Star Wars: Jedi - Fallen Order Trailer, Release Date, Gameplay And Editions

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Star Wars: Jedi – Fallen Order places you in the role of Cal Kestis, one of the sole survivors of Order 66. A Padawan at the time of the purge, Cal went into hiding, shielding his powers from the Empire and its Jedi-hunting Inquisitors. Years later, Cal becomes a fugitive after revealing his true nature to save a friend. Forced to fight for survival, Cal allies with Cere, a former Jedi with aspirations to rebuild the dead order. In exchange for his help, Cere offers to complete Cal's training.

Cal and his companions travel across the galaxy, staying one step ahead of the Empire while uncovering the mysteries of a long-lost civilization. Set between the events of Revenge of the Sith and Rogue One, Fallen Order explores one of the darkest points in the Star Wars timeline. In a time when the bad guys have won and tyranny reigns, Cal and his allies represent the flickering light of hope in a world consumed by darkness. Cal won't blow up the Death Star or topple the Empire, but his efforts will establish a foothold for the Light Side of the Force.

Electronic Arts released the first trailer for Fallen Order at the 2019 Star Wars Celebration, establishing Cal Kestis as the game's protagonist. Rendered in Unreal Engine, the reveal also provided a glimpse of other key characters, including Cere, the explorer droid BB-1, and Second Sister, a member of the Ancestors. Though it boasted impressive visuals, some fans expressed their disappointment over the trailer's lack of gameplay.

A second trailer containing some actual game content followed for the Xbox E3 briefing for 2019. The trailer sets up the accompanying gameplay reveal on Kashyyyk, the Wookie homeworld, showing Cal and BB-1 in action. It also provided the first look at Saw Gerrera, a recurring character in the Star Wars franchise. He made his debut in the animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars before moving to the silver screen as a Rebel Alliance leader and Jyn Erso's mentor in Rogue One. It's unclear whether Saw will act as a recurring Fallen Order character or if his appearance is a cameo tied to the Kashyyyk mission.

Fallen Order uses a third-person perspective, with Padawan Cal Kestis appearing as the sole playable character. Though the gameplay demo focused on a scripted portion of the narrative, Asmussen has since clarified that Fallen Order does not have a linear progression, instead following a Metroidvania design philosophy. Other influences included Wind Waker, Dark Souls, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, and Metroid. 

Combat in the game is slow and methodical, demanding strategy and creative solutions rather than brute force. Lightsaber battles function like less-challenging versions of the duels in Sekiro. "It's not just basically going in there and laying waste," Asmussen told The Verge. "[It's about] how you use your Force powers and when you use them, as opposed to when is the right time to use the lightsaber." As you play, you'll unlock Force abilities and physical maneuvers, while contending with a limited number of health charges and a Force meter that only fills through physical combat.

Fallen Order will not allow players to choose between the light and dark sides of the Force, a common feature in other story-focused Star Wars games. "It goes back to the fact that Cal's authentic and he has to fill a certain role so he can be used in other places," Asmussen explained during EA Play's 2019 conference. Respawn CEO Vince Zampella headed off any further debate about the topic, declaring: "This is a Jedi story."

Speaking to Shacknews, Brandon Kelch, the game's technical director, put another nail in the coffin, explaining that Fallen Order would not include any dark side skills for you to purchase. Despite Asmussen highlighting the title's non-linear progression, it seems Cal has a specific story arc to follow, due to Fallen Order's inclusion in the canon Star Wars storyline. This design choice has garnered mixed reactions from fans, with some viewing the restriction as a missed opportunity. 

Cal has several Force powers to draw on, which he uses both in combat and to explore his environment. Besides Star Wars staples like Force push and pull, Cal possesses a unique ability called slow. As the name suggests, affected enemies slow to an almost motionless state, creating a short window during which you can take them out or reposition. You can also use slow on lasers, which resembles a power utilized by Kylo Ren in Force Awakens. According to Respawn, Cal's power is a distinct addition to the franchise despite the perceived similarity. If you're skilled enough, you can even chain slow with pull to hit gunmen with their own shots.

Force powers have their limits, and some abilities will not work against specific types of enemies. When fighting purge troopers for example, who specialize in fighting Jedi, you'll need to adapt your strategy. Cal will unlock additional powers as the game progresses, including a double-jump ability Asmussen called Force flip. Respawn has not shared the full list of abilities. However, Game Rant identified other skills like lightsaber deflection and Force sense used by Cal during the gameplay demo.

BD-1, or "buddy droid one," accompanies Cal on his adventures. Acting as the Padawan's best friend and strategic partner, BD-1 will play a key role in the success of Cal's missions. Created to assist explorers and archaeologists, the droid's design and skill set complement his intended purpose. BD-1's large eyes, uncommon for a droid of his size, allow him to scan objects and project 3D images, while his legs let him crawl and navigate tight spaces. He can also hack into electronics and dispense stimpaks when Cal's health is low.

According to narrative designer Aaron Contreras, one of the most important responsibilities of a buddy droid like BD-1 is keeping lone explorers company. "Part of the function of the [BD] droid is to help [explorers] not get lonely and not get sad, so he can be cheerful or encouraging and express a lot of emotion as a core function to help the person not lose their connection to society," said Contreras. You can see this reflected in BD-1 and Cal's relationship, which Cameron Monaghan likened to a "boy and his dog situation."

The Stinger Mantis, a new vessel type created by Respawn and Lucasfilm, will serve as your base of operations and main mode of travel. The long, slender ship features a living quarters and a small lounge, complete with a galactic map you can interact with. The vessel's exterior is also customizable. During transit, Cal sits in the co-pilot seat while Cere occupies the communications seat. Greeze, the ship's stalwart captain, will transport you wherever you want to go. Fallen Order boasts several planets for you to visit, with an equal number of established Star Wars destinations and new locales to check out.

Each world includes a hub for the Stinger Mantis, where you can return to save, rest, and purchase skill points. You can also chat with your shipmates, uncovering new information about their past, the setting, and the narrative. You will also be able to take part in other as-yet unspecified activities. Flight unfolds in real-time, eliminating loading screens and letting you take advantage of all the features the vessel has to offer.