Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order

It says a lot that I preordered Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order in a state of semi-fear, unsure of what sort of game I'd be getting. 

It says even more that EA, owner of the Star Wars gaming licence, has let it get to that point. With one of the largest money-making universes there is, and a long and storied history of (mostly) great games, EA hasn't done much with it aside from making two (mostly) disappointing Battlefront games. And even those games - which should be exciting - have been marred with greedy business decisions that hinder them before they even release. 

Finally (!) we're getting a proper Star Wars game though. One with only single player, story focused, and focused on lightsaber combat. It's been a while since we got similar types of games with The Force Unleashed I and II that were fun, but incredibly short and from the final years of Lucasarts before EA purchased the rights. 

So yeah, I preorderd the game because I was pumped, hoping for the best, but also knew that history was against me and that I could be purchasing a dud. 

Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order is not only not a dud, but is in fact one of the very best games of the year - a surprise drop of awesomeness in what's been a lackluster 12 months - and one of the best Star Wars games ever. It also solidifies developers Respawn - those who were also responsible for one of my favorite games in the last decade, Titanfall 2 - as true powerhouses in the industry. 

"Mama said knock you out!"

Wonderful atmosphere

There's so much that could have gone wrong with this game but it's clear that the approach to it was a thoughtful one. Less about reinventing any wheel or knocking down any genre definitions and more so about A) making a damn awesome Star Wars game and B) borrowing from what's already been proven to work. Jedi plays like an awesome mixture of Uncharted / Tomb Raider and a Dark Souls game. Most readers wouldn't know that I have some experience with these "Masochist" genre games (my title, not official). I do, and they stress me out and I generally don't make it far in them. I got through maybe one boss in Bloodborne before I decided it wasn't for me and I got probably 1/3rd through Sekiro earlier this year before hitting a wall. Personally, I don't have the time to dedicate 80 hours to "git goood" at a game and ones that take so much from you upon death/failure really crush my spirit. Luckily Star Wars Jedi finds the right balance of difficulty and offers up a substantial challenge (I played on Jedi Master), but not one that ever feels so insurmountable that you want to quite. In short, it's far more accessible as a "Masochist-lite" game.

This achievement truly shouldn't be undersold. You will die in Fallen Order. A lot. There is some loss upon death that punishes you. Despite that, it's never so incredibly difficult that I wanted to get rid of the game and usually the times you die you were "So close!" to killing X enemy that trying again is a given. This is a huge step in the right direction for a genre that has been rather niche (though growing) in recent years and it's probably this game's biggest achievement. I'd encourage anyone to at least start on Jedi Master. It's hard, sometimes it will be infuriating, but it's possible. And that's more than I can say for my time spent with Bloodborne or Sekiro. 

Photo mode FTW. Oh, and this dude's about to lose his arm

With this difficulty, we're treated to the best lightsaber battles ever put in a game. Sure, basic Stormtroopers basically hold no chance against you, but enemy variety is astonishing and other enemies/creatures can withstand more than a lightsaber stroke and will make you pay for playing too aggressively. Combat is focused mainly on countering and dodging with a slew of available special combos or Force-based moves that you can use to throw off your opponents. There's a handful of instances where the timing of it all felt "off", but generally speaking this is a crisp, well-button-mapped game. These battles can get wickedly intense with multiple enemies, a mix of combat vs. ranged weapons, and sometimes large creatures causing chaos. Some of the tougher enemies have complicated counter-to-attack times and the game doesn't hold back (especially once you're powerful) in throwing multiples of them at you. Boss battles in particular are wild, intense, and - just telling you now - will require multiple tries. But holy s**t does it all look awesome! I was continually impressed with just how operatic/poetic my best fights looked, reminding me of the series' best lightsaber battles from Phantom Menace or Revenge of the Sith. What's even cooler is that the game features some lightsaber upgrades throughout that will excite almost any fan. I'd hate to spoil it here so I won't but my reaction was: "Oh f**k yes!". 

Well hey now! This AT-AT has a beard!

