescue the racist nobles who now have not even money to give you? Do you extort the impoverished aliens who're desperate to escape the chaos, even when they've come to benefit the most from the looting? You can touch in with the Hutts, the gladiators, the gangs, the dancers and Davik's slaves. Did you give the underdwellers the map to paradise? Did you doom them to an eternity in the dark? Your decisions will affect whether they're there or not when you return. Did you leave the Beks in charge? They've taken in strays best as they can but they're *CHARGING* people for protection now, all as an upkeep cost for keeping their gang functioning, meanwhile the Volkers arent charging anybody anything, if you want protection you join the gang, simple as, then you and some of your fellows go out and rob and steal whatever, it's a dirty racket but it doesnt feel as extortive. Volkers don't discriminate between whoever was rich or poor. The Beks want to LEAVE Taris, the Volkers want to use Taris to trap MORE people here. And it's all up to you to decide. This impact could have *DOUBLE* the value if you return after finding out the big twist. Knowing that it was *REVAN* who drove the Exchange from Taris, who *SAVED* not just Johani, but *ALL* the would-be slaves when they arrived, and of course, that his apprentice Malak was the one who came back and *DESTROYED* it? That's powerful narrative fuel.

[@iiPastafarian]

Subscribed for a Peragus II video in the future I enjoy both openings as they both establish themes and tone nicely

[@sebastienjames-fook301]

Just wait till Jedi Outcast where you dont become a jedi until 3 levels in

[@thebaconcruesader]

Subbed within literally 10 seconds because that intro of "You wake on a ship you don't remember boarding... " was spot on

[@LoadingScreen_Keva]

Thank you so much! I was hoping that line would land with Kotor fans!

[@Doomsayer66]

The Carth blasting away at rakghouls while you were talking to Candy was my ABSOLUTE favorite part of this video. I just couldn't help but laugh. Totally worth the time investment.

[@springheeljak145]

I can't believe people don't like Taris. I always loved exploring it and going through all of the missions. And there are a lot of hilariously evil options you can take in Taris that I always enjoy taking

[@20th_century_specter]

I still remember being psyched when I found the galaxy Droid Easter egg that allowed me to go back to Taris. Even though I couldn't go back to the ship and had to go back to where I had last saved, it felt really good to get some revenge on all of the Sith and Rakghouls that gave me a problem early on before I became a Jedi. It was definitely cathartic.

[@mookemaster222]

People forget you can stay at level 2 until you get the jedi upgrade then get more force powers and change your class focus then.

[@smartalec2001]

It's a pain to beat the Mando gladiator guy at lvl 2, but at least it gives you a use for all the grenades you've picked up.

[@clearwater4470]

Honestly Taris is my favorite planet in the first game. It’s the largest and feels like it has the most varied content. I also love Peragus from The Sith Lords for its mood. To me the problem is Dantooine and Telos. You complete the first tutorial planet and then are forced into another one immediately after before you’re free to go. Not only that but imo they’re much less interesting

[@blackchibisan8116]

This is entirely it! Perfect.

[@The_Byzantine_Ottoman]

I was dying at Carth shooting the Rakhgouls, such a classic Carth moment

[@Tiah-mm8lp]

Taris had these moments that always gave me peace. I always enjoyed the dialogue on the upper levels. Hearing the sounds of craft go by, and it compliments the deep conversations.

[@royobannon]

The algorithm certainly smiled upon me today! This was a fascinating video essay, and I greatly enjoyed it! As someone who hates Taris, and sees it as only a source of one really cool upgradeable blaster pistol, it was interesting to see it broken down through the lens of power. We see what Sith galactic domination will look like if Malak isn't stopped, if Bastila isn't rescued. We see that no one is safe, not even the uber-rich (who are actually the first to die, ironically enough, by living so high on their towers). We are subjected to all this power, and have none of our own to combat it because we are not Jedi yet. We're just Joe/Jill Schmoe, sidekick to Carth as we search for Bastila and a way off-world. Thanks for the video! You've gotten my subscription, and I look forward to other videos you put out (though as someone else noted, I had to watch it at 75% speed)!

[@LoadingScreen_Keva]

I’m glad you enjoyed the thought experiment with Taris! Thank you so much for your support! I will be working on getting a better speed for the next video as well!

