Year: 2003
Type: Original Soundtrack (OST) / Extended Edition
Composer(s): Jeremy Soule
Number of tracks: 50 / 59

★★★★★

Music From a More Civilized Age

The time has finally come. No mom, I haven't found the woman for life yet and no, I don't want to come out of the closet either. In general, the scope of this moment is probably only relevant to me, but I still wanted to acknowledge that I'm finally doing the music review for the game that has long been my favorite and best game of all time: Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic.

I can still remember it like it was yesterday when my brother and I were standing in the Karstadt store in Iserlohn and were allowed to choose a Star Wars-game. I firstly went for Star Wars Galaxies, but later found out that it required an internet connection. As we neither had this nor would have it in the foreseeable future, and Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy , which was also on display, was only released for ages 16 and up, the second choice was Knights of the Old Republic, or Kotor for short.

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (2003)

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II – The Sith Lords (2004)

Star Wars: Republic Commando (2005)

Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order (2019)

Star Wars: Hunters (2024)

A role-playing game with several installation CDs and a thick game manual, the mint condition smell of which is etched firmly in my memory. Even though I knew the universe, as a newcomer to the genre, an exciting, new and distant world was waiting for me, full of status values, character traits, saving throws and other bells and whistles that you could really get to grips with. Or, as I did later, you just choose the abilities that allow you to deal more damage and hurl lightning bolts.

But I hadn't even gotten that far yet. When it was finally ready to start, a start screen popped up after double-clicking on the game icon - and an orchestral piece dominated by fanfares sounded, which only lasted 13 seconds and still grabbed me straight away. Do dop do dop da daaaaaa ... DAM DAM, DADADAM, DADADAM. This greeting promised great things - and this promise was kept. I still enjoy listening to this mini-intro, which makes "Startup Screen" the shortest track in my top list to date, as I usually accept a certain minimum length - I'm making an exception here.

And with this knowledge, we now embark on a nostalgia-filled review of what I think is (spoiler alert) the best OST of a Star Wars-game, as you can also read in my list of the top 10 best Star Wars-scores . I have to preface this with an unpleasant interjection, as the music was composed by Jeremy Soule. He made his way into my heart early on through his musical work on games such as Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Supreme Commander or the Elder-Scrolls-series and for a long time was the best in his field - the John Williams or Hans Zimmer of the video game world, so to speak.

At this point my review comes to a screeching halt for a few paragraphs, as unfortunately in recent years accusations of sexual abuse and even rape have been made against him, which is why he has not appeared as a composer for some time and will not be involved in The Elder Scrolls VI . As far as I know, there has been no verdict against him yet and I'm not sufficiently familiar with the subject to be able to contribute anything technical. But the accusations are out there.

I would therefore like to say at this point that it is usually possible for me to separate artist and work. I love the music from Morrowind, Oblivion, Skyrim, from Supreme Commander, Company of Heroes and even Kotor. It's a part of my childhood and ultimately I don't care who wrote it because it's my memories like the one above that I personally associate with it.

In general, soundtracks have the advantage that the respective creator is not in the media spotlight or, unlike in pop music, the voice appears in every track; nevertheless, they are the ones who put the notes together and came up with the melodies. For some this may be an argument for exclusion, but I am rather neutral on the subject. Not in relation to the accusations made against Soule. But I can imagine that in the history of video games I might come across composers from time to time who, to put it bluntly, have 'dirt on them' - whether they are known to the media or not. That's a sad state of affairs, but it can't be helped.

In other words: I judge music, not people. I still listen to songs by Michael Jackson or Lostprophets, which were the subject of similar controversies. I love the world of Harry Potter, even though the author is rightly pushing herself further and further offside with her transphobic statements. These people have given me joy, for which I am very grateful and which I will not let them take away from me.

Now on the one hand you can shout 'Cancel Culture' or on the other you can make the exaggerated comment that Hitler also built the autobahn, but these are discussions I don't want to have here. The fact is that the music comes from someone who may have done things that are deeply repulsive. His composition for this video game, on the other hand, is beautiful and will now be assessed by me as we proceed.

With that out of the way, let's finally move on to the soundtrack, which we have in the normal OST version with 50 tracks and the extended version with 59 tracks. As these extended bonus tracks are mostly just 30-second separators and stingers (i.e. music that is used as a cue for a scene change or to end a running track), I am treating both editions in unison.

