Help us Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, you’re our only hope

With EA’s lackluster handling of the Star Wars IP, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order is our only hope for a decent single-player adventure in a galaxy far, far away.

In general, the Star Wars franchise hasn’t been in the best of graces over the last couple of years. With The Last Jedi being such a controversy (although not for me, because I’m a fan of good things), Solo: A Star Wars Story being forgettable, and the recent news that Game of Thrones showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss will no longer be helming their own trilogy, there’s this feeling of unease that can sensed coursing throughout every orifice of the fandom. It’s remarkable, really, how much the perception of a franchise can change in such a short amount of time.

You’d think that video games might be able to alleviate some of this crisis, but Electronic Arts hasn’t pulled through. Gaming, too, has been a sore spot for fans as EA — who first acquired the exclusive rights to make Star Wars games back in 2013 — have only released Star Wars Battlefront and Star Wars Battlefront II. It’s easy to make fun of EA these days, so let’s do that.

Instead of capitalizing on the countless number of potential stories the Star Wars universe could offer, EA has focused, exclusively, on the realm of multiplayer shooters (which have been decent, at best). Combining this with the shuttering of Visceral Games has made the company appear quite short-sighted with how they’ve handled the license.

But alas, even in the darkest of times there bleeds an essence of light, and that light is Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, which comes out later this month on November 15. The game, unlike the Battlefront series that’s been forced upon us, is a single-player action game from Respawn Entertainment. The canonical story of the game takes place shortly after the events of Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, telling us the story of Kal Kestis, one of the last remaining Jedi.

More from Opinion

• Baldur’s Gate 3 patch #5 introduces game-changing epilogue and modes
• Fallout TV series: A canonical odyssey into the post-apocalyptic universe
• Bethesda’s Starfield faces Steam criticism with developer responses
• Nacon’s Revolution 5 Pro for Playstation: Is it worth it?
• Embracer layoffs: A deep dive into the impact on the gaming industry

The early buzz on the game has been stellar, and we should all, collectively, as lovers of good things, be rooting for it. The potential success of Fallen Order, which has some lofty expectations already, would be an unequivocal win for Star Wars fans and gamers alike. This notion that massive multiplayer shooters are the only types of games that can be successful is inane and, to be frank, ignorant. Sure, they are still some of the best-selling titles, but they aren’t the only best-sellers. Just look at the Playstation 4’s bestsellers, which include the likes of Marvel’s Spider-Man and God of War. 

We must champion Fallen Order as a win for those that seek new stories and ideas rather than safe, run-of-the-mill exercises of “how boring can we possibly be with a very not-boring property in our control” that EA has operated with. Drown me in story-focused, singleplayer experiences that feel like Uncharted crossed with Dark Souls. Heck, give me a game where you don’t even play as a Jedi but instead as a bedraggled former podracer that had to flee the game after winning a race that shady underworld crime bosses bet a lot of money on.

But in terms of reality, I’m hopeful that Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order delivers in every facet of what makes those aforementioned Sony exclusives so good. The iconic property is important, yes, but the execution far more so.

A story that builds upon pre-existing lore in fun, unique way coupled with gameplay that truly makes you feel like you’re a part of a world. Give us something that builds upon a franchise that is filled with so many lovable characters while also making it a fresh experience.

Based on what we’ve seen of the game, it feels like Respawn is giving us exactly that, although it’s still always hard to tell with early previews. Here’s hoping that Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order is the Star Wars game we’ve been desperately seeking for years. It’s our last, and only, hope.