In contrast to the smooth-yet-flashy approach of Sekiro, which relies even more on parrying, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order feels a little sloppy. You need to effectively parry to get a window to attack and break through your opponent’s guard, but the timing can feel off. He can eventually change lightsaber configurations, knock back entire groups of enemies with a single Force attack, and throw his weapon in a circle around him to hit enemies in every direction.įallen Order falters only when imitating its inspirations in fights against lone powerful enemies, including bosses. From powerful lightsaber combo attacks to classic Force moves like the push and pull, you have the tools you need to take down several Stormtroopers at once, and you can reliably deflect their blaster bolts and even send them back to their shooters in order to cut a squad down to size.īy the time the credits rolled, the abilities at Cal’s disposal bordered on ridiculous. It still lets you feel like a powerful Jedi Knight with an arsenal of special abilities. Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order isn’t just a reskinned Souls-like, however, and it’s not nearly as tough. Should you run out of healing items, you can rest at the meditation point to get them back, but that will cause enemies to respawn. If you die, you’ll be brought back to a bonfire equivalent called a meditation point, and you’ll have to damage the enemy that killed you in order to get your lost experience back. The general flow of combat against a single enemy consists of parrying, dodging, and managing an enemy’s stamina gauge to break through and deliver a killing blow – think Sekiromore than From Software’s earlier work. Yes, the “it’s like Dark Souls” trope is played out to the point of parody, but the elements included here make a comparison inescapable.
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order certainly does that, but with an odd addition of DNA from another developer: From Software. The mission of any game starring a Jedi is, of course, to emulate what makes the heroes so enjoyable in the films.
It’s not a unique story that was missing from the timeline, but it does deserve to be included. The story eventually transitions seamlessly into the events of Rogue One, and the original movie, giving the game a place in the canon. Cere’s actor Debra Wilson, who was just featured in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, as well, gives it her all in a role that requires her to show both bravery and shame, and Cameron Monaghan is believable as the experienced-yet-untested Cal.Ĭameron Monaghan is believable as the experienced-yet-untested Cal.Īny shot not filled with dialogue is usually complemented by a gorgeous score, which builds on the classic orchestral John Williams template with a touch of darkness and mystery. Still, Fallen Order manages to offset its derivative elements with tremendous performances and gorgeous set-pieces. These beats have been covered in previous Star Wars stories. Yet he cannot hide forever, and soon finds himself on the run from the Sith and racing to locate an object that contains the names of every known force-sensitive child.Īs with any Star Wars story worth its salt, he’s joined by plenty of friends, including former Jedi Cere, the wise-cracking pilot Greez, and an adorable droid named BD-1 who assist Cal with puzzle-solving and acts as his greatest cheerleader. One force-sensitive survivor, Cal Kestis, has become a scrapper in the five years since and has managed to conceal his identity. Set after Order 66, the mass execution of Jedi by clone troopers, the game tells the story of survivors struggling to conceal their identity as the Empire exerts its control and tightens its grip on the galaxy. Rather than focus on the current era of Star Wars stories, Respawn’s games takes place in the gap between the prequel trilogy and the original trilogy.
Nothing in Fallen Order feels wholly new, but its expert execution will keep you entertained from start to finish. With Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, Respawn Entertainment has brought that theme to gaming, blending elements from the films and several popular game franchises outside of Star Wars to create a thrilling action-adventure game.