As is usual with games of this type, the music can be roughly divided into three categories of tracks: the action-packed battle tracks, the emotional pieces and the atmospheric pieces. As already mentioned in my Top 10 Star Wars soundtracks list , Soule only occasionally quotes John Williams' iconic music from the films for Kotor . Instead, he creates his own unique timbre for this other Star Wars, which is not only set in a much earlier era, but also in a different medium.

Here, Soule's compositional style stands out for those familiar with his other works; time and again we hear instrumentalizations and melodies that evoke memories of Neverwinter Nights ("Visions", "Taris Lower City", "Kinrath Cave"), the Harry Potter-games ("Taris Upper City", "Hrakert Station", "Finale") and Supreme Commander ("Desert Wraid Attack", "Captured by the Leviathan").

At the same time, Soule's inherent style and his focus on winds, strings and drums reinforces the reference to the sound world of John Williams' Star Wars-films, which relies on a similar, albeit more opulent interplay of these instruments. "Sith Guard Encounter", for example, has these gruff, scratchy trombones, accompanied by the rapid swells of the strings, which bring back memories of the space battles of A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back.

"Tatooine Dune Sea", on the other hand, with its focus on shallow violin sounds and the oboe as the sole entertainer, does not deny its inspiration from "The Desert / The Robot Auction" from Episode 4, although it is far from capturing the charm or fascination of the 'new' from A New Hope , when this universe was still unknown and strange. Soule's version sounds more familiar, more accustomed.

However, you can really hear the direct influence of the movies when Soule adapts well-known motifs and skillfully transfers them into his own composition. To this end, I would like to focus on Bastila Shan, who is the protagonist's mentor in the game and thus symbolizes the Jedi Order and the Force itself. As 'our' Obi Wan, the character is the linchpin of the story of Knights of the Old Republic, just as Luke became a Jedi through his teacher in the films. In my opinion, Soule's track of the same name captures this dualism masterfully - it's not for nothing that the piece ended up in my Top 100 Video game tracks : On the one hand, the theme is a quote from the screen role model, on the other, it's an independent creation for a new personality.

"Bastila Shan" is soulful, calming, almost sad. The simple piano melody is like a subterranean lake onto which water slowly drips from the ceiling. Then the surface ripples, the tension flows over as the strings become stronger and their individual notes come to the fore. Suddenly a wave is unleashed, not destructively, but emotionally. Just like Bastila's character, who is not yet a master herself and is struggling with her feelings, her music also surges.

The theme continues, the emotions remain, the lake is in turmoil. The violin searches for its purpose, roams around and then, after 49 seconds, finds it in the well-known Force theme by John Williams, which instrumentally fits perfectly with Soule's set, merges and then, after the calm and spiritual center have been found again, transitions back into Bastila's motif, this time not played by the piano, but still by the violin, before it slowly fades out. Fantastic!

Beyond this conflict, which underlies every Star Wars-film - the Force, the handling of it and the emotions - there are of course also in Kotor the bad guys, the evil, the Sith. Here, too, Soule has drawn on Williams' magnus opus for "Inside the Sith Base". The strings roam menacingly here, while the ominous wind instruments create a dark tenor in the background before emerging from the darkness. The "Emperor Theme", which in the film is synonymous with the threat (and temptation) of evil, is now clearly audible. Fortunately, Soule doesn't fall into the trap of bluntly copying the tonal color here, but continues Williams' approach in a less dramatic, less ultimate direction. We are in a Sith base, not in the sanctuary of darkness.

Things are different in "The Sith" when the horde is unleashed and we suddenly find ourselves exposed to the might of the enemy. Everything comes together here: battle, threat, despair, heroism. And the theme to the Vader counterpart "Darth Malak" barely hides its parallels to the well-known "Imperial March". Here too, horns herald the arrival of the dark side, less ultimate, but also less restrained. Malak is not a masked man in black; like the original Sith, he expresses his emotions outwardly - and you can hear that.

In addition to these nods to William's work, Soule puts the soundtrack (or the Soule track? Hahaha ...) on its own two feet and creates remarkably catchy melodies that, despite the fact that we will hear many of them again and again during the game, are not annoying. This doesn't just mean the numerous battle tracks, which are fun despite their uniformity and the always 'explosive' opening, but above all the atmospheric pieces.

