I truly can’t remember how old I was when I saw my firstStar Warsmovie. I have vague memories of seeingThe Phantom Menaceat some point when I was very young but I honestly couldn’t tell exactly when I saw it. That being said, I do remember seeingRevenge of the Sithwith my parents back in 2005 at a theater that doesn’t exist anymore. Like most kids after they saw aStar Warsmovie, I was obsessed with lightsabers. They were big laser swords; who wouldn’t want to swing one of those around?
Ever since then, I’ve been obsessed with trying to find aStar Warsgame that captures the feeling of being a Jedi or Sith.Star Wars: The Force Unleashedwas a title that got really close for me, but looking back, it didn’t control as well as I remembered and the story was a bit on the weaker side (although it’s still one of my favorites). 2017’sStar Wars: Battlefront IIalso came close but it wasn’t ALL about a force-sensitive individual like I would have wanted. However, when 2019’sStar Wars Jedi: Fallen Orderwas announced, I was optimistic about what the game would have to offer. Now that I’ve played through the title and I’m on my way to the platinum, I can say with confidence that this game is everything that I’ve wanted since I sawRevenge of the Sithin theaters and there are two very simple reasons as to why.
[pullquote]“This game is everything that I’ve wanted since I sawRevenge of the Sithin theaters."[/pullquote]
The forefront ofFallen Order’simmersion comes in the form of its gameplay. Right out of the gate the gameplay is smooth, even if you don’t have all your force powers yet. Despite being in this “powered down” form, the game still nails the feel of being Jedi. In the films and shows, you can see the differences between the Jedi, Sith and the non-force-sensitive lightsaber users. The force-sensitive wielders have more grace to their fighting styles (even the Sith to a certain extent, although certainly less-so). This grace and fighting style is expertly replicated inFallen Order.
Of course, the game doesn’t go too far. There are little to no insane flips or swings like the ones found in the prequels. When they are utilized, it’s sparingly. Because of this, the lightsaber combat has quickly become one of my favorites in aStar Warsgame. Each hit and block feels meaningful. This is something that the sequel trilogy got very close to achieving compared to the other trilogies, but didn’t quite hit the mark. The heavy lightsaber combat and the fact that you’re actually playing the content rather than watching it makes for an experience that I could only dream about as a kid.
[pullquote]“This wasn’t Cal’s journey in becoming a Jedi – it was mine."[/pullquote]
On the opposite end of the spectrum, theFallen Order’sstory is absolutely superb and easily one of the bestStar Warsstories we’ve ever gotten. Part of the reason it clicked with me so much is that I relate to Cal in my own way. When we first see him, he isn’t confident, he’s scared,and he’s just trying to blend in, all of which describe me when I was younger, first getting intoStar Wars.As the story goes on, however, Cal grows, becomes confident, makes friends, and gets back on the path to becoming a Jedi Knight. I sometimes feel like I didn’t become a confident adult until much later than seemingly everyone else around me. For these reasons, I’m attached more to Cal than any otherStar Warscharacter that’s currently canon.
There’s a moment later in the game, when Cal is making his own lightsaber, that I realized what this game had become for me. When I had a chance to fully customize Cal’s lightsaber on Illum, I immediately chose a yellow crystal. Ever since I was a kid, yellow was my ideal color for a lightsaber. It’s always appealed to me for some reason. After I chose my crystal, I immediately started customizing the saber more than I ever had before in the game. This was my lightsaber. It wasn’t Cal’s, it wasn’t Jaro Tapol’s, it was quintessentially mine. And then it hit me: this wasn’t Cal’s journey in becoming a Jedi – it was mine.
For some RPG and MMO players, this self-identification may not come as a surprise; I know that a lot of those players see themselves as the characters. But for me, no other game has spoken to me like this before. Maybe it was the story, maybe it was the gameplay, maybe it was just the fact that it’s aStar Warsgame. Regardless, it all feels right.
Earlier this monthI released my top 10 games for 2019and at the time I wasn’t that far intoStar Wars Jedi: Fallen Order.Because of that, I only put the game as an honorable mention. At the time, I was sure that it would probably rank in my top five of the year, but it didn’t feel right putting a game that I had only played a few hours of so high on my list. If I had known what I do know about the title, I would have easily put the title in the number one slot. I can’t wait to see what EA and Respawn have in store for a sequel and I can’t wait to recreate my lightsaber atGalaxy’s Edgewhen I go later this year.
