BeforeStar Wars Jedi: Fallen Orderreleased, Respawn Entertainment described its lightsaber combat as “thoughtful” but what that meant exactly was left up to interpretation. Earlycombat comparisons were made toSekiro: Shadows Die Twice,but it’s much more - it’s exactly the lightsaber combat that fans have wanted. As a weapon of a more civilized age, the lightsaber is incredibly powerful which makes it hard to translate into gameplay, and previous entries often fell short of capture that technique, that power, and the overall flow of the weapon. NOTE: The article may containminor spoilers- but none related to the game’s story.
For example, theStar Wars: The Force Unleashedsubfranchisetook a hack ‘n slash approach to lightsaber combat, which captured the overall power of the lightsaber but failed to really require technique or thought. It took a powerful weapon and remove any required civility from it. On the other hand, one of the most popular Star Wars games,Knights of the Old Republic, had the civility but lacked the power. This came as a result of the game’s structure and didn’t necessarily take from the lightsaber combat of the game, at least for the time, butStar Wars Jedi: Fallen Ordercombines all of this into fluid, powerful combat.
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Like a true Jedi,Fallen Orderplayers are able to block and deflect blaster shots and the Stormtrooper’s special weapons. Players have to react quickly to deflect the blast bolts back, whereas blocking will truly like a Jedi blocking from the movies. Managing these deflections while engaging in melee combat empowers the player and forces the quick thoughts of a Jedi. Dodging and usingForce abilities inFallen Order, which are not as powerful as previous games, to complement the lightsaber combat feels more natural than any previous games.
Every lightsaber clash, strike, and manuever puts players right into the action, so much so it feels like something that shouldn’t be possible in a video game. At its core, these are basic mechanics found in several games, but these mechanics makes the combat so visceral.Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Orderdoesn’t feel like a video game with lightsabers; it feels like a game designed for lightsabers.
Lightsabers improve over time, as players will find different upgrades, including one for adouble-bladed lightsaber inJedi: Fallen Order. It plays entirely different from the single-bladed lightsaber, with it being more fluid and quicker and requiring players to adjust their way of thinking about the combat. Players will be able to swap between lightsabers based on preference and combat situation, adding more to the overall flow of the game.
Beyond the combat, players will be able to make cosmetic adjustments to their lightsaber that, while doing nothing for the overall stats of the lightsabers, add a personal flare to the combat. Using aorange-colored lightsaber, for example, reflects upon a player’s personal preference. It’s a simple process but one that really seesStar Wars Jedi: Fallen Orderplayers get invested in the combat.
At the end of the day, ifStar Wars Jedi: Fallen Orderfell short everywhere else (but it does not), it would be rememberable for this combat. Given the reception thus far, the game’s overaching story, and the game’s lightsaber combat, it seems safe to say thatFallen Orderis the Star Wars many have been looking for.
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Orderis out now for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
