Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order - Why You Should Start Over in…

Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order was released six years ago in 2019. It stands out as the only single-player Star Wars game to have been developed and released during EA's exclusive license for Star Wars games. Despite all the challenges that Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order faced as a single-player game with no live-service features, it was a hit on release, and had sold 20 million units by 2020.

There are many reasons why Fallen Order is a great game. As a soulslite, it makes a fantastic first entry for players who want a challenge, but don't want the challenge of soulslike games. Fallen Orde r also includes puzzles to solve, a compelling story, great characters, and emotional themes that make Cal a popular character in the Star Wars fandom. Fallen Order is essential to play before its sequel, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, and, with the third and final game in the Star Wars Jedi series in development, 2025 is the perfect time to revisit the first part of Cal's story.

Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order's Story

Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order follows the story of Cal Kestis, a Padawan who survived Order 66 and is living in hiding from the Empire. Fallen Order takes place five years after the rise of the Empire, a turbulent time for the galaxy as it settles into its new normal. The Inquisitors are a significant threat to the remaining Jedi at this point, and serve as the main antagonists of Fallen Order. Cal travels to planets both new and familiar, and Star Wars: The Clone Wars fans will recognize Dathomir and its inhabitants.

Fallen Order's story doesn't break any boundaries, but it's still a compelling tale of found family and trying to find hope in the midst of darkness. Its emotional peak is one of the best parts of the game, and its theme of moving on from grief and loss is told beautifully through its characters. It has a small group of characters who have their own motivations and agency, but could be more developed. Merrin is one of the standout characters of Fallen Order, but arrives far too late in the story. The Second Sister is also by far one of the best Inquisitors seen in Star Wars, both for her story and her dynamic with Cal.

Becoming a Jedi in Fallen Order

Where Fallen Order truly shines is its gameplay. Taking on the role of a Jedi is a power fantasy, and Fallen Order succeeds in this regard. Lightsaber combat is fluid and dynamic, and gets even better as Cal slowly relearns everything he forgot after the Purge. Fallen Order has one of the best interpretations of a lightsaber in the entire Star Wars IP, giving Cal the flexibility to switch effortlessly between single, dual, and double-bladed lightsabers.

Fallen Order's sequel, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, builds on the skills that Cal relearns in Fallen Order, so players don't have to start from scratch once again. Jedi: Survivor also builds on the relationships that Cal forges in Fallen Order, and the emotional beats in Jedi: Survivor won't mean as much if Fallen Order is skipped. With the third and final installment of Cal's story confirmed to be in development, 2025 is the perfect time to revisit Fallen Order and look back on Cal's growth, the characters who have shaped his journey, and the struggles he'll likely face in Jedi: Survivor's sequel.