Jedi Fallen Order Review

South Wagner ’23 / Emertainment Monthly Treasurer

With Microsoft adding EA Play to Game Pass, a whole slew of new games have become available to subscribers, among which is Jedi: Fallen Order. With the recent release of the first few chapters of season 2 of The Mandalorian keeping the Star Wars series fresh in our collective minds, this seemed a relevant time to review the title.

The game matches not only the tone of Star Wars as a whole but what it felt like in the heads of children playing with action figures. The opening sequence where Cal runs and climbs through the wreckage of Imperial ships felt like an action figure climbing bookshelves before being lost into the void of the air vent. Parrying attacks and lightsaber clashes feel like smashing figures together weapon-first. Using the Force to throw enemies about brings joy unrivaled since The Force Unleashed. The moment that second blade opened on Cal’s lightsaber? Immeasurable pleasure.

The game’s use of a cinematic camera emulates the trademark style of the films, and the narrative, though standard, fits the mold well. Cameos and easter eggs will delight even the most casual of fans, and the game draws from more obscure lore for the hardcore. Ultimately, it’s the little touches that make the game so endearing. Enemies have entertaining quips. Stormtroopers can remark that the player “has the high ground.” BD-1, your robot companion and best boy, does little dog-like tippy taps every time you upgrade him.

Even the mechanics lend themselves well to matching the best parts of the franchise. The Souls-like combat gives weight and consequence reminiscent of the best duels from the films, but the Force abilities and movement balance that with a sense of flow. The combat and parrying animations feel fluid and natural, which is a complaint often brought up with the genre. Most deaths were caused by becoming too aggressive, which fits perfectly with the path of a Jedi. Like Luke’s climactic battle with Vader, we’ve seen what aggression nets a Jedi. In this case, it’s death.

The story is pretty standard for those who are familiar with the series, a journey many other characters have taken. However, it’s told in an incredibly engaging way that managed to make even Order 66 surprising again. Characters have genuine chemistry, especially Cal and BD-1.

However, the game is not without flaws. The camera may be cinematic, but it cinematically captures Cal’s many deaths in any sliding sequence. Those were an enjoyable part of the Tomb Raider remakes, a clear inspiration, but the unreliable camera killed some of the enjoyment here, as well as causing me a few deaths due to not locking onto enemies properly. Also, beware of fairly frequent framerate drops on the classic Xbox One.