Is the Force strong with Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, the new third-person action game from Respawn Entertainment? Here’s what the Galactic Senate of game critics say.
The good news is that Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order is the best-reviewed Star Wars game this generation. Its blend of Metroid-like exploration and Souls-like combat receive widespread acclaim, as do its graphics and audio. However, Fallen Order‘s characters and pacing are less warmly received. A slew of technical problems are also reported, although a day-one patch has eliminated the most egregious issues.
So, Respawn’s strong run continues, and Electronic Arts finally publish a Star Wars game that people seem to like. Here is our review round-up.
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order review round-up
IGN
“Jedi: Fallen Order has incorporated just about every trick in the third-person action game playbook: climbing suitably bumpy walls, shimmying along beams, sliding down slopes, swinging from ropes, wall-running, and more, and the thrill ride is at its best when it’s chaining all of these together for a sequence that requires a bit of timing to pull off. This only gets better as more Force abilities are introduced and enhanced over the entire campaign, giving it a different flavor than the similar antics of Nathan Drake and Lara Croft.”
9/10 – Review by Dan Stapleton
The Verge
“Aside from the powers, what’s nice about the combat is its diversity. You aren’t just doing one thing. There are battles with giant creatures, squads of stormtroopers, and tense, one-on-one fights with skilled warriors. There are also a handful of big, impressive set-pieces that call to mind Uncharted; one of the opening scenes involves escaping a train that’s under attack.”
Not scored – Review by Andrew Webster
The Guardian
“In relaunching a much-loved and much-missed Star Wars genre, Fallen Order does exactly what it set out to. It reaches the bar, but then stops, with a set of characters and adventures that are not particularly intriguing or fresh, but certainly feel like they come from that very particularly galaxy, far, far away.”
4/5 – Review by Oliver Holmes
Polygon
“The most pressing challenge is almost always trying to figure out how to get from point A to point B, which is a refreshing shift for the Star Wars universe. There are battles, and some of them are glorious, but the vast majority of my time is spent solving puzzles and exploring, not fighting. I learn not to worry if I can’t find all the secrets or access all the areas on each planet, because I can always go back when I’ve unlocked a new Force ability or a higher jump to see more of each biome.”
Not scored – Review by Ben Kuchera
Gamespot
“It’s true that Fallen Order borrows liberally from other action games, but those elements work together with Respawn’s combat and environment design, and a story that finds humanity in the Force and in its characters, to hone in on what makes the world of Star Wars worthy of revisiting again and again. Even with some rough edges, Fallen Order represents one of the most compelling game additions to the Star Wars franchise in years.”
8/10 – Review by Phil Hornshaw
Eurogamer
“At the heart of the narrative problems lies one key issue: I simply don’t care about any of the characters. Cal has the personality of a wet poncho. Many of his conversations result in him essentially saying little more than yes/no, or remarking on the mission objective. The best it gets is the odd joke with BD-1, and although Cere has a more interesting backstory, neither she nor Cal are particularly dynamic – and their conversations, which make up the bulk of the dialogue in Fallen Order, are just dull.”
No scored – Review by Emma Kent
USGamer
“Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order comes painfully close to being the best action game of the year, but it ultimately falls short due to pacing problems and a host of technical issues. Still, this is the first step into a larger world for a franchise that has persistently struggled since its acquisition by EA.”
3.5/5 – Review by Kat Bailey
Title: Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
Developer: Respawn Entertainment
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Release date: November 15, 2019
Platform: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
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