Spoiler-Free Review

Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order is an action-adventure game that combines the aspects of Souls-likes and Metroidvania games. Players assume the role of Cal Kestis, a Jedi Padawan gone into hiding after escaping the tragedy of Order 66 first seen in Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith. He must attempt to complete his training whilst being hunted throughout the galaxy by Imperial Inquisitors of the tyrannical Galactic Empire.

✅ Pros
+ Incredible story with an interesting cast of characters.
+ Awesome character progression.
+ Colourful character and lightsaber customization.
+ Excellent visuals and soundtrack.
+ Amazing level design that allows for deep exploration.
+ Wide enemy variety and unforgiving bosses.
+ Photo mode for stellar screenshots.
+ Fun post-game content.

❌ Cons
- No fast travel, making backtracking annoying.
- Lightsaber dismemberment on aliens and droids, but not humans.
- Screen is sometimes buggy for a few seconds after exiting the pause menu.

The story is set five years after the aforementioned Order 66 takes place. Prior knowledge of the Prequel Trilogy (Episodes I-III) and/or the Clone Wars show will be rewarded by references and Easter Eggs, but is by no means a prerequisite.

The plot is written wonderfully because I have enjoyed every moment seen inside the cutscenes. Each new character was introduced with an emotional backstory that made me feel connected to them. Cal's companion, the droid BD-1, quickly became my favourite character. Not only does he accompany you, but he also assists you during battle and cheers you up in heart-wrenching moments. The ending was fantastic because there was no cliffhanger with unfinished plot holes. However, it was a challenging experience because there were some intense battles where I died multiple times trying to defeat the final boss.

https://gtm.you1.cn/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2304877989

The combat is fast-paced. The galaxy is a dangerous place that pits you against aggressive troopers of the Empire, skilled bounty hunters, and primitive aliens. Your only weapon is your lightsaber, so you will have to attack, block and parry with precision, otherwise you will suffer damage relatively quickly. In addition, you can dodge attacks, repel projectiles and use the Force to your advantage. Unlike some other Souls-like titles, this game doesn't have a stamina system. However, the Force is a limited resource, so you will have to use it wisely. As you progress further into the campaign, you will be able to unlock a variety of special moves, Force abilities, and lightsaber upgrades. For example, you can slow your enemies for a long period of time, push a large group off a ledge, and throw one-half of your lightsaber for a ranged attack whilst deflecting blaster bolts with the other half.

Boss battles are very engaging, especially the duels against other lightsaber users because they always keep you on edge and give you little time to breathe. If you want to get the upper hand on them, I advise you to try memorizing their movements and time your combos correctly to gain a tactical advantage. If you are low on health during combat, BD-1 can provide you with health canisters. When you die, you lose some carried XP, which are instrumental towards your skill points, but they are not lost forever because they can be reclaimed when you take revenge on your killer…unless you die again. The consequences of death shouldn’t be viewed as a punishment but as a lesson to learn from your past failures. Don’t let that thought get to you because the game encourages you to keep going and never give up!

Despite numerous strengths, the only shortcoming to combat is lightsaber dismemberment. You cannot chop off the limbs or decapitate humanoids, but you can slice aliens and droids in half. This is a shame because it has been a long-standing tradition to the franchise, especially the films themselves, so it doesn’t make sense to not have it here. It just feels like you are hitting stormtroopers with a glowing bat that allows you to impale them for whatever reason!

https://gtm.you1.cn/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2307060081

Level design is amazing, providing exploration throughout your journey. You will be travelling aboard a starship and visit various planets with different biomes. On foot, you will explore jungles, snowy areas, desolate mountains, ancient tombs, fallen starships, Imperial complexes and so much more. BD-1 can provide you with a holographic map if you ever feel lost. There are meditation circles scattered throughout the map, which serve as save points with the option to spend skill points and rest, replenishing your HP and canisters at the cost of respawning enemies. If you search every inch of the map, you will be able to find hidden crates, secrets, optional bosses, and plant seeds to grow on the terrarium in your ship. The crates mainly reward you with lightsaber hilts, skins, and health canisters. Like in other Metroidvania titles, platforming is heavily involved. You can climb on walls and swing on ropes. Some paths in the map are initially inaccessible until you unlock a specific move. This is slightly annoying because there is no fast travel. However, it becomes interesting when special encounters are added after completing a specific story objective.

Although there are no side missions, that doesn’t mean there is nothing else to do. Once you complete the main story, you can participate in timed challenges and customizable arenas that are essential for combat practice. I had a lot of fun with these because I could challenge myself with entertaining moves that I had not tried before. Lastly, you have the option to play New Game+ with colourful cosmetics.

PC Specs:
Windows 10
Intel Core i7-9750H
AMD Radeon Pro 5300M
16 GB RAM

The only bugs I have encountered were occasional FPS drops and outdated visuals for a short time after exiting the pause screen.

Influenced by previous works from John Williams, the score is melodic and magnificent. Just like the films themselves, the score was recorded with an orchestra and a choir. In addition, I enjoyed listening to Mongolian folk metal band "The Hu" perform their song, "Sugaan Essena", because it gives me the feeling of excitement with its pounding drum beats. The visuals are beautiful, immersing you in the Star Wars universe. You can use the photo mode to capture screenshots of the gorgeous visuals.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJZfEh3EciU

Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order was a truly wonderful experience that lives up to fans' expectations and it is a must-play for anyone. I will be delighted if we can play more games like this in the future!


P.S. May the Force be with you.

