Jedi: Fallen Order review: Best Star Wars game ever 

Respawn Entertainment developed Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order is a very familiar game. But that’s alright. It borrows small, small things – but ones that make huge impact - from one of the best games we’ve played already – some, multiple times - and puts them all together into one cohesive set-piece that may not necessarily be a masterpiece, but is surely one that should keep Star Wars fans occupied for a while. 

Fallen Order is the kind of Star Wars game that fans of the franchise have wanted for a long time. And it’s also the kind of game the franchise needed to get back into the game, because let’s just face it, there hasn’t been a good Star Wars game in over a decade.

Story

That it’s a game designed for the fans is evident right from the get-go. Fallen Order is an action-adventure Star Wars game that puts you in the shoes of a “playable” Jedi Padawan called Cal Kestis who’s been in hiding post the events of Revenge of the Sith, until one fateful night when he’s discovered by the Empire – after he uses the Force to save a friend slash colleague. 

It’s a story fans have heard many, many times. Fans will be aware of its ending too. And yet, Fallen Order is a story worth fighting for

Naturally, the Empire dispatches a pair of deadly Inquisitors – Second Sister and Ninth Sister – to hunt him down. Quite expectedly, he's rescued by the Resistance - former Jedi Cere Junda and pilot Greez Dritus. Together, the three embark on an “epic” journey that sets them on course to find a hidden list of Force-sensitive children. The plan is to rebuild the fallen Jedi Order. Even as Cal’s rebuilding himself to become a Jedi.  

It’s a story fans have heard many, many times. Fans will be aware of its ending too. And yet, Fallen Order is a story worth fighting for. It could have been longer. But I am coming into it from Hideo Kojima’s Death Stranding and considering how that’s a 50-hour+ long game, there’s no way Fallen Order’s odd 20 hours can fulfil me. 

What’s important is, what Fallen Order manages to pull off, inside those seemingly conservative – by today’s standards – 20 hours. It pulls off quite a lot actually – plus, before I forget, Fallen Order is the longest Star Wars game ever, in case you were wondering.  

Fallen Order is a Star Wars game through and through, but it’s also an EA game. So, a couple of questions are bound to be asked. I’ll just go ahead and answer them before diving any further -  

• The game doesn’t force you into going online - I repeat, Fallen Order is NOT an online – or a multiplayer - game.  
• The game doesn’t force you into making any microtransactions to be any better - I repeat, Fallen Order does NOT have any microtransactions. 

Design

Now that we have that out of our way, let’s talk design. Fallen Order tries to be as authentic as possible to the Star Wars universe. But it never really goes overboard with it. This means, while pros who’ve grown to identify every Star Wars detail down to a T will be well at home here, those not so familiar with Star Wars lore won’t feel alienated at any point of time. It’s a good thing. Fallen Order is a game everyone can enjoy, without scratching their heads over back stories. Star Wars fans, of course, will be able to enjoy it a little more and that’s obvious - the game also rewards them with plenty of ancient history to explore in their own time, that’s not even a part of the main story. 

Fallen Order is a game everyone can enjoy, without scratching their heads over back stories.

You begin your journey from the planet Bracca that reeks of elements from the Clone Wars – and of course the Great Jedi Purge - and travel to multiple planets, including Kashyyyk and Dathomir. Every planet you come across has its own distinct style and even though much of it remains empty, the game’s exploration angle ensures you’re never really bored. This is especially true about the planet Zeffo, that’s literally home to an extinct species – and yet, it is the most enjoyable of the lot. The level design here, as well as everything that you’ll do here, will instantly remind you of Tomb Raider, or even Breath of the Wild. While its series of interconnected areas, all of which you can’t access since the beginning, are inspired from Metroid. Some areas could do with better lighting though. 

Fallen Order’s level design won’t wow you the way a certain God of War does and that’s alright, for its beauty lies in its sheer simplicity. It’s a game that will test your patience “n” number of times. Case in point -  

• The in-game map is bare bones, giving you just the in and out points – possibly because there’s no fast travel. 
• Fallen Order perhaps has one of the most frustrating save mechanisms in a game ever. 

And yet, chances are, you’ll keep coming back for more. Simply because, there’s something very “satisfying” about playing the fantasy of a Jedi and it’s even better when it’s done right. Fallen Order carries its “keeping it simple” mantra in the combat as well. There’s not a lot that you can do here, and yet, wielding the Jedi’s two biggest hallmark tricks, the lightsaber and the Force, makes you feel, for the lack of a better word, special. It really helps that the sound effects – particularly while dueling with lightsabers - compliment your every move.  

The game does not give you all the power right at the beginning. Rather you learn things along the way. That’s a nice touch that goes well with the theme of the game – Cal has been in hiding and needs to brush up on his skills along the way. 

Gameplay

Which is where the combat becomes crucial. The many different worlds of Fallen Order don’t have many NPCs. Mostly, everyone’s an enemy. Luckily, there’s enough diversity here – from planet distinct creatures to stormtroopers to the bosses. Each one has a distinct identity, which means you’ll be fighting each one differently – there were times when I had to run from some of them as well.  

Fallen Order has a lot going for itself – authentic setting, compelling story, challenging combat and lots of exploration

Guess what I am trying to say here is that the combat in Fallen Order can be challenging for the most discerning gamer. You can’t just mishmash your way out of trouble. It’s sort of like Dark Souls in that way. You automatically regenerate from the same point if you fall off a cliff or something, but if you’re struck down by an enemy, you’ll respawn from your last check point. This means, you’re not allowed to let your guard down for the most part – the game keeps you on your feet most of the time.  

When you’re not fighting, you’re exploring. Both the terrain for clues and what have you, as well as the characters. There are not many characters in Fallen Order, only important ones. The ones that really stay with you the longest, even after you’ve finished the game, are Cere and your cute Android buddy, “BD-1.” Not Cal – he's just okay. Which is weird because well, you’re playing him in the game. Maybe, had there been a dark side version of him that you could also play alternatively, things would be different, I am not so sure. For me, Cere’s “dark” story and BD-1's playful beeps and boops, were the game’s highlights. 

Should you play it?

Fallen Order is by no means perfect – on the surface and below it. I have had minor stutters all along the way while playing the game on the PS4. The game could do with shorter load times too. Maybe a little more customization. Maybe a more thought-out way to fuel up your Force meter – remember, the Force is not a power that you have, and you most certainly don’t get better at it by killing people. But Fallen Order is a video game based on a film, and we all know, how hard making that is. Be that as it may, Fallen Order has so much more going for itself – authentic setting, compelling story, challenging combat and lots of exploration - you don’t mind that it also has a few rough edges here and there. Needless to say, the Force is strong with the Fallen Order. 

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