[@davidklein8608]

Taris is designed to give the player two different opinions of it depending on the choice we are forced to make later in the game. Spoiler below. For those who embrace the darkside and end up killing off the useless weaker characters, Taris is viewed as a waste of time until we get our Jedi powers. For those who choose the lightside, Taris is viewed as a great time that we got to know some friends and it serves as a motivation to stop Darth Malik because he killed off all the friends we made along the way.

[@AndrewTime9106]

I, too, have been playing Kotor since 2003 and I love this video. The editing, the points - all well made & well done. You should totally do one about Kotor II!

[@LoadingScreen_Keva]

Thank you! Kotor II is definitely on the list!

[@terrorbilly49]

"...Carth Onasi, a man with an unusual yet captivating cadence..." I see what you did there

[@lemonaut1]

i dont get it :/

[@neildodd1319]

I just found this channel from this video and I like your style of the animated character in like an apartment setup lol. Taris was my second favorite planet from KOTOR. Only behind Dantooine because I love the peaceful farmland vibe

[@gargamellenoir8460]

I LOVED Taris the very first time, I spent the whole night without realizing it playing it. It's on replays that it suffers. - You know that you're spending levels in the "wrong" class since you should be conserving them for when you're a jedi. A free respec would have solved this big issue. - You know that pretty much every sidequest you're doing to help people will amount to nothing. The only exception is laboriously helping the undercity people find their paradise. But then again SWTOR "fixed" that omission by making sure we knew that it was for nothing, they all became rackghoul, go fuck yourselves people who played KOTOR. (Oh and fuck KOTOR 2 players while we're at it, wait until you see what we make of the Exile).

[@Vladislav888]

I was about to say it. It's fun to play, it's not that fun to replay.

[@Giraffe1187]

I’ve always liked Taris and was surprised when I found out people didn’t It’s a tutorial planet, sure, but it almost knows that it is? There’s always something you can do if you get bored.

[@jomjohns]

Just started the video, but I never understood the Taris hate. It is my favorite part of the game. Thematically it fits well with the game’s story that you woke up with basically no memory and thrust into this major conflict. And it’s the only time for the remainder of the game you actually need to strategize combat instead of just plowing through with force powers and lightsabers.

[@brendan9868]

As a kid the only computer we had was in my moms bedroom, I can’t even imagine how many times she had to hear the intro to this game while trying to like read or watch tv lol

[@TheSystem092]

As a kid I wasn’t a fan because you want to get the story going but as an adult I appreciate the two starting levels for both games. Peragus is a bit more depressing simply because you’re stuck on a abandoned base in space, but that sets the tone for the second game, where everything after the Mandalorian and Jedi Civil Wars resulted in this feeling of unease and the Jedi being decimated so it makes sense as a starting level and the tones are very different in both games. The first one is almost plucky and hopeful with the Republic and the Sith being at a stalemate to the point where there is an uneasy balance, planets like Manaan give you an example and the game ends hopeful and triumphant but left in this feeling of unease carried over into the next game due to the destruction of the order and the Jedi being seemingly wiped out so it makes sense as a starting level and the tones are very different in both games. I think both games are very well constructed and provide the perfect set up, I love walking the top of Taris upper city and I feel on edge in the underground and that’s how it should be and you should always take full advantage of the training and XP available in those levels by doing every side mission.

[@johnasamoah8668]

Finally, KZbin recommendations finally gives me something good. I hope you continue creating content. Your videos are very good, don’t let the views be an indicator, I could tell how good this video was 6 mins in. As long as you enjoy making videos, you’ll be successful

[@LoadingScreen_Keva]

Thank you so much for your support! I’m hoping to keep making content! There are so many games I’d like to analyse and discuss!

[@sneedmando186]

Hey, love the vid , I’m old dad now, but grew up playing this in my early years, formed much of my curiosity and love of various genres. Super happy to see people still talking about this amazing games Thanks for leaving us such a treat ❤

[@LoadingScreen_Keva]

Thank you so much! I’m glad you enjoyed the video!

[@roscoedash6673]

The game’s narrative doesn’t work at all without Taris.

[@ArvelDreth]

I think they could have done some things to make things more expedient but I do like Taris.

[@R1ck_Ryder]

Please do more of these! I loved your style of video and you talking about Kotor. It would be cool to see you make videos about more bioware games!

