The best "Star Wars" game ever is free on Black Friday - here's how to claim it

The best "Star Wars" game ever is free on Black Friday - here's how to claim it

As long as you have an Amazon Prime account, Black Friday's best gaming promotion won't cost you a penny. For a limited time, the online retailer is offering the legendary Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic completely free.

Starting today, Thursday, November 16, Amazon Prime members can get Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic for PC via Prime Gaming for free, through Wednesday, December 20. [Released in 2003 and developed by BioWare, Knights of the Old Republic (aka KOTOR) is one of the most beloved games in Star Wars history. And I can confirm that 20 years later, the game still holds up. I finished playing it for the first time earlier this year and have joined the ranks of gamers who appreciate KOTOR.

KOTOR isn't the only game bundled with Prime Gaming: the 2019 open-world shooter Rage 2, developed by Avalanche Studios and Id Software, and Invincible Presents: the hit Atom Eve, a visual novel based on the Prime Video series, is also available for free. In addition, there are dozens of smaller indie games available for download right now.

If you are already an Amazon Prime subscriber, you can take advantage of Prime Gaming as part of your subscription. The free games listed above can be claimed from the "Weekly games" tab in the Prime Gaming hub. Once you claim, these games are yours, so don't forget to claim them now, even if you want to play them at a later date.

Set about 4,000 years before the main "Star Wars" films, "Knights of the Old Republic" is an RPG that offers players the chance to explore a time period of the franchise that remains largely untouched. You won't run into Han Solo or get Jedi training from Yoda, but you will meet a whole new cast of equally fascinating characters and enjoy some of the best stories in Star Wars history.

At the risk of giving away serious spoilers, the game's scenario starts out fairly basic, with a search for various magical MacGuffins, but ultimately becomes much more interesting thanks to one of the most shocking twists in gaming. And while the game takes place in a variety of iconic Star Wars locations, from Tatooine to Kashyyyk, it is new places like the sprawling city-planet Taris that are the most exciting to explore.

In addition, KOTOR gives you the freedom to shape your own character. If you want to be a noble Jedi who does the right thing in any situation, of course you can. Or you can take the dark path and embrace the ways of the Sith, becoming a ruthless figure feared throughout the galaxy. Just be aware that the party will react according to your actions, some will encourage your darker impulses, while others will be less pleased.

This freedom of choice is also reflected in KOTOR's excellent mission design. Objectives can usually be tackled in more than one way. For example, if you need access to a smuggler's base, you can hack a back door and sneak in, or you can use your silver tongue to talk your way in. Or they can let their guard down, equip themselves with lightsabers, and use overwhelming force to gain entry. The variety of ways to complete missions makes each playthrough a unique experience.

KOTOR's strong story, characters, and mission design have aged gracefully, but the visuals and combat have not done so well. Not surprisingly, a game from 2003 can't compete with the latest releases in terms of graphics, but the combat has been controversial since its release, and the passage of time hasn't helped. The dice-rolling, turn-based system is not intuitive. It is recommended to play the game on easy mode.

Star Wars: Knight of the Old Republic is often cited as not only the best Star Wars game ever made, but one of the most important and influential RPGs of all time. Now that the legendary title is free to play for Amazon Prime members, it's hard not to wonder why Star Wars fans still rave about the KOTOR franchise to this day.

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