Home Gaming Jedi: Fallen Order is more like a Metroidvania than we were led to believe…

Jedi: Fallen Order is more like a Metroidvania than we were led to believe…

2 min read
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The gameplay loop of Respawn’s single player Star Wars game seems to focus much more on upgrades and unlocks than just platforming and combat.

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Last weekend, the world held its breath in anticipation. Jedi: Fallen Order was receiving its first gameplay trailer and everyone was excited to see just what it would all look like. Respawn, one of the finest action game developers of this generation, and Star Wars, a franchise with so much untapped potential, united together in what could only a true display of…was that it? That gameplay trailer…was it?

We all kinda sighed when we got our first glimpse at the game because it look kinda “meh”. Not bad, just uninspired. Like Uncharted except Star Wars and without the beautifully choreographed action sequences. This lacklustre demonstration left many people wondering what the future of this game was but it seems there may be more under Fallen Order’s hood than we expected.

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Speaking about his hands-on time with the game during this week’s GiantBomb’s Beastcast, Brad Shoemaker discussed how Fallen Order plays much more like a Metroidvania than a linear action game.

“You have a ship and a crew and there’s a bunch of planets and you can just fly between them at will” said Shoemaker, quoting a developer he met during his time with the game. “You can kinda go do the planets in whatever order,” meaning that the game will be a far less linear experience than many people thought it would be. Furthermore, each location will initially start with a vague map of the area which can only be filled out properly by exploring the environment. Certain paths will also be locked until certain upgrades are obtained, such as an enhancement to your droid buddy that allows him to tamper with fuse boxes. So it sounds like there’ll be a good deal of backtracking with an emphasis placed on previously inaccessible areas that can be unlocked the more upgrades you discover during your travels. Powers found on one planet may unlock a whole series of new rooms and areas on previously discovered areas, hopefully leading to some interesting moments of exploration.

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Beyond the Metroid comparisons, Shoemaker also stated that Fallen Order will feature “meditation points” that players can rest at to enhance their skills. When resting at these points, all the enemies in the area will respawn and return to their original locations while shortcuts between these save points become available the deeper you explore the planets. Sound familiar?

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If the whole of Fallen Order does turn out to be a game that is taking inspiration from both Metroid and Dark Souls, I think the experience will be something far more interesting than what was shown off to the public. Star Wars is a universe that is just begging for some deeper exploration of its worlds and if Respawn can successfully channel their gameplay to both evoke a sense of discovery and mastery over the game’s systems, that sounds like it could be one Hell of a game. To listen to the full description of Brad Shoemaker’s time with the game, the link to the podcast is here.

Last Updated: June 18, 2019

22 Comments

  1. Dutch Matrix

    June 18, 2019 at 11:58

    “You have a ship and a crew and there’s a bunch of planets and you can just fly between them at will”
    Sound like Mass Effect or if you REALLY want to go old school, Xain’d Sleena, a game that featured among other things, a sand dune shaped suspiciously a lot like Jabba the Hutt.

    Reply

    • Pariah

      June 18, 2019 at 11:59

      KotOR too.

      Reply

      • Dutch Matrix

        June 18, 2019 at 11:59

        I am going to have to take your word for that one. Started playing a KOTOR game and lost interest 45 minutes in.

        Reply

        • Gr8_Balls_o_Fire

          June 18, 2019 at 13:15

          wtf dude what’s wrong with you??

          Reply

        • Gr8_Balls_o_Fire

          June 18, 2019 at 13:15

          wtf dude what’s wrong with you???

          Reply

        • Gr8_Balls_o_Fire

          June 18, 2019 at 13:15

          wtf dude what’s wrong with you?

          Reply

        • Gr8_Balls_o_Fire

          June 18, 2019 at 13:15

          FTR, I’ve never played a star wars game or watched a SW movie in my life. Except that one that released in 2015.

          Reply

        • Pariah

          June 18, 2019 at 11:59

          Fair enough. You should probably prepare for some “wtf dude what’s wrong with you” replies though. I have a hunch there might be a few.

          Reply

          • Gr8_Balls_o_Fire

            June 18, 2019 at 13:15

            XD

          • Dutch Matrix

            June 18, 2019 at 12:06

            I get that every time I announce to a bunch of people I like The Sims games. So my skin is like the scales of Smaug the Dragon.

          • Original Heretic

            June 18, 2019 at 12:36

            Covered in gold??!
            So…where you from?

          • Dutch Matrix

            June 18, 2019 at 14:43

            The deepest darkest recesses of your mind. There where you fear to go.
            The part that makes you crave Spur steaks and Wimpy burgers.

          • Original Heretic

            June 18, 2019 at 15:23

            You’re going to have to be a bit specific. My mind is mostly comprised of fear and it’s all deep and dark.

    • Kervyn Cloete

      June 18, 2019 at 16:01

      Holy shit you gave me some serious nostalgia now with Xain’d Sleena. I loved this game! Spent far two many a “two bop” on that game at the corner cafe.

      Reply

  2. Pariah

    June 18, 2019 at 11:59

    You lost me at “Backtracking” and “Dark Souls”.

    Reply

    • Dutch Matrix

      June 18, 2019 at 12:06

      I know it is hard for people to fathom, but not all gamers were blown away with Dark Souls, Bloodborne et al.

      Reply

      • Pariah

        June 18, 2019 at 14:19

        You mean different people have different tastes?! What IS this madness?

        XD

        Reply

      • Llama In The Rift

        June 18, 2019 at 12:52

        I’m one of those gamers,

        The games are good, graphically and game play wise, i just don’t like a game where you’re dropped in a world without a sense of direction or no objectives to guide you…just not my cup of tee…but they do have a massive fan base so that genre of game is much needed in today’s market and honestly…i’ll rather waist my time running around aimlessly in Dark Souls than play a multiplayer game.

        Reply

    • Alien Emperor Trevor

      June 18, 2019 at 12:14

      I hope it’s also a rogue-like survival game with crafting!

      Reply

  3. Gr8_Balls_o_Fire

    June 18, 2019 at 13:23

    We all know what’s gonna happen here.

    Approach locked area: “This area is locked, pay $10 to access NOW.”

    EA’s version of E-Toll. EA-Toll.

    Brought to you by SeANRAL.

    Reply

  4. CrAiGiSh

    June 18, 2019 at 14:12

    I’ve seen the main character in Shameless …

    What’s seen cannot be unseen …

    This is the problem when developers base their characters off real actors.

    Reply

  5. Kromas

    June 18, 2019 at 12:59

    Slow lightsabers fights. That is what we need!

    Reply

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