Mud sliding: looks fun, controls horribly

The rest of the gameplay is largely platforming based and while it's never the "creme de le creme" of that genre, it's still very competent and Respawn's signature inventiveness in this space shows up periodically. Getting around the maps is quite clever as it's "quietly" linear with some alternative paths available to you on the first go round while others are clearly closed of (and marked as such) until you discover further powers. The only portion of platforming that needs work are mud/ice-sliding segments where the turning radius isn't really capable of accomplishing some of the tighter turns until you know what's coming. Luckily, death by falling/platforming is forgiving and it basically just resets you, otherwise the game would be frustratingly unfair in a handful of spots. I do feel like stealth was a significant missing component to the game however and I'm hoping it shows up in an inevitable sequel. Not every game needs to be a Arkham or Spiderman copy, but there were certain times that I would dream about how cool it would be to stalk prey and take them out silently with Force powers and a lightsaber. The game flat out suggests it at a few points, but since it's not possible, it feels weird - almost like a tease.

Fallen Order also has one of the best Star Wars stories I've heard in a good long while that truly distances itself from anywhere near the Skywalker saga. It takes place 5 years after Order 66 (where Palpatine ordered the massacre of the Jedi after Anakin went to the Dark Side *pushes nerd glasses higher up nose*) and creates new characters to care about in this world, builds substantially on a lot of Jedi lore, and genuinely just feels fresh while also featuring familiar things like space ships, lightsabers, and the like. The plot boils down to Cal Kestis, former Jedi Padawan, is set on a quest to find a holocron that has stored the name of Force-sensitive children throughout the galaxy. He must get to it before the Empire in hopes the Jedi can be built back up. Along the way he travels with his crew and frequently runs into the Inquisitors and a mysterious villain known as Second Sister whom they must race against. To say much more would be to enter spoiler territory, but I found it to probably be the best "new" universe story since a lot of the previous extended universe was purged. Given that it's now cannon, it's exciting to see where they could go with it and you'll consistently be interested to learn more and pay attention to what's happening. 

Mano el Mano. A pure example of intense combat within the game

It's a bit odd then - and a sign that we're nearing the end of this generation of hardware perhaps - that Fallen Order's biggest issues are largely technical. The game looks incredible (as you can see in my playthrough screenshots) and the Star Wars "vibe" is very much well captured here, with every nook and cranny feeling like it's ripped straight from this universe. But the game also struggles massively during certain moments, dropping framerates and full on freezing (while it loads a section) probably 10-20 times through my admittedly long playthrough. It holds the game back from true greatness and when things like enemies spawning right in front of you occurs, the glitches are annoying. Do they ruin the game? Hell no. You'll still have a ton of fun. I'd also assume that future patches decrease their frequency in the future. But they were frustrating to me at times where it felt like it ruined the flow of the game because the hardware couldn't keep up. 

Is there a more Star Wars shot than this one? 

Jedi: Fallen Order is likely the start of a new franchise. Much like the Arkham and Middle-Earth games, it's an example of a developer finally nailing it with a famous property. Given that property is Star Wars and that these games have been in a bit of a drought, it's practically a God-send. It's got the potential to truly be something as great as God of War and while it's not there yet, I have no doubt that uber-talented developers, Respawn, will drop the gauntlet with the sequel. In the meantime, it's cool to say - for the first time in a very long time - that one of the best games of the year is a Star Wars one.

CONS

• Few platforming elements are frustrating *cough mudsliding cough cough*
• Is there a way to achieve a "Teen" rating with dismemberment for human characters? Feels really weird that your lightsaber can cut parts off animals, droids, etc. but Stormtroopers stay totally in tact
• Host of technical issues that interrupt gameplay
• Lack of stealth elements feels oddly left out
• I wish the lightsaber customization would have been deeper
• No New Game + ...yet?

PROS

• The most awesome lightsaber combat game made to date
• Finally nails the right balance (at least for more casual/pressed-for-time gamers like me) of difficulty with "Souls"-esque style of combat and punishment on death. It's a hard game - definitely one that will kill you lots before the end - but it always feels possible and forces you to focus on changing up your technique
• Combat is easy to pick up, takes time to master, and looks awesome. Great enemy variety keeps it interesting
• Platforming is fun and opens up new bits of the world(s) as you come across them
• Great length of game that keeps unfolding, but doesn't overstay its welcome
• Awesome story with a memorable new cast of characters, clear mission, and plenty of lore 
• Stunning graphics and worlds to explore. They nail the "feel" of Star Wars
• Ditto for the sound design. Lightsabers, blasters, creatures, and original music all sound incredible
• Captivating, intense, and memorable from start to finish. This is the Star Wars game we've ALL been looking for

Rath's Review Score | 9.5/10