Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order Review – Is It Game of the Year Worthy?
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order delivers a great Star Wars experience for both gamers and fans of the Star Wars franchise.
Now that I’ve had the opportunity to explore Fallen Order, let’s look at what’s great and not so great about it.
Graphics and Visuals
Fallen Order is visually stunning. I played it on a gaming PC, and the game really pops on mid to high end GPU’s.
Details like the lush grass and steppes of Bogano, and the war torn forests of Kashyyyk, stand out.
The game is just gorgeous, and even things like blaster bolts are a sight to behold.
The visuals really immerse the player, and the world feels alive. The game looks great on console as well.
Some players on console platforms have pointed out graphical glitches, but expect those to be patched soon. The cutscenes are movie quality, and really pull you in.
Rating: 9
Soundtrack and Sound Effects
As good as the game looks, it sounds just as awesome. The game’s soundtrack feels just as Star Wars as the movies do, and it compliments the story well.
All the traditional Star Wars sound effects are on point, from lightsabers to blasters to ships.
Creatures all have unique sounds that make them feel cute or imposing, depending on the species.
Rating: 10
Mechanics
The gameplay mechanics of Fallen Order are solid. That being said, I highly suggest you play this game with a controller.
Even on PC, there are certain quicktime events and situations where a keyboard and mouse seem too gangly to get through. This is definitely a controller friendly title.
You will notice a definite Uncharted and Tomb Raider vibe with the puzzles and platforming aspects of the game.
There is also a definite nod to Prince of Persia with the wall running mechanic.
Combat feels really good, and Force powers are just right.
Even though there’s no dismemberment of humanoids, lightsaber usage still feels natural.
At no point does Cal feel weak with his Force powers, but he doesn’t feel OP either. I was really impressed with the way Force powers worked in Fallen Order.
The biggest beef with the mechanics is that the controls have somewhat of a learning curve. It can be frustrating learning to platform just right to make your way to a chest or an objective.
Once you master the timing however, the game doesn’t feel as daunting.
Rating: 7.5
Story
After the opening cinematic, we meet Cal Kestis. Cal (played by Dominic Monaghan) is a survivor of Order 66.
In the five years since the Jedi purge, Cal has since taken refuge on the scrapyard planet of Bracca.
There are some cool nods to the Clone Wars as we see a lot of old Republic vehicles waiting to be melted down. Cal uses a Force ability to save a co-worker’s life and outs himself unwittingly.
A chase ensues, and Cal is now on the run from the Empire. As an Imperial Inquisitor closes in, Cal is rescued at the last second by Cere Junda.
Safely on board Junda’s ship, we find out that she is a former Jedi. We also meet the ship’s pilot, Greez Dritus (played by Daniel Roebuck) for the first time.
Cere (played by Debra Wilson) explains that she needs Cal’s help to find a holocron containing the identities of all Force sensitive children left in the galaxy.
From there on, a galaxy spanning adventure begins that will take Cal and his new allies to planets like Bogano, Kashyyyk, Dathomir, and more.
This is a spoiler free review so I won’t go on about the story.
Suffice it to say, Cal’s adventure is deep and engaging. It will keep you on the edge of your seat until the end.
The story is rich with Star Wars lore, and nods to everything from the Clone Wars to the original trilogy.
Rating: 9.5
The Verdict
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order is the single player Star Wars game that fans have been craving for a long time.
I haven’t had this much fun since the KOTOR saga and the Force Unleashed games.
There’s a ton of replay value in this game. You can go back and explore the planets and search for all the hidden secrets.
Players can also replay the story at a different difficulty and do the planets in a different order each time.
In short, this game truly feels like Star Wars and provides the experience that the current trilogy is lacking.
If you love Star Wars, gather up your credits and add Jedi: Fallen Order to your collection.
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