When you think of pop culture, it's hard to dispute the impact of Star Wars.
Since the release of the first movie in 1977,
the Star Wars series has become one of the most beloved franchises of all time
and has expanded its mythos into nearly every piece of media, including books, TV shows, and video games.
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order is a brand new story developed by Respawn Entertainment,
and unlike their previous works, it's a single-player only action-adventure title.
Despite some minor issues, Jedi: Fallen Order is an excellent installment
that wonderfully captures the spirit of the franchise and nails the feeling of being a Jedi.
The story follows Cal Kestis, a young Jedi that was forced to go into hiding
following the events of Order 66, which resulted in the deaths of thousands of Jedi.
To stay hidden, Cal needs to be careful not to reveal his past nor that he has a connection to the Force.
However, one day at work, Cal uses his abilities to save his friend's life,
prompting the Empire to send two Inquisitors to investigate.
After an encounter with one of the Inquisitors called the Second Sister,
Cal is rescued by Cere Junda and Greez Dritus.
From here on, Cal and his new friends begin a quest to rebuild the Jedi Order.
There’s a solid story here that fits the adventurous tone of the series.
The main cast of characters is easy to connect with.
Cal's droid, BD-1, is particularly endearing,
and the game does an exceptional job of building up the bond between the two of them.
While some characters do receive more spotlight than others,
they all feel relevant throughout the story.
At first glance, Fallen Order may seem like a more linear experience,
but once you dive in, the level design quickly opens up to involve more exploration.
Levels are immense and densely packed with shortcuts to unlock, secrets to find,
and areas that require new abilities to reach.
To help you navigate, you have a handy 3D map
that concisely lays out all of the areas you've explored.
Additionally, the game highlights elements of the map to inform you when you can access new areas
or if you're missing an ability needed to pass.
There are some puzzles to solve in order to progress as well.
And while most aren’t too difficult to figure out, they're still enjoyable,
and there are a few that are much more elaborate.
Throughout your journey, you need to traverse the environment with basic platforming mechanics
like jumping gaps, wall running, and climbing.
Things get more interesting as you start to incorporate your Force powers.
For instance, there is a part where you need to slow down a saw blade and jump between the gaps
while sliding down an icy hill.
Fallen Order’s combat is precise and fierce.
Clashing blades and reflecting blaster shots at enemies is immensely satisfying,
and weaving lightsaber strikes in conjunction with using Force powers feels great.
Along with your basic lightsaber attacks, you can also parry enemies to get the upper hand
or incorporate special moves like an overhead swing or a rush attack.
The Force is a powerful tool in combat.
Slowing down enemies to get an opening attack in, or pushing them off a ledge can change the tide of battle.
Each power is also bound to a specific button, making it easy to incorporate during combat.
However, you also have a Force meter that drains every time you use one of your powers
or special lightsaber attacks, which can be refilled by several means
like defeating enemies or resting outside of combat.
There are a decent number of enemies to take on,
including several different variations of Stormtroopers that wield a variety of weapons
and more elite units, called Purge Troopers that specialize in fighting Jedi.
Though the Empire is an immense presence throughout the game,
there are additional enemies to fight like giant spiders, Tomb Guardians,
and huge troll-like creatures called Jotaz.
There are a decent number bosses to take on too like an AT-ST and the Inquisitors,
but while some of these stand others aren't all that memorable.
Along with finding new abilities in the world such as wall-running for Cal
or the ability to hack droids for BD-1,
you can unlock even more on the skill tree by accumulating experience and skill points.
These range from passive abilities like increased health and Force meter,
to active abilities like a dash strike.
When you die before unlocking a skill point, you lose XP.
However, it can be easily reclaimed by attacking the foe that killed you.
You travel between locations using a ship named the Stinger Mantis which also serves as your hub.
There are a few things you can do here, like
using the workbench to customize your lightsaber, planting seeds for Greez's terrarium,
or chatting with your crew.
The most important part is the Holotable, which is used to select which planet to travel to.
While it may not seem too significant,
the Mantis enhances the feeling of traveling the galaxy with your crew.
It's worth mentioning that Fallen Order has four difficulty options to choose from, making your journey flexible.
Difficulty can be changed at any time, and the differences are explicitly labeled.
While the game doesn’t run into too many technical problems, it's worth noting
that the load times after you die are very long.
While this isn't a huge issue, repeatedly dying in quick succession can be irritating.
There’s also one area of a particular planet
where the game has a tendency to abruptly stop and load.
Star Wars is a beloved series, and when a new game comes out,
some particular hopes and expectations come with it.
There are excellent games in the franchise, but it's been a while since they’ve reached those heights.
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order has combat that feels tight and impactful,
and exploring each of its imaginative worlds gives a great sense of discovery.
It’s a fantastic title that stands as one of the best Star Wars games yet.
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