Top 5 Best Things About Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order
Set five years after the fall of the Republic, Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order tells the story of the padawan Cal Kestis, as he emerges from hiding and resumes his path toward becoming a Jedi. The 2019 video game tells a deeply layered story that is full of action and expands the universe considerably. The much-anticipated sequel is sure to have brand-new features and surprises but before it releases let us revisit the top five best things about the first game.
5. Game Design
Open-world games provide a certain level of freedom for the gamer. Traditionally most games put the player on a set path with enemies in front and empty space in the back. However, with Fallen Order, Cal can retrace his steps to find fresh enemies and also unlock previously inaccessible areas. This gives the game amazing replay value and stops the map from becoming overwhelming until the player is ready. The game's four (main) planets: Bogano, Zeffo, Kashyyyk, and Dathomir are massive but the adventure takes Cal back and forth a few times. This ensures the layers of these “levels’ are removed at the right pace. This helps make the game's few planets feel like many but it is never too overwhelming.
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4. The Lost Jedi And His Droid
Eno Cordova and his droid BD-1 went on a massive journey long before Cal was rescued by the Mantis crew on Bracca. Eno had a dark vision of what would happen to the Jedi and decided to take matters into his own hands. He stole a Jedi Holocron (with the names and locations of force-sensitive children) and secured it in a vault on Bogano before Order 66. He then left instructions with his droid to only reveal the location of the Holocron to a Jedi, after they retraced his path and also uncovered the secrets of the Zeffo. Cal lost his master (Jaro Tapal) during Order 66 but is able to connect and learn from the holos of Eno that BD projects each time they make a discovery. He also develops a strong bond with the minuscule droid as the two face many obstacles together but stay at each other's side and save each other several times.
3. Customization
Customization in a game is never easy. Too much and it becomes distracting and frustrating to navigate but if you have too little the game becomes monotonous. Fallen Order uses the story itself to help the gamer discover new skills. It is not until Cal needs to learn a skill that the player “masters” it. This happens a few times during the game, but it is spread out so it doesn’t overwhelm the player. After a certain point gamers also get to choose which color lightsaber and style of hilt they want. Combine that with customizable clothes (ponchos galore!) and the ability to change the color of your ship and droid and you can truly make the game your own. The game also has the feature of choosing between a single or double-bladed lightsaber depending on the situation and also allows the user to walk with it turned off, a feature not available in most games of the past. The game even keeps the customization the gamer chooses during cutscenes. This is a great feature and truly makes the game a unique experience
2. Dathomir And Kashyyyk Explored
Star Wars has many famous planets. Coruscant, Tatooine, Bespin, and Naboo just to name a few. While planets like Tatooine have been explored extensively, planets like Dathomir and Kashyyyk have only been briefly shown in media. Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order took the risk of exploring these planets and it worked out wonderfully. The gamer can peel back the layers of the mysteries on Dathomir and also gets to experience the dangers of Kashyyyk fauna up close and personally. Zeffo and Bogano also had an interesting design but the sheer massiveness and details of the Wookiee planet and the home of the Nightsisters cannot be denied. On Kashyyyk Cal investigates what an Imperial stronghold has done to the home of the Wookiees. His path leads him to a colossal Shyyyo bird that he rescues and right into the path of an Inquisitor (who he defeats atop The Origin Tree). On Dathomir Cal fights the titan Gorgara (a Chirodactyl) and befriends a Nightsister that stays with him on his journey and eventually saves his life. Both planets are dangerous but are designed to show the beauty of the landscape as well.
1. The Forgotten Padawan
The story of Cal Kestis is far from over but has already meant so much to Star Wars fans. A former padawan who had been hiding away, Cal is thrust back into the conflict between good and evil after his friend is killed. Cal survives an attack from an Inquisitor and decides to join Greez and Cere on their mission to protect and (possibly) train the next generation of Jedi. During his adventures, Cal heals his connection to the force and can finally move on from the trauma (and guilt) he had been holding onto for years. He befriends a Nightsister, travels to Ilum, and explores many ancient Jedi temples that have been abandoned. He never wavers in the face of danger and even faces the ultimate test by showing his fallen enemy mercy and not revenge. He is unfortunately rewarded with an angry Vader but thankfully can escape. In the end, Cal retrieves the Holocron from the vault on Bogano but decides to destroy it so the Empire can never retrieve it, saving countless young force-sensitive children.
The Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order sequel, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, releases on April 28, 2023. It is sure to have new surprises but keep what made the original game great.
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