[@Allronix]

In retrospect, when you add the retcons and extra meta KOTOR 2 loads in, Taris becomes even better. Revan was considered the best of the Jedi system for that era; conscripted in infancy, psychologically and physically melted down to be forged into the Jedi's ultimate tool. And remember their master was KREIA. I figured Kreia was going to give the Jedi what they wanted in the same way a certain Mr. Morden did. Oh, you want the ultimate Jedi - strong with the Force, great at saber fighting, says all the right words, performs the right actions, and doesn't get attached? Okay, you will totally get that. All those many teachers Revan had? Totally in the vein of Kreia's idea of "find people, take all you can learn or use from them, and then cast them aside." The Jedi figured this was the exemplary "non-attachment" and perfect Jedi creation but what they made was...well, a monster. Someone who was probably never "Light sided" at all! They were pure power and pure image. People saw what they wanted to see in Revan, and it was all by design. Anyone and everyone was just another tool to advance the goal; whether it be thanking a Master and moving on, deliberately killing off the people loyal to the Republic and not Revan's cult of personality at Malachor, or discarding the final companion by severing Malak's jaw and turning him into a subordinate and enemy. And that leads where? Well, a shot to the back. So after that, and the reprogramming and all that, Revan gets to be something they never were - an ordinary person. It's a telling choice from Bioware that the highest alignment scores are NOT on the Jedi. The characters with the highes connection to goodness? Carth and Mission; ordinary people doing what good they can in a world where they're not all that powerful. (With some added meta that Carth's home planet of Telos has a SERIOUSLY fucked up and unequal relationship with the Jedi) And now that you are not Big Powerful Sorcerer, but just a Person, what wlll you be? Even more to the point. the game on Taris forces you to lean on your companions (especially if you metagame and save your leveling for Dantooine), a dependence and connection that Kreia would loathe, but it certainly drives home the point. And I'm with you. I even modded my game so that my character can express great reluctance at being trained. It's still a "but thou must," but the character in my head is miserable as a Jedi. It's power, sure, but it's only the power to end life and destroy. Not to heal or to bring life into the universe.

[@zobizobstudio]

I enjoy Taris so much. Nothing can beat the music + the art direction that kicks in when you go out from the apartments.

[@RamChop451]

I've spent so many hours on Taris. I thought it was so immersive and fun to explore and discover the secrets within

[@danmounfield7431]

For me, Taris was one of my favourites. I think in 2004 this was my first experience in a RPG within the Star Wars universe and I honestly found the planet super informative and immersive. I really enjoyed the slow burn and build up.

[@shiptj01]

I love Taris. I have never had a problem with it, even when I was 16 back in '03. It sets up the story and shows how evil Malak is.

[@LoadingScreen_Keva]

Awesome, a fellow Taris fan!

[@jwoop6358]

Who hates Taris? It was such a unique experience and the storyline is fantastic

[@Kaiserker]

i finally played kotor the other day, and sadly i was spoiled already about the major plot twist. still, the moment was emotional enough that it drove me to go from light side to dark side.

[@78910idontknow]

As someone who is far beyond 11 playthroughs you nailed it. Its amazing worldbuilding and environmental storytelling. Its also very tedious when youve done it a million times.

[@fadedjem]

But can you explain why the rest of the game is less tedious/repetitive on an 11th playthrough? I'm a sucker for replaying a good tutorial so I'm more than ready to be wrong here, but I just don't see which of the "weaker on a reply" elements of Taris don't apply equally to the rest of the game.

[@SurelyDraws]

I really enjoyed this video essay! I like your analysis on the plot importance of Taris, I hadn't realized previously just how much thematic setup for the rest of the story happens in that planet, aside from introducing the majority of the party members, so thanks for making this video!

[@LoadingScreen_Keva]

Thank you so much for watching! I’m super glad you enjoyed it!

[@westerlytoast5763]

I only played kotor at my friend's house a few times til I got older and was able to finally figure out the games name and buy it myself. Taris was all I got to play til I was 15, so I'm weirdly nostalgic to it. While it's a bit slow, I still think it's super exciting

[@solidfkingsnake]

I never really hated Taris. There were some times where i did wanna be able to skip it. But I never dreaded it like people seem to.

[@CombatGrunt2Fast4u]

The best way to play KOTOR is to do as much of Atari’s as you can with only doing the one level up that the game forces you to do just before you get to the bridge of the ship. Then you can level up as a Jedi instead of your starting class.

[@Zero4Champ]

I liked the feats earned in the Scout class. My preferred build was lvl 8 Scout/lvl 12 Guardian.