Spoiler-Free Review

Tales of Arise is a beautiful and compelling JRPG adventure that takes the series to new heights with an emotional story, endearing cast and fun gameplay. As a long-time fan of the Tales of franchise, I can recommend this game to newcomers and veteran fans alike.


Arise is set in a conflict between the twin worlds of Dahna and Rena. They once stood peacefully until the technologically advanced Renans enslaved Dahna’s people and stripped them of their dignity and freedom for the past 300 years. An amnesiac Dahnan man named Alphen is forced to experience the brutal torture of slavery until he meets a Renan maiden named Shionne, a traitor to her kind who causes pain to anyone she touches due to her curse. With their common goals overlapping, the pair reluctantly team up to overthrow the bloodthirsty Renan lords and free all Dahnans from slavery. During their journey, they meet with four amicable companions whilst uncovering the truth behind Rena’s horrific actions.

I have thoroughly enjoyed the story as a whole. At first glance, the story doesn’t hesitate to tackle heavy subjects, such as the horrors of war, slavery and prejudice. However, that’s not to say everything is dark and gloomy. Initially, there was hostility between Alphen and Shionne, which was understandable due to their conflicting races. Despite this, as the story unfolded, they became less antagonistic to one another. Watching their relationship grow from contentious to becoming caring friends is one of my favourite highlights to witness. In addition, there was plenty of cheerful banter that made me laugh and smile because of how charming the characters are. They build meaningful relationships with each other whilst learning to cope with their personal issues and grow to become extraordinary individuals, showing strong character development and effective storytelling.

https://gtm.you1.cn/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2603026658

What really shines is the captivating combat. Not only was it consistently enjoyable, but it became increasingly addicting. When you touch an enemy on the field, you are put in a circular real-time arena, allowing you to strike at your enemies with fluid movements using artes. You control one of four active battle members whilst the other two provide support. Each character has their playstyle and a variety of action-packed moves, which can be upgraded with skill points. For example, Alphen is pretty straightforward as he can hack and slash with his sword, and his perk has a risk-reward mechanic of sacrificing his health for more power. Shionne, on the other hand, casts healing artes and is a gunslinger who has the advantage to shoot down flying enemies. Fighting is exciting because dealing damage is great whereas healing takes time and effort to keep my friends alive. Dodging allows you to perform a lethal counterattack. Spamming the same move can be a habit, and it surprises me that the game penalises you for that because enemies can easily recover, rendering said move ineffective. I find this strategy essential because it encourages me to try out different moves to accumulate interesting combos.

My favourite part is performing special attacks. When foes are stunned or near death, they are vulnerable to a boost strike where two fighters combine their strength for an instant kill. This finishing move is great because it can sometimes destroy surrounding foes, turning the tide of battle. In addition, you can perform a powerful move called a Mystic Arte, launching you in a jaw-dropping spectacle that will obliterate your foes with destruction! Boss battles are challenging because they can unleash their ultimate abilities that can nearly wipe out my party in one hit. However, that doesn’t stop me from fighting back because they are incredibly rewarding in the end. After the battle, you will earn XP, consumables & various key items.

https://gtm.you1.cn/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2609058888

Exploring the vibrant world of Dahna feels immersive. You will be searching various continents, such as the barren wasteland of Calaglia, the snowy mountains of Cyslodia and the fancy streets of Elde Menancia. Among the rich lands are filled with secrets, loot and valuable resources that you can use to cook meals and craft stronger weapons and accessories. You will frequently come across camping sites or inns to rest, restoring HP, but not before being given the option to cook meals and increase bonds with your party members. Cooking grants temporary buffs, such as ATK or DEF boost, an increased rate of finding rare materials and healing a certain amount of HP after the battle. Not to mention the food presented in the game looks appetising. These buffs save you time from grinding. In addition, there are cheap DLC boosts to upgrade your experience. However, I find them unnecessary because it is a waste of money when you have meals to back you up. Tired of exploring? Use fast travel to avoid backtracking.

There is so much content to enjoy with New Game+ being unlocked after completing the main story. Side quests don’t feel like repetitive chores, even though they are generic with simply collecting materials and fighting enemies. Some can be finished quickly after activating them, and others branch out into short side stories. Outside of combat, you can search for hidden owls for cosmetics, and there is a fishing minigame that can serve as a pastime. The controls are simple, and there are no limits as you can fish as many times as you want. The fish rewarded can be used as ingredients for food or sold for money. My time with fishing was refreshing, as fighting will eventually become tiring after so long.

https://gtm.you1.cn/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2607537993

PC Specs:
Windows 10
Intel i7-9750H
AMD
16 GB

Thankfully, I haven’t encountered any bugs or performance issues. I ran the game on high video settings at 1920x1080 with a stable 60 FPS.

Built using Unreal Engine 4, the visuals and character models looked stunning. There is photo mode to capture stellar screenshots, but it would be nicer if there were more options like switching between different frames, colours or character expressions. Once again, Ufotable produced gorgeous 2D anime cutscenes, and the soundtrack is phenomenal to the point that I listen to the songs on repeat.

If I had one thing to complain about, that would be the small but frequent localization issues. I played the game in English and I noticed that in some scenes, the lip-syncing feels off. I also spotted occasional typos in subtitles, as well as unscripted dialogue. Other than that, the game felt very polished, and none of the cons I mentioned above undermined my experience in any way.

Is it the best Tales of game yet? HELL YES! The overall presentation is simply mind-blowing compared with previous entries. I cannot fully express enough how much I enjoyed Tales of Arise. Bandai Namco delivered us an epic game, and this triumphant return to the franchise has gotten me excited for the future!

★★★★★ 10/10 (Masterpiece) ★★★★★