Via Unboundworlds.com:

During my largely misspent years at university, my housemate, Dan, had picked up “Knights Of The Old Republic.” This was a game that I really found that I was able to sink my teeth into, and me, Dan, and a third housemate, Ben, each had a separate saved game. The best aspect of the game was that the choices you made caused you to move either towards Light or Dark side and gain the accompanying powers. Dan was always better than me at games. For someone as competitive as me, it was really annoying. It didn’t take long for Dan, well ahead in the game, to say “Go Dark Side. The powers are much stronger. You’ll need force lightning! All Light Side seems to get is heals and buffs.”

So we went to the dark side. Ben cringed every time he slaughtered an innocent to get his Dark Side points higher. And I pushed into Dark Side territory myself, a little, until I reached a scenario where I knew that if I did what I wanted and let the hostages live, then I’d gain Light Side points and reduce my skill progression. Here was a quandary. But I couldn’t face slashing my lightsaber through their polygon faces. Ben, watching over my shoulder, shook his head.

“I killed them,” he said. “It was really sad.”

And so began my quest for redemption. I took on every Light Side sub-quest and made every Light Side choice that I could, and slowly, I lost my half-developed Dark Side powers and gained the healing and buffs that I’d been warned against. But I didn’t care. I was doing what was right. Dan was a lost cause – he only cared about the force lightning and chokes and I saw his avatar blasting its way through dozens of enemy Jedi at a time. But Ben? He was wavering. He knew that he should come to the Light Side, but couldn’t withdraw from the power of the Dark.I went on alone, a Light Side soldier against the world.

And then I realised that this game had somehow, incredibly, put me through the struggles experienced in the film. Feel the lust for power? The desire to destroy your enemies? Dark Side. Forgive and heal the world? Light Side. Dan was lost to the emperor, but I made it all the way back to the Light Side. Ben always wavered in the middle but ultimately, Dan corrupted him. I couldn’t save him.

I went on alone, a Light Side soldier against the world.

When I reached the final boss, I found that Dan was right. I couldn’t do it without the Dark Side powers. I’m sure that there was a way, but I couldn’t find it. I died and died and died. Never did manage it. Dan shook his head, knowing that he was always going to be the king of video games in our house.

“I told you so.”

But here, fourteen years later, I have a message for Dan, wherever he may now be:

You failed, your highness. I’m a Jedi.