Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order Review
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GLbwkfhYZk&w=560&h=315]
Jedi Fallen Order hit shelves November 15th, 2019 and tells the tale of Cal Kestis. Developer Respawn hit the nail on its head and the passion for the source material is very apparent. With an extremely involving entertaining and gripping story, impressive voice acting, and fine attention to detail, Star Wars Fallen Jedi Order is a masterpiece of its time.
It somehow manages to bridge the game-play gap between the Dark Souls or Bloodborne exploration and the action of series like Assassin’s Creed. With the maps completely open to explore, there are some challenges or obstacles in the way, forcing you to return to completely explore the area.
While re-exploring the worlds, there is a ton of “collectibles” to find. Each collectible varies from cosmetic items for cal, BD, or the mantis to force echoes, a power we first see in the game, that enhance the story.
Cal’s Journey Through the Purge
The main focus of the story is Cal becoming a Jedi during the Jedi Purge. Cal’s story is dark and gritty which is fitting for the time it takes place during. Set between episode 3 and 4, Cal and his new master Cere experience their survivors guilt after the events of the Jedi eradication five years prior. Dealing with how they survived the Purge, the two have had coping mechanisms that forced them to limit themselves with the force. As a result, Cere completely cuts herself off from the force and Cal forgets and reverts his force abilities.
The main story of the game has Cal and the Mantis crew bouncing around from planet to planet in hopes to find what Cere thinks will save the galaxy from the empire. Through out their journey, Cere is haunted by her past, something that she’ll have to eventually face.
Cameron Monaghan and Debra Wilson Shine in Their Performance
Cameron Managhan’s performance as Cal was spot on. He captures the feeling of a confused and hesitant teen in a galaxy where he is being hunted down. Cal, at his worst, is never tempted by the dark side, but just needs a pep talk. The character of Cal at times does feel like a generic Jedi.
Debra Wilson’s performance as Cere is one of the brightest parts of this game. You can hear the regret and anger she feels about her situation throughout the game. Especially the last quarter of the game, you really feel for Cere in her performance, as she relives the horrors she experienced at the hands of the empire. Even the Second sister, whose key to Cere’s story, has a surprising amount of depth to her character as the game progresses.
Respawn’s Attention to Detail Shows
This passion project from Respawn is miles ahead of anything anyone would expect. The diverse scenery and immersion of each planet showcases the amount of detail Respawn put into its game. As a result, each planet feel unique and packed with BD scans. Creatures look phenomal and add to the diversity of the galaxy. Along with each planet having new creatures, four planets have “secret hunts” which act like mini-bosses. Secret hunts are bigger creatures on the planet, such as an Albino Wyyyschokk. The only thing that looks extremely rough are the Wookies, but that based on hardware limitations, not necessarily the company.
Lightsaber combat is fluid and smooth. Whether you’re slicing down a stormtrooper or fighting an Inquisitor, the fight always feels exactly how it should. The saber never feels overpowered at any point. Also while fighting, combat isn’t just button mashing, it require players to dodge and time their defenses to get a parry and unique kill. It also interacts with the environment in the sense that the only thing it can do it cut wires and vines. This was a real missed opportunity by Respawn and they should have incorporated dis-membership to make it more realistic.
Verdict
Fallen Jedi Order is the first good Star Wars single-player game we’ve received in a while. Game-play is solid and diverse between the action packed combat and intricate puzzles. Combined with amazing game-play, the story is fresh and dark, adding to the lore and fear of the Empire. This game is most certainly a must play for not only Star Wars fans but for gaming fans alike.
Let us know how you felt about the game in the comments below!
Also don’t forget to check out our Star Wars Podcast Shootin’ The Sith