Even after Disney declared a lot of Star Wars expanded universe content non-canon “Legends,” there is still plenty of material to dig through in the Star Wars universe. In preparing for Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, writer Chris Avellone reveals that he re-watched the original trilogy and watched the new trilogy, Rogue One, Solo, and the entirety of the Clone Wars and Rebels animated series. Avellone has previously made it clear that he’s not the biggest fan of Star Wars, but it does seem that this research paid off, particularly when it comes to Clone Wars and Rebels.
In watching the shows, Avellone admits that he was surprised with how much he enjoyed Star Wars Rebels. He enjoyed the deep, but family-oriented, approach and the way that it explored “the Force outside of Jedi and Sith and how those philosophies come in was really interesting. That surprised me.” The influence of Star Wars Rebels can be seen in the first trailer, as it reveals that Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order protagonist Cal Kestis is being hunted by the Second Sister, a member of the Inquisitor faction that was established in Rebels.
One difficulty in writing ab0ut a pre-existing franchise is making sure that everything adheres to the established rules of the universe, which Clone Wars helped Avellone discover is not so restricted in Star Wars. This could go in many ways for the semi-open world setting of Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, as there are several types of power fantasies in the franchise.
For Avellone, the secret to having this game appeal to both casual and hardcore Star Wars fans is extensive research, and clearly, he has done his homework. This will hopefully be evident in June when Respawn Entertainment showcases some Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order gameplay, with perhaps some details on how the lightsaber evolves coming to light as well.
Star Wars perspective aside, one thing we do know is that Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order will not feature multiplayer or microtransactions. This, combined with Avellone’s extensive research into all things Star Wars, will hopefully go a long way into making this game something truly special.
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order launches on November 15 for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
Source: GamesIndustry.biz
