The main character Cal Kestis is first introduced on the new planet Bracca - one of several new places in Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order. Padawan Cal is hiding from the Empire but is forced to flee as soon as he uses his powers. On his escape, he makes new friends, like his companion Cere - she was once a Jedi and believes she has found a way to rebuild the Order. Apparently, she knows that several Jedi are hiding in secret places and Cal is supposed to help her find them and convince them to fight together against the Empire.
Both are pursued by the Second Sister, one of the elite Inquisitors of the Empire. The Second Sister is supported by the Purge Troopers, who are specially trained to locate Jedi and help the Inquisitors. In its new gameplay trailer, Electronic Arts has recently released real in-game gameplay, where the player fights his way through Empire-controlled Kashyyyk. The game feels much more like an action adventure, with the protagonist not only jumping and sneaking past stormtroopers but also running along walls and meeting with Saw Gerrera, the rebel hardliner from Rogue One. The fauna of Kashyyyk is part of the level design: Gigantic insects attack the stormtroopers - a useful distraction.
What is the gameplay like?
The protagonist is controlled from a third-person perspective. Among his movement possibilities in the relatively linear level are wall runs á la Titanfall, jumping, climbing, balancing and double jumping. The game scenes shown alternate relatively harmoniously between exploration and locomotion, with small, intermediate sequences and combat action - reminding us of games like Dark Souls and Uncharted. The physics of the Lightsaber look much more comprehensible than in The Force Unleashed - the blade looks less like a stick and more like a real cutting edge.
Speaking of fights, Cal can, of course, reflect blaster shots, parry attacks, strike and throw his lightsaber. In addition, he can use the force to drag, push and freeze enemies or platforms. Using Force Echo, Cal can extract useful information from dead stormtroopers: This tells him what preoccupied the enemies shortly before they died.
Keep this in mind: If you want to use the force, you need to pay close attention to your power energy bar. Only when this bar is charged, can you use your abilities, attempting to ensure a dynamic between the use of the lightsaber and the Force. The player is forced into melee again and again, even if he could cause his biggest hits with the force. Furthermore, Cal's life energy does not regenerate itself. Instead, he has to use stimpacks, which are limited. Otherwise, the main character collects skill points in combat, which can be used to improve his skills. The droid on his back is supposed to help him to cross the levels and open blocked entrances - and he also looks pretty cute.
Created with the Unreal Engine 4, the title will be released on November 15, 2019 for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order will be available as Standard and Deluxe Editions. The Deluxe Edition contains a Director's Cut with additional features and contents as well as unique cosmetic items.
