So I'm at the end fight between me and Malak, I'm playing LS. So here are my thoughts about KOTOR. First, I want to talk about the negatives, or things that really bothered me about the game:
 
1. I thought that the level design of the game became less and less interesting as it went on, this seemed kind of backwards compared to other games I played. First of all, when you begin on Taris, the game felt epic. Because Taris was this huge city, had thousands of things to do, it just felt alive. And people walking down the streets like a real city, it was truly a marvel to see. And then after Taris you arrive on Dantooine, which is completely different than what Taris is. It's smaller, felt like a wasteland really. And then you go to Tatooine, Kashyyk, Korriban, these places just get smaller and smaller, they all have these barren wasteland feel to them. Usually in most other games, the levels and maps gets bigger and grander as the game progresses, here it's backwards. The planets get smaller, levels get smaller, the side-quests diminishes. I thought compared to Taris, a lot of the other planets were big letdowns, with the exception of Manaan. And this contributes to the feel of the overall game, making the game feel less interesting as it went on (with the exception of the HUGE plot twist of course). 
 
 2. And the plot-twist. Okay, awesome plot-twist, but after you find out who your character really is. Why the hell does everyone still act normal around you? Where is your robe? And no matter what planet you go to after the Leviathan, everyone acts as if they have no idea who you are. You're given no new dialogue options, you just say the same things as before. I was confused by this, I thought that you can actually scare people or have your memories back but no, the game progresses as if nothing happened. This really, really bothered me. Especially when I went to Korriban again, no one gave a damn who I was, did that piss me off. I mean, I was the evilest dude in the galaxy and now I'm walking around like some random citizen just talking nonsense to everyone. And all your companions acts normal around you as if nothing happened.  I thought they dropped the ball a little here, there should have been a section game dedicated to getting your memories back, or your robe, or something regardless if your light or dark side.
 
3. The character interactions. Now most of it was great, I loved it. But I had a hard time figuring out what members in my party would talk to each other. I just wished they would all talk to each other. Sometimes I would mess around and bring Jolee and HK-47, or Juhani and Zalbarr but they wouldn't say a word. I don't know that kind of bothered me. It seemed like the only truly important characters in the game were Bastila and Carth, and everyone else you can just kill them off and nothing would change. Bastila, Carth, Canderous were the most developed and the most interactive as well, I just wished other characters were like that as well. Especially Zalbarr, who never says anything. And why do people say HK-47 is an interesting character? I brought him with me in my party a couple of times  and he NEVER SAID A WORD! 
 
4. The Bastila romance felt forced. Just something felt very off about the whole thing. I can't put my finger on it. Well actually maybe it's because she says she loves you minutes after you she tries to kill you on the Star Forge, now that really bothered me. I loved the scene on top of the temple when you finally meet her again, now that was some powerful stuff. But the whole redemption scene was just ridiculous, I didn't like the dialogue for that part AT ALL. 
 
 I really love this game, but those things I find it hard to get my head around it, especially #2, I just can't get past that. 
 
Now some of the good things about this game. Most of it have already been mentioned but yes this game is easily one of the best RPGs ever.
 
1. The best Star Wars game ever, one of the best RPGs ever, EASILY better than all the Prequels combined.
 
2.  Maybe the best plot-twist of any game I've played.
 
3. All the characters, except for Zalbaar and Juhani, are great, leaves lasting impressions on you.  This, to me, is probably the most important aspect of an RPG game, or any game really. It needs to have memorable characters, and this game delivered.  
 
4. Great soundtrack, captures the Star Wars completely. There were some old songs as well and they blended perfectly. The temple summit track was my favorite, just because of the emotions involved. 
 
5. Very addictive, even though some of the planets are small, you can still spend up to 60 hours playing this game.
 

So now I'm gonna go beat Malak and beat the whole game, get treated to a great ending and go off and play KOTOR 2. 

Welcome to 2003.
 
Seriously though, a lot of the grievances you just listed against KOTOR still hold true in many of Bioware's games today.