Respawn gave a first look at Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order gameplay during E3 last month, and, for the most part, it looked like a straightforward single player experience. However, once the developer started talking further about the project, the idea of a more interesting Metroid-style gameplay emerged. Now, a quote from the lead combat designer of Jedi: Fallen Order has shined some light on the game's combat system, and it sounds like From Software fans will be pleased with the direction Respawn has decided to take for its new Star Wars game
Specifically, it seems that the Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order combat system has similarities to what is found in Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, From Software's samurai title that came out earlier this year. A new interview with Lead Combat Designer Jason de Heras provides details on this similarity:
I thought it was pretty badass, and a little comforting to know that you could make this type of game without a stamina bar. They let you attack, they let you roll, they do all this for free – and then the AI will tell you if you’re doing the correct thing. It just confirmed to us that you don’t have to limit everything the player does; let them have a little more agency, and then let the AI give them a slap on the wrist or a punch in the face. It was a positive thing for us to know there was a game that was similar to ours. Very similar.
Indeed, it does not seem that stamina bars will be at the foundation of the Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order combat system, though they are at the core of many games, including From Software’s acclaimed Dark Souls franchise. In the Souls games, players must keep a close eye on their stamina bar in order to keep their character mobile. If the stamina bar runs out, they can’t roll or dodge, and they become vulnerable to enemy attacks.
Sekiro bucks this trend, instead giving the player the freedom to move around as much as they want. This added freedom doesn’t seem to have affected From Software’s ability to continue its reputation of creating some of the most difficult games in the industry.
Even though Respawn has said that Jedi: Fallen Order will be less violent than some of the Star Wars films, it hasn't commented on whether it will feature the same toughness that the Souls series is notorious for. However, the developer did speak about its affection for From Software’s work, with Game Director Stig Asmussen saying:
I’ve been a huge FromSoftware fan since King’s Field. I mean, King’s Field 2 is one of my favourite games ever. But it’s not about you liking a game, and trying to make that game yourself. It’s more, ’What can we learn about what’s fun about it?'
That certainly makes it sounds like the team is allowing itself to be influenced by From Software without totally aping its systems, and that’s good. While From Software made some big steps in changing their formula with Sekiro, the game still felt similar to its previous work. It’ll be interesting to see how Respawn can blend that influence with its own special sauce in order to make something brand new.
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order will launch on November 15 for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
Source: Edge Magazine (via DualShockers)