[@LoadingScreen_Keva]

The 8 scout/12 guardian was how I built my character on my first playthrough! I somehow ended up OP despite not knowing what I was doing yet lol

[@LoadingScreen_Keva]

I like this trick, especially for consular builds, except I legitimately struggle to survive Taris under-levelled lol

[@CombatGrunt2Fast4u]

Yeah I’m doing a play through on my iPad. I think I did everything other than the arena on Taris. That and the battle where you free Bastillia where the only times my companions were not available to carry me. I used almost all my heath packs in that battle.

[@Yannis1a]

I wouldn't called it a tutorial world as the Tutorial level is clearly the Endar Spire, to me it is the first act, with the search of the star maps being the second and the Star Forge System the third

[@chloeeliza602]

I have been very slowly working through KOTOR so I appreciate the spoiler warning ❤

[@Zhohan-]

I promise you someday this channel will go far

[@ajaxplay8]

When I played this game as a kid, I would just run around Taris for hours and take in the atmosphere. Could never skip it. I still play through this gem of a game at least once a year and i HAVE to do all the quests

[@PerennialSash]

I'm so glad I gave this channel a go.

[@LoadingScreen_Keva]

Thanks! I’m glad you enjoy the content!

[@FlameQwert]

it's pretty interesting how Jade Empire, a bioware game from the same era, also does this with Two Rivers in terms of contrasting the openness of areas with the starting small town. NWN2's (though not bioware, is basically Obsidian doing The Bioware Formula) base campaign also does this superbly with West Harbor vs the rest of the Neverwinter region. If the method works, it works!

[@centurion7398]

I loved holding levels on Taris having Carth carry my level 2 ass through the entire sections in order to have more levels in Jedi. Going from sucky to godlike in like three months.

[@soccercrazed13]

Exactly, this is pretty much canon as far as I'm concerned.

[@centurion7398]

@@soccercrazed13 it also weirdly makes his character more bearable on Taris, because he really is the only thing between the player, and getting absolutely obliterated. Until Canderous joins up at least.

[@LoadingScreen_Keva]

@@centurion7398 Carth is a sort of “can’t live with, him can’t live without him” type when you’re doing Taris under-levelled

[@tacticalmanatee]

great breakdown. It's always nice to see this old game get some love. I'd love to see more such videos, as well as videos on KotOR2.

[@reyno1ds780]

I stumbled upon this video via the youtube algorithm gods and it's been such a blast

[@VyxelOP]

I really liked Taris for exactly these reasons. I thought the story there was really well told and interesting. I'm also all for starting out small and insignificant to create a wider range in the experience of growing stronger and the stakes rising greater over the course of the game.

[@christopherchilton-smith6482]

Wow, this was so incredibly good. I will admit, Taris has always been a mixed bag for me. It stops feeling like a tutorial gradually and starts feeling like something that is drawn out to just frustrate me because all I want to do is go explore the galaxy and be a Jedi. At the beginning I don't see a clear path to any of that from where I start and the more none Jedi levels I acquire the more I question when for the love of Yoda do I get to be a Jedi?! Yet I enjoy the story beats, the introduction of characters and how everything is building up, I find myself successfully side tracked from my main goal and waist deep in the problems of Taris. You've given me a fresh perspective on this area that is analytically rich and for that I thank you. Subbed.

[@daniellusher7494]

The Endar Spire is the tutorial level Explains looting and equipping Check Explains swapping teammates Check Explains stealth Check Shows how different methods can be used to move forward Check

[@revishon]

I've given 1 and 2 so so much time, and can't ever really put them down.

[@binarynine]

Happy 21 years (plus a few days) anniversary for Kotor! Glad this vid came up on my main page :)

[@MrBulbasaurlover]

KOTOR 1 and 2 are the biggest examples of skip act 1 mods, but I've noticed Divinity: Original Sin 2 has one as well. I genuinely have no idea why for any of these. This is the first time I've seen someone really call that out. There is just so much narrative left out if you... skip the first act? They obviously don't care about the story, so are they there for the action? There's interesting fights in the first acts of these games as well. I do not understand the mentality of these people.