"Apartments", "The Jedi Academy" and especially "Ahto City" with its combination of piano and glockenspiel create a form of relaxation that could be described as cheesy, but I really like it. I would also like to highlight "Dantooine Outback", probably the best ambient track in a video game, which perfectly emphasizes the Zen-like idyll of the green planet and triggers an incomparable feeling of peace and security in me - nostalgia, in other words.

But Soule can not only calm you down, he can also fire you up, which is why the action-packed pieces that take place during the numerous confrontations are also very popular with me. "Rakghoul Attack" is wild and sounds like a fight against unleashed dogs with its clattering percussion, while "Mandalorian Battle" with its dominant horns and chorals in the background sounds epic. "Kinrath Cave" is scratchy and dirty and "The Last Confrontation" is the ultimate boss battle music for this game with its almost hammer-like drums.

In general, many of these 'confrontation pieces' have a kind of march-like character due to the use of percussion ("The Black Vulkars", "Battle at Davik's Estate", "Desert Wraid Attack", "Selkath Fight"), as can be heard in military bands, for example, and will also reappear in Soule's later work on the Supreme Commander-series. In contrast to this, the composer also makes use of tribal-like rhythms, such as in "Sand People Ambush" or "Confronting Darth Bandon". This sounds more like classic video game fare in the vein of Neverwinter Nights.

And that says it all ... right? No, because I deliberately left out one track and saved it for the end: the main theme "The Old Republic", which we hear at the very beginning during character creation. It is in the style of the pomp of military music and proudly proclaims the grandeur of the Republic, which we are serving by clicking together our alter ego.

The piece is a hymn to a fictional, galaxy-spanning superpower. It contains traces of what will take place centuries later in Williams' composition at the time of the empire or shortly before, but is its own lord and master. Soule hits the sweet spot here between pathos and heavy-handedness, which works perfectly and I just love it.

Now, finally, I can conclude this review. I'm pretty sure that my brothers in the nostalgic spirit will agree that the music from this game is in a class of its own. And if anyone not familiar with the game can even begin to understand my enthusiasm for this score, I'll be happy. This album means a lot to me, and I don't think it's just because I was so enthusiastic about Knights of the Old Republic , but because it has an outstanding OST.

Nostalgia warning

The rating of the individual tracks is purely subjective and clearly colored by my own experience with the game. You can find out more in the article About Nostalgia.

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic

Nr.	Title	Interpret	Ratings
01	Startup Screen	Jeremy Soule	5
02	Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic	John Williams	3
03	The Old Republic	Jeremy Soule	5
04	Taris Upper City	Jeremy Soule	4
05	Apartments	Jeremy Soule	4
06	Sith Guard Encounter	Jeremy Soule	5
07	Taris Lower City	Jeremy Soule	4
08	Javyar's Cantina	Jeremy Soule	3
09	Taris Sewers	Jeremy Soule	3
10	Rakghoul Attack	Jeremy Soule	5
11	The Black Vulkars	Jeremy Soule	4
12	Bastila Shan	Jeremy Soule	5
13	The Leviathan	Jeremy Soule	1
14	Pazaak	Jeremy Soule	3
15	Inside the Sith Base	Jeremy Soule	5
16	Battle at Davik's Estate	Jeremy Soule	4
17	Arrival at Dantooine	Jeremy Soule	3
18	The Jedi Academy	Jeremy Soule	5
19	Dantooine Outback	Jeremy Soule	5
20	Mandalorian Battle	Jeremy Soule	5
21	Kinrath Cave	Jeremy Soule	5
22	Ancient Ruins	Jeremy Soule	3
23	Guard Droids	Jeremy Soule	5
24	Tatooine	Jeremy Soule	4
25	Anchorhead Street Fight	Jeremy Soule	4
26	Tatooine Dune Sea	Jeremy Soule	3
27	Desert Wraid Attack	Jeremy Soule	4
28	Tusken Enclave	Jeremy Soule	2
29	Sand People Ambush	Jeremy Soule	4
30	Czerka Corporation	Jeremy Soule	2
31	Ahto City	Jeremy Soule	5
32	Ahto Sith Battle	Jeremy Soule	3
33	Hrakert Station	Jeremy Soule	3
34	Selkath Fight	Jeremy Soule	3
35	Kashyyyk	Jeremy Soule	4
36	The Shadowlands	Jeremy Soule	1
37	Confronting Darth Bandon	Jeremy Soule	3
38	Korriban Sith Academy	Jeremy Soule	5
39	Uthar Wynn's Trials	Jeremy Soule	3
40	Captured by the Leviathan	Jeremy Soule	3
41	Darth Malak	Jeremy Soule	5
42	The Unknown World	Jeremy Soule	3
43	Rancor Battle	Jeremy Soule	4
44	The Temple	Jeremy Soule	4
45	Last Chance	Jeremy Soule	2
46	Aboard the Starforge	Jeremy Soule	2
47	The Sith	Jeremy Soule	5
48	The Last Confrontation	Jeremy Soule	5
49	Finale	Jeremy Soule	4
50	End Credits	Jeremy Soule	4

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic [Expanded Version]

Nr.	Title	Interpret(en)	Ratings
01	Startup Screen*	Jeremy Soule	5
02	Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic*	John Williams	4
03	The Old Republic*	Jeremy Soule	5
04	Visions	Jeremy Soule	3
05	Taris Upper City*	Jeremy Soule	4
06	Apartments*	Jeremy Soule	4
07	Sith Guard Encounter*	Jeremy Soule	5
08	Taris Lower City*	Jeremy Soule	4
09	Javyar's Cantina*	Jeremy Soule	3
10	Taris Sewers*	Jeremy Soule	3
11	Rakghoul Attack*	Jeremy Soule	5
12	The Black Vulkars*	Jeremy Soule	4
13	Bastila Shan*	Jeremy Soule	5
14	The Leviathan*	Jeremy Soule	1
15	Pazaak*	Jeremy Soule	3
16	Saul Karath	Jeremy Soule	1
17	Inside the Sith Base*	Jeremy Soule	5
18	Escape from Taris*	Jeremy Soule	2
19	Suspense	Jeremy Soule	2
20	Battle at Davik's Estate	Jeremy Soule	4
21	Arrival at Dantooine*	Jeremy Soule	3
22	The Jedi Academy*	Jeremy Soule	5
23	Dantooine Outback*	Jeremy Soule	5
24	Mandalorian Battle*	Jeremy Soule	5
25	Kinrath Cave*	Jeremy Soule	5
26	Imminent Danger	Jeremy Soule	2
27	Ancient Ruins*	Jeremy Soule	3
28	Guard Droids*	Jeremy Soule	5
29	Tatooine*	Jeremy Soule	4
30	Anchorhead Street Fight*	Jeremy Soule	4
31	Tatooine Dune Sea*	Jeremy Soule	3
32	Desert Wraid Attack*	Jeremy Soule	4
33	Tusken Enclave*	Jeremy Soule	2
34	Sand People Ambush*	Jeremy Soule	4
35	Czerka Corporation*	Jeremy Soule	2
36	Ahto City*	Jeremy Soule	5
37	Ahto Sith Battle*	Jeremy Soule	3
38	Hrakert Station*	Jeremy Soule	3
39	Selkath Fight*	Jeremy Soule	3
40	Kashyyyk*	Jeremy Soule	4
41	Elevator Basket	Jeremy Soule	2
42	The Shadowlands*	Jeremy Soule	1
43	Confronting Darth Bandon*	Jeremy Soule	3
44	Korriban Sith Academy*	Jeremy Soule	5
45	Uthar Wynn's Trials*	Jeremy Soule	3
46	Captured by the Leviathan*	Jeremy Soule	3
47	Darth Malak*	Jeremy Soule	5
48	The Unknown World*	Jeremy Soule	3
49	Rancor Battle*	Jeremy Soule	4
50	The Temple	Jeremy Soule	4
51	Revan's Revelation	Jeremy Soule	2
52	Last Chance*	Jeremy Soule	2
53	Forn Dodonna	Jeremy Soule	2
54	Aboard the Starforge*	Jeremy Soule	2
55	The Sith*	Jeremy Soule	5
56	Battle of Rakata Prime	Jeremy Soule	2
57	The Last Confrontation*	Jeremy Soule	5
58	Finale*	Jeremy Soule	4
59	End Credits*	Jeremy Soule	4

*Track contained in the Original Soundtrack´