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Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order Complete Review
Tomas Zegarra
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February 22, 2020
The Star Wars video game franchise ranks high on the number of games that are tied to one universe. Of the over one-hundred Star Wars games produced since 1982 for different platforms, the latest is the new third-person-driven Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order.
Here, we’ll discuss its highs and lows and whether it’s a worthwhile buy for you. Buckle in, this game is not like the Star Wars games you’ve played before. If you haven’t ever purchased or played a Star Wars game of any sort, Fallen Order will be a good intro to the titular characters of the Star Wars franchise - the Jedi.
The game is story-driven and single-player only. If you’re looking for multiplayer, try Star Wars - Battlefront. You can read our review on that game by clicking here.
While the lack of a multiplayer aspect might put some people off, you’re not considering playing Fallen Order because it is one or two players. You’re considering it because of the story and broader sci-fi experience it brings. Ready? Let’s take a little Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order walk through.
Release Information
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order’s release date was in November of 2019 from Respawn Entertainment and Electronic Arts. It is a triple-AAA game rated T for Teen available on the 3 primary platforms - Xbox One, PlayStation, and PC via Steam (launched from Origin).
From early on, Fallen Order received rave reviews for its story and character customization. The main character, Cal Kestis, is played by Cameron Monaghan who many would know from TV shows such as Shameless and Gotham.
DLCs to come? Maybe...
Even now, Respawn Entertainment is releasing patches to balance out game-breaking glitches and bugs. This has led many fans to believe that a DLC is somewhere on the horizon.
While there’s no news of that yet, small in-game cosmetic items are available as added DLC when you purchase the deluxe edition. Even without DLCs, Fallen Order feels like a complete game from start to finish in an age where games are often criticized for being “half-complete” at launch date.
No Spoilers Ahead
We’re not going to shovel out the whole plot for you, but we will provide a little overview. You are Cal, one of the last Jedi in the galaxy following the events of Star Wars: Episode III. Cal’s attempts at keeping his connection to the force and his force abilities a secret go awry and he is pursued across the galaxy by Imperial inquisitors.
The story is mostly comprised of questions and missions that teach Cal his remaining Jedi lessons, since he was a young boy during the infamous Order 66. If you want to get more beta, take a look at the Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order trailer by clicking here.
Storytelling on point
Is Fallen Order’s story a worthwhile investment? It sure is. Why? Because it’s the type of story that takes your attention away from the galactic-altering events usually covered in the Star Wars films. That’s not to say that Fallen Order’s events and characters aren’t impactful.
This game introduces new character archetypes, new conflicts, new technologies, and more that lead up to a climactic showdown with Star Wars’ most infamous villain. With character archetypes, Fallen Order introduces many new names and faces with their own individual stories that wouldn’t get a proper flushing out in an individual film.
Exploring Fallen Order’s universe
Fallen Order’s story isn’t something that you can waltz through. There are four difficulty levels that each present their own challenges. As you go up the difficulty ladder, you can expect harder hitting, smarter enemies. To get the best experience, you can take your time exploring Fallen Order’s universe by yourself.
This is one of Fallen Order’s strong points, the fact that it isn’t easy and doesn’t have as many arrows and directional cues pointing you through the entire game. Your learning curve, given the lack of constant help from the game, in fact, mirrors the gradual development of Cal’s character over the course of the game.
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order gameplay
Fallen Order isn’t a sort of “mash the A-button until the enemy dies” sort of game. Technique, strategy, and environmental awareness are big factors in how you accomplish objectives and defeat enemies.
Easter eggs
For anyone who's seen a Star Wars film, you know the worlds are vast, unpredictable, and never duplicates of each other. The same concepts appear in Fallen Order, forcing the player to discover new ways to navigate quests. Click here for Easter eggs and other playing tips.
Lightsabers
Now let’s get into everyone’s favorite topic: lightsaber combat. Respawn Entertainment designed this feature so that you’d have to employ multiple buttons or keys (depending on if you’re PC or console) to use Cal’s abilities to their full potential.
Story progression, defeating enemies, and accomplishing certain objectives will allow you to expand Cal’s skills tree in the manner you see fit.
Perhaps the most talked-about in-game feature is the customization of your lightsaber. Fallen Order goes above and beyond to try to make the lightsaber personal to you. Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order lightsaber colors you can customize include the following:
- Blue
- Green
- Purple
- Orange (premium/deluxe)
- Yellow
- Cyan
- Magenta
- Indigo
Other lightsaber upgrades include:
- Power switch
- Sleeve (an aesthetic piece of the saber)
- Emitter
- Material color
We mentioned premium/deluxe content. For not too much more money, you can purchase the deluxe edition of Fallen Order and receive additional cosmetics like the orange saber above (there are options in-game).
These cosmetics in no way influence your abilities in-game. It would be very difficult to make this game a “pay-to-win” scenario.
Critiques
Fallen Order is not without its drawbacks. The main criticisms have to do with the cost of the game and bugs that have not yet been worked out.
How long is Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order gameplay?
Most players say they can complete the game in anywhere from 15 to 24 hours depending on the difficulty. Currently, the game is still priced around $60 for the standard version. Since it is a story-only game, the amount of content you get for $60 with a max 24 hours completion time is somewhat disappointing. Picking this game up during a sale period would be the most economical option.
Bugs and combat system issues
Common gripes have to do with bugs and the difficulties that arise from an imperfect combat system. Many players have related Fallen Order to the notoriously difficult Dark Souls series of games. Due to the sometimes faulty lightsaber system in Fallen Order, lower difficulties can be needlessly tough and the highest difficulty is close to insane.
This can be quite frustrating for players, especially when you believe you’re doing everything correctly. Every enemy is beatable on any difficulty in this game, but the power imbalance between you and the game is what is leading many people away from the game until it’s fixed.
Ongoing patches help
Lucky for you, Respawn Entertainment has not turned a blind eye to these criticisms. Small patches are being released every so often to improve the combat system. Of course, the more feedback Respawn gets, the higher the chance of creating a more fluid experience through each difficulty.
The verdict
Overall, Fallen Order is a worthwhile addition to your gaming library. No game is perfect right at launch, and Fallen Order has its work cut out for it due to the focus on the single-player aspect.
For those who are cautious about dropping money on a new game, Fallen Order is worth the wait for a sale period to get it at a discount. Regardless of when you pick it up, you’re bound to have an awesome experience with a whole new side of Star Wars.
Looking for the right rig to play Fallen Order on? Check out our reviews of the top HP OMEN laptops for serious gamers.
About the Author: Tomas Zegarra is a contributing writer for HP® Tech Takes. Tomas is an Idaho-based writer for the tech and outdoor industries. His writing has appeared in journals such as Memoir Mixtapes, Upland Optics, and The Prepper Journal. He also writes fiction and is always working on a new idea for a short story.