[@allenzelt4481]

They're mostly for if you've played the game a bunch and just want to get on with it already during a replay. New player should never use

[@intergalactic92]

Golden Owl recently did a video on skippable cutscenes in video games (explaining why it sometimes doesn’t get implemented), which led to a follow up about replay ability. There were angry comments in both videos from people expressing variations of "you cannot replay a video game if you cannot skip the cutscenes", and even angrier remarks when you point out that some people might want to experience the story again, like they do for books or films. Not caring about the story is all well and good, but it does beg the question: if you are so opposed to there being plot in this narrative driven game, why are you playing it? And why are you replaying it?

[@allenzelt4481]

@@intergalactic92 I replay both games ~yearly. I've never skipped Taris but I'll skip Peragus about half the time. Maybe people find the gameplay to be too much a slog, maybe they just want to be Jedi, I dunno. Not sure why having a mod option to do it is so objectionable when you can, more easily in fact, just not install and use such a mod. It literally affects you in no way.

[@joshuaabe4832]

It's a shame how quick people are rushed through the game now. A full questing party of diverse classes have so many great dialogues

[@ladtheoneandonly4980]

This is a really high quality video, especially with the small character animations you have, and the stylized "stages" (the backgrounds where you place certain info or videos overtop of) I was personally just trying to find something to nap to, but I ended up staying engaged the whole time

[@thomasmcgraw8778]

That's actually a pretty interesting take. I've got similar thoughts on peragus from kotor 2. if you're looking for content ideas there might be something there.

[@neildodd1319]

The first time I played KOTOR somehow I missed the dueling ring quest. Thought I would have time to come back and complete every side quest later :/ haha

[@sydneymads5220]

So much time wasted on Bendak after the first playthrough mistake

[@codycole2684]

33:49 I mean Bastila does apologise and say her masters say she's impatient and again in the apartment when things flare up she concedes she's out of step

[@nothingtolookat276]

First video by you I have ever seen. I love your art style.

[@russianbear0027]

I actually played kotor 2 first and taris was such a contrast to the decay and desperation in every location in kotor 2 that seeing it blew me away. Of course you quickly find out the same rot is present

[@tobytopaz]

Thank you for this video!! Seeing Taris for the first time as a kid changed gaming and story telling for me. Wonderful thoughts!

[@LoadingScreen_Keva]

You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed the video! And Taris!

[@RXdash78]

"Skyrim or something or whatever the new one is..." No, it's still skyrim.

[@blingklame]

Wow you deserve way more views for making all these long high effort videos, hope the algo helps you more from now on

[@dewdew80]

Taris was awesome, had that classic multi-level dungeon feel to it. Personally I loved delving deeper.

[@sulljoh1]

9:55 - "Influence lost Kreia" 🤣 So true, but screw her Nietzschean BS..

[@jonsouth1545]

I liked Taris but I would try to deliberately not level up so I had more points to put in Jedi skills which makes some of the battles pretty hard

[@VTsiFanfic]

Taris is great. I'm just a regular soldier trying to survive rakghouls and enemy soldiers at every turn. After Taris you become another darling of the force, and every point you put toward noncombat skills feels wasted when you can offload them on party members instead and make your badass force user more badass. Manaan, on the other hand, is an empty and slow nightmare.

[@ArvelDreth]

I think the scenery and music is amazing, I liked a lot of things about the underwater base, but the constant need to go to the courthouse and the way that the Genoharadan quests require you to do so much back and forth, is very annoying I'll agree. I dislike it more than Taris overall.

[@ryzinn18]

I absolutely love Taris. I like that you play as a non-force user and you have to be way more strategic with your credits, usable items, and equipment. I also love the portrayal of a backwards society where the upper class are snobby and the lower class citizens live in their shadow. I think it’s pretty unique in the Star Wars universe. Great video, loved the content😊

[@LoadingScreen_Keva]

There is an entertaining strategic element to being a non-force user in the Taris section! Thanks for your support!

[@NasTalkz]

I love Taris, so much that I wish it was more fleshed out. I wish we could’ve gotten more underground content too with the Hidden Beks and Black Vulkars

[@samwise1790]

Taris is interesting in this game because it is so atmospheric and immersive and really gives the sense of 'youre just a single person in a big galaxy and galactic war'. One of my favorite aspects is really just burglarizing apartments and such, for whatever reason this seems really immersive. Like you're just stranded and broke and you need to scrounge stuff to survive and get on your feet. The side quests seem somehow more relevant in general, and the rewards a bit more meaningful. Later on in the game this aspect is totally lost (understand that it wouldnt make much sense if that were the case the whole game through). Every other planet just kind of seems small with like one hub area, a clear objective and every other quest is 'take it or leave it, it really doesnt matter' as you dont need money or the rewards from it since you're a Jedi and blast through everything in your path. Korriban comes second because it has the richness of deep sith lord lore you can get from the tombs, and appropriately cool loot you might expect to find in them. Could write much more about it as it was one of my favorite games of my adolescence, but thanks for making a needlessly deep dive into taris for weird people like me.

