Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order Remastered
The Force Is A Bit Different This Time
While Respawn Entertainment was known for its breakout success with the Titanfall series, later molded into what would become its continued success with Apex Legends, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order was treading new ground for the developer, mostly known for their first-person shooters. Any and all fears of Respawn Entertainment dropping the ball with the Star Wars IP were quickly diminished as 2019’s Fallen Order received acclaim from critics, players, and fans of the Star Wars series itself. After receiving similