Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II – The Sith Lords
Year: 2004
Type: Original Soundtrack (OST) / Gamerip
Composer(s): Mark Griskey
Number of tracks: 29 / 78
The Dark Side of the Scores
After Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic was a huge success in 2003, both the fans and the publisher LucasArts wanted a prompt sequel. This was to be fulfilled a year later with Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II – The Sith Lords - a tight time frame, but that was the way it was with games back then. In fact, the newly founded studio Obsidian Entertainment had to step in for the original BioWare development team. Although they had big plans, they ultimately failed due to the deadline and various coordination difficulties.
The result was a Kotorfrom which a lot of content had to be cut at short notice, but whose exciting new approaches were well received by the fans. That's why, as far as I know, the second installment is even considered the better Knights of the Old Republic many years later - a bit like Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas (also from Obsidian). This is because the countless bugs that were still in the game at the time of its disastrous release have now mostly been patched out and some of the content has been partially restored.
However, I enjoyed the game less than its predecessor. Apart from the gameplay and technical improvements (Capes were animated to move!), the story was much deeper, more complex and the characters were more than just supporting actors. Sounds good, doesn't it? It is, but I was still too young for it. Sure, I devoured the game because it was Star Wars, but I was missing something like the twist from part 1, which I thought was the ultimate stroke of genius at the time.
Perhaps I didn't have the mental maturity to be confronted with philosophical ideas and approaches that questioned the strict black-white or red-blue of the light and dark side of the Force. Like in The Lord of the Rings , I always liked the clear division of good versus evil, light versus dark... These absolutisms would probably have made me a good Sith.
But with age and the growing appreciation, in an era shaped by Game of Thrones and The Witcher, that good people can do bad things and vice versa, the shades of gray that Kotor 2 paints become more and more fascinating. Does it help a beggar if we give him money, only for him to be robbed and murdered later? Interesting food for thought that suffered from the cuts and technical flaws.
In order to emphasize this darker tenor in comparison to the first game, Mark Griskey composed an OST that is much less emotional than Jeremy Soule's - but more on that in a moment. First of all, it should be said that I have two versions: The 29-track OST and a 78-track gamerip. However, these differ not only in their length, but also in their labeling and composition.
There are several tracks in the OST that are split up in the gamerip, but have been put together into one piece here, which sometimes results in harsh transitions and incoherencies. This sounds unattractive and ensures that some passages are quite worth listening to, but are then immediately followed by something less pleasant. So if you want to get the full musical picture, you'll probably have to go to the gamerip, even if you'll come across a lot of garbage there towards the end in the form of short stinger tracks and cues. But now to the actual score.
The music by Griskey, who would later leave his mark on the music of the Star Wars: The Old Republic , is closer to William's film orchestration with a clear focus on a variety of wind instruments. Where Soule often works with fanfares and trombones, we often hear flutes and bassoons in Kotor 2 . The very first notes of the theme song "Knights of the Old Republic II" illustrate this new direction perfectly:
Whereas Soule's music still had a spirit of optimism, this theme is more restrained, more reflective. After 40 seconds, an imaginary window opens briefly as the orchestra plays and puts an end to the heavy thoughts. We should find similar things more often later in The Old Republic ("Planet Core" has the most similarities here). After this, however, the strings in the theme bring the darkness back before we are once again immersed in Williams-esque Star Wars mysticism.
This exciting mixture of menace and curiosity runs through the entire composition; in general, it is probably easier to list the pieces that do not convey the basic tenor of mistrust. Perhaps for me, as a horror hater, this was the main reason why I didn't really warm to the game: Everything kind of oozes creepiness and danger.
For example, the eponymous theme to the underworld moon Nar Shaddaa starts on a positive note, as we know it from the first Kotor : Hey, a new planet, a new setting! But as soon as it arrives, it becomes dark again and you can recognize borrowings from the Sith theme, as we hear in The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi . In general, the connection to Williams' work is much more pronounced in Griskey's version, although he does not adopt motifs like Soule.
Instead, "Nar Shaddaa" actually reminds me of the first Harry Potterfilm, whose music was also composed by Williams. And "Tomb Interior" could also have featured in an Indiana Jones in one way or another. 'Telos', on the other hand, has clear parallels to 'The Droids Travel to Jabba's Palace' from Episode VI with its horns at the beginning. This can be pleasing and supports the dark atmosphere of the game perfectly, but on the other hand, you sometimes wish there was a bit of joy.
The only 'rays of hope' in the OST are the battle tracks, all of which bang with the characteristic style of the franchise and are very explosive due to the generally short track length of 1.5 - 2 minutes maximum. Overall, they remind me not only of the obvious inspiration from the Star Wars-universe and even remotely of Soule's composition ("Battle Stations!") but also of Dynamedion's SpellForce 2-score ("Battle the Monster", "Droid Battle") - and that's never a bad thing.
Finally, three songs that we only find on the gamerip should be emphasized: "B-4D4", "Rebuilt Jedi Enclave" and "Facing Darth Sion". In my opinion, these tracks perfectly illustrate what this score is or could have been all about and I don't understand why they don't appear in the OST.
"B-4D4" is a 30-second comedy piece that personifies a wondrous character (in this case, a protocol droid) in classic Peter and the Wolf-fashion: The bassoon combined with the strings creates that mischievous dorky vibe that is also common to Williams' classical compositions, showing how well Griskey is able to emulate this style of music.
"Rebuilt Jedi Enclave" is a real gem. As the name suggests, the Jedi Enclave on Dantooine was destroyed after the events of Kotor 1 , but the credits of Kotor 2, in which this track runs, promise that it will be rebuilt. The music is emotional, sad and powerful at the same time. It makes use of the vastness of the orchestra and gives us a bittersweet view of a happy future that is touching and encouraging. I would have liked more pieces of this kind, because "Rebuilt Jedi Enclave" shows that Griskey's repertoire is not just dark and menacing.
In contrast, this dark side is perfectly demonstrated in "Facing Darth Sion", the track for one of the antagonists, which already foreshadows nothing good in the main menu. Gloomy, booming horns herald the arrival of one of the eponymous Sith Lords, a being who holds his destroyed body together through pure hatred and willpower. This menace reminds me of Dark Messiah of Might and Magic and the Emperor, of both video game and movie.
And that brings me to the end of this review, which I hope doesn't come across as too negative, as it contrasts somewhat with my song of praise for Jeremy Soule's score. Kotor 2 tries to distinguish itself from its predecessor and that's a good thing. The dark approach may not appeal to everyone and the resulting tenor of the music can be tiring in the long run.
Nevertheless, Griskey has created an interesting soundscape for the video game world of Star Wars here, which strays from the beautiful side of the universe and loses itself in the darker tones. This allows emotional pieces such as "Rebuilt Jedi Academy" to stand out much more. Unfortunately, they are too rare to provide a significant counterweight. All in all, it's particularly recommended for fans of classical music and Williams' Star Wars , but my favoriteKotor-score remains Jeremy Soule's.
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 II – The Sith Lords
| Nr. | Title | Interpret(en) | Ratings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Knights of the Old Republic II | Mark Griskey |  |
| 02 | Peragus II | Mark Griskey | |
| 03 | A Dark Awakening | Mark Griskey |  |
| 04 | Who's on Board | Mark Griskey | |
| 05 | First Battle | Mark Griskey | |
| 06 | Nar Shaddaa | Mark Griskey | |
| 07 | Iziz | Mark Griskey | |
| 08 | Ebon Hawk Damaged | Mark Griskey |  |
| 09 | Citadel Station | Mark Griskey | |
| 10 | Battle Stations! | Mark Griskey |  |
| 11 | Korriban | Mark Griskey | |
| 12 | Telos | Mark Griskey | |
| 13 | Combat 1 [Trayus Crescent] | Mark Griskey | |
| 14 | Tomb Interior | Mark Griskey | |
| 15 | Battle the Monster | Mark Griskey | |
| 16 | Droid Planet | Mark Griskey | |
| 17 | Hidden Academy | Mark Griskey | |
| 18 | Ebon Hawk Normal | Mark Griskey | |
| 19 | Palace Grounds | Mark Griskey | |
| 20 | Peragus Dark | Mark Griskey | |
| 21 | Polar Regions | Mark Griskey | |
| 22 | Dxun Jungle | Mark Griskey |  |
| 23 | Iziz War | Mark Griskey | |
| 24 | Kreia's Darkside | Mark Griskey | |
| 25 | Academy Ruins | Mark Griskey | |
| 26 | Battle 4 | Mark Griskey | |
| 27 | Final Battle | Mark Griskey | |
| 28 | Planet Core | Mark Griskey | |
| 29 | Knights of the Old Republic II March | Mark Griskey | |
Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II – The Sith Lords [Gamerip]
| Nr. | Title | Interpret(en) | Ratings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Startup Screen* | Jeremy Soule | |
| 02 | Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II – The Sith Lords* | Mark Griskey | |
| 03 | The Sith Lords [Knights of the Old Republic II]* | Mark Griskey | |
| 04 | Ebon Hawk Adrift [Ebon Hawk Damaged]* | Mark Griskey | |
| 05 | Aboard the Ebon Hawk [Ebon Hawk Normal]* | Mark Griskey | |
| 06 | Peragus Mining Facility [Peragus II]* | Mark Griskey | |
| 07 | Kreia | Mark Griskey | |
| 08 | Peragus Fuel Depot [Peragus Dark]* | Mark Griskey | |
| 09 | Through the Tunnels [Final Battle]* | Mark Griskey | |
| 10 | Kreia and the Dark Side [Kreia's Darkside]* | Mark Griskey | |
| 11 | Battle on the Ebon Hawk | Mark Griskey | |
| 12 | Citadel Station* | Mark Griskey | |
| 13 | B-4D4 [A Dark Awakening]* | Mark Griskey | |
| 14 | Confronting Loppak Slusk | Mark Griskey | |
| 15 | Telos Restoration Zone [Telos]* | Mark Griskey | |
| 16 | Czerka Site [Battle the Monster]* | Mark Griskey | |
| 17 | Military Base | Mark Griskey | |
| 18 | Telosian Underground Base [Hidden Academy]* | Mark Griskey | |
| 19 | Stealing the Shuttle | Mark Griskey | |
| 20 | Polar Plateau [Polar Regions]* | Mark Griskey | |
| 21 | The Secret Academy | Mark Griskey | |
| 22 | Nar Shaddaa* | Mark Griskey | |
| 23 | Red Eclipse | Mark Griskey | |
| 24 | Jek'Jek Tarr | Mark Griskey | |
| 25 | Jek'Jek Tarr Tunnels [Battle 4]* | Mark Griskey | |
| 26 | Goto's Yacht | Mark Griskey | |
| 27 | Battle on the Droid Ship [Battle Stations!]* | Mark Griskey | |
| 28 | Dxun Jungle Landing [Dxun Jungle]* | Mark Griskey | |
| 29 | Mandalorian Honor [First Battle]* | Mark Griskey | |
| 30 | The Temple of Freedon Nadd [Tomb Interior]* | Mark Griskey | |
| 31 | Mandalorian Ruins | Mark Griskey | |
| 32 | The City of Iziz [Iziz]* | Mark Griskey | |
| 33 | Arrival at Onderon | Mark Griskey | |
| 34 | Onderon Battle | Mark Griskey | |
| 35 | Civil War (Sky Ramp)[Iziz War]* | Mark Griskey | |
| 36 | Iziz Cantina | Mark Griskey | |
| 37 | Dantooine | Mark Griskey | |
| 38 | Jedi Enclave Sublevel [Academy Ruins]* | Mark Griskey | |
| 39 | Korriban* | Jeremy Soule | |
| 40 | Valley of Dark Lords | Mark Griskey | |
| 41 | The Sith Academy | Mark Griskey | |
| 42 | Into the Past [Battle Stations!]* | Mark Griskey | |
| 43 | The Sith Tomb [Korriban]* | Mark Griskey | |
| 44 | The Royal Palace [Palace Grounds]* | Mark Griskey | |
| 45 | M4-78 | Mark Griskey | |
| 46 | Rebuilt Jedi Enclave | Mark Griskey | |
| 47 | Control Zone | Mark Griskey | |
| 48 | Darth Nihilus | Mark Griskey | |
| 49 | Main Behavior Core [Planet Core]* | Mark Griskey | |
| 50 | Malachor V | Mark Griskey | |
| 51 | Trayus Crescent* | Mark Griskey | |
| 52 | Facing Darth Sion | Mark Griskey | |
| 53 | Trayus Core | Mark Griskey | |
| 54 | Darth Traya | Mark Griskey | |
| 55 | The Final Battle | Mark Griskey | |
| 56 | End Credits | Mark Griskey | |
| 57 | Battle of Telos IV | Mark Griskey | |
| 58 | Ambience: Dark Side | Mark Griskey | |
| 59 | Ambience: Dark Side (Short) | Mark Griskey | |
| 60 | Ambience: Light Side | Mark Griskey | |
| 61 | Ambience: Light Side (Short) | Mark Griskey | |
| 62 | Ambience: Sith (Harbinger) | Mark Griskey | |
| 63 | Ambience: Positive | Mark Griskey | |
| 64 | Ambience: Negative | Mark Griskey | |
| 65 | Ambience: Revelation | Mark Griskey | |
| 66 | Ambience: Romance | Mark Griskey | |
| 67 | Ambience: Telepathy | Mark Griskey | |
| 68 | Ambience: Miscellaneous | Mark Griskey | |
| 69 | Battle Suspense 1 | Mark Griskey | |
| 70 | Battle Suspense 2 | Mark Griskey | |
| 71 | Battle Suspense 3 | Mark Griskey | |
| 72 | Battle Suspense 4 | Mark Griskey | |
| 73 | Battle Suspense 5 | Mark Griskey | |
| 74 | Battle Suspense 6 | Mark Griskey | |
| 75 | Battle Suspense 7 | Mark Griskey | |
| 76 | Battle Suspense 8 | Mark Griskey | |
| 77 | Battle Suspense 9 | Mark Griskey | |
| 78 | Al Cantina Band [Bonus] | Mark Griskey | |
*Track contained in the Original Soundtrack´
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