Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order is not just any other Star Wars game. It is a journey into the perils of becoming a Jedi and a story of those who lived through the days of Order 66. It was probably the most harrowing experience for the Jedi Order as those the Jedi sworn to protect turned on them.
This story focuses on Cal Kestis, a young Jedi under the tutelage of Master Jaro Tapal, who trains him to become a Jedi Knight, but both are caught amid the Jedi Purge and must escape from the clutches of the Empire.
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order Review
This is long before the days of Star Wars Episode 4: A New Hope when young Cal Kestis had to lose everything before hiding as a scrapper working on destroyed ships. These places perfectly capture the dirty, broken, and gritty Star Wars world shown in the original trilogy.
From there, Cal is sent on a mission to work on another ship, and an accident causes Cal to use his Jedi abilities to save his friend Prauf, who exposes him in front of the Imperial Probe Droid. From there on, the Imperial Army sets off to find and kill off the last remaining Jedi.
As Cal tries to escape, he loses his only friend, his home, which he has been hiding in for five years, and the resulting chase results in him being rescued by Cere Jundus and Greez Dritus, a former Jedi and pilot.
These new people in Cal’s life give him a new purpose and a new beginning, dramatically pushing the narrative of Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order ahead. Being a Jedi is no easy task, and as a padawan, Cal must lose everything, trust in the force, and always be persistent.
These teachings carry throughout the game, as you will face numerous enemies and have boss battles, and though the fight mechanics seem inspired by Dark Souls and other From Software games, it is not that punishing. Every enemy will attack ruthlessly, and each strike will take away a massive chunk of your health, but at the same time, you will also learn to Parry using your lightsaber and force abilities to help you in battles.
As you progress in Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, you will face more brutal bosses, and lesser enemies will try to crowd you, but your presence of mind and the teaching of Jaro Tapal will always remind you how to better yourself. The narrative of Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order feels like an intergalactic odyssey where you will lose everything and gain more than you ever thought possible.
Every planet has secrets and sections that you will unravel as you keep visiting it again and again, and it never does feel repetitive; the lack of fast travel will push you harder to find shortcuts, and with the help of your helpful droid, you can check maps and also get a helping hand in battles and traversing through these different worlds.
In familiar places like Kashyyk, the world of Wookies is featured and revolves around Cal finding a resistance leader, Wookie, to help him find his needs. You also get to see Saw Gerrera’s character make a comeback to the Star Wars franchise as he has a cameo in the game, which is brief, albeit a very important one.
Speaking of abilities, you aren’t simply given all of those at the beginning of the game for you to figure out how and when to use them. Instead, you unlock them by learning their importance and using them in real-life situations.
For a person hiding after the Jedi Purge, Cal Kestis stands out as a Jedi. As the game progresses, you see a character blossom into a Jedi Knight.
Without revealing a significant spoiler, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order perfectly constructs the climax of the game; you will have goosebumps running through your body as the end is what you’d wish for in every Star Wars game. Every character has an inner demon to face; for Cal, it is his self-doubt. Cere has her past, which she cannot forgive herself for, and Greez has a gambling addiction, which almost ends with Cal losing his life.
You will see people who were once friends becoming foes while others who have been seduced to the dark side find redemption. Respawn Entertainment perfectly carved out a story that is both challenging and endearing.
Talking about the technical aspects of Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, you are promised to get 60 fps on the consoles, but that isn’t constant throughout the game, and you will find the game jittering and failing at times, but it runs smoothly during the battles.
Speaking of the visuals, it is a typical Star Wars game and has to have a diverse ecology that differs from one planet to another. Every place you go has a distinct visual and aural difference, making the experience vivid and plausible.
EA has reiterated time and time that they would not have any loot boxes in the game, and they stood true to their claims, as you can only purchase cosmetic upgrades, which are entirely optional.
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order does not leave on a cliffhanger, nor does it feel incomplete that you would have to purchase many DLC’sDLCsake sense of the story. It is a satisfying and complete world in itself without needing a sequel. Though, might I add, it would be fantastic to see Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order tie in with the movie series even more.
Maybe a sequel could have Cal Kestis play a role in the events that led to Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope until Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi.
It is too much to ask for now, but it can justify wishful thinking. Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order was developed by Respawn Games and is available for PC, Xbox One, and PS4.