[@tarabelle7716]

I missed taris when I playrd Kotor II. Its a much better location to be stuck in than an astroid mining station.

[@Neptune151]

To say i enjoyed this is an understatement. When i heard ''I'm here to drastically overthink the first level'' , immediately knew this is gonna be good. Also good for listening to as a background while doing menial tasks and grinding in SWTOR. One can only replay Kotor 1 and 2 so many times before eventually switching to SWTOR. But still it's interesting/fun listening to stuff about those games.

[@LoadingScreen_Keva]

I’m so glad you enjoyed this! I was hoping there might be people who are down to drastically over think these things along with me!

[@stupidhat1779]

I always get every credit, weapon, medpac and xp that can be had on Taris.

[@MandoWookie]

Im of the odd belief that I wish every planet was as big & layered as Taris & Peragus. The others just seem kinda empty in comparison. Though KOTOR 2 does do a bit better with its other worlds IMO, especially Ondaron.

[@ykpan9350]

How thoughtful this video essay was is impressive and that it didn’t overly summarize the game like some ‘analyses’ on KZbin do was a breath of fresh air. The connection to literary development was superb! I just subscribed, looking forward to your future content

[@LoadingScreen_Keva]

Thank you so much! I really enjoy figuring out the concepts at work behind games stories, I’m so happy it makes for a fun video!

[@AlexMartinez-nn2cm]

Not this video popping up on my recommended when I’m halfway through Taris…. Commenting here to remind myself to come back to it once I’m done with it (also, I did play some of the SWTOR stories before KOTOR so I do know what’s its eventual fate)

[@seawind930]

I would have prefered having Trask as a companion instead of Captain "Whiny" Carth who let all of his crew die and didn't go down with the ship

[@samuelwells2914]

Incredible. I loved it! I’ve been thinking a lot about Taris lately because of how much I love its vibe. I want to do like a Treasure Planet Themed Taris-like for a ttrpg, and you gave me a lot to think about what makes it work (and what it doesn’t) and what other factors made it so Magical the first time I experienced it. Thank you for your hard work and thoughts.

[@speedblast714]

Havnt watched yet, Taris to me was the most amazing and fantastical opening as a kid, I never managed to leave it because I was stupid and didn't understand dialogue options but still running around in this world full of npc's and futuristic style , it inspired awe

[@ZeroKnots]

I’m only ten minutes in so far, and I’ve just gotta’ say: this is phenomenal. I’m so glad the algorithm brought me here, because everything from the writing, video composition, and artwork to your love and understanding of KOTOR is just remarkable. I’m really looking forward to checking out your other videos!

[@bradyeckerdt1758]

Man I’m happy across this. Subscribed. The info presented, the production and the random jokes/ references. Happy I came across this. I’d love to see a video on Kotor 2. Especially since it’s even more complex.

[@LoadingScreen_Keva]

Thank you so much! I’ve definitely got KOTOR 2 on my list! I’m really looking forward to delving into that game, especially since, unsurprisingly, I really like the Peragus section. I really want to give that project a good amount of time for the analysis and writing stages. This video may have been a tad rushed on my part…

[@joshuawilloughby2696]

You described mass effect as fan fic of kotor. You have my sub

[@Mrfatpepper2]

Anything Kotor gets me happy

[@FG-ps2qe]

Oh damn, your channel is soo cool, and you made a 1 hour long video about my childhood's fav game. Im leaving a sub, keep on loading, mrs screen!

[@LoadingScreen_Keva]

Thank you! I think “keep loading mrs screen” will be my new positive affirmation!

[@BreezyStarfish]

So glad that I stumbled across your channel (praise be the algorithm). Appreciate you sharing your thoughts on Taris. I'll admit when I first played KOTOR I thought it was a waste of time....but when I revisited it later I enjoyed it so much more. Glad you were able to explain why in this video!

[@LoadingScreen_Keva]

Welcome to the channel! Praise be the algorithm indeed! Thank you for your support! Totally understandable that Taris can be a source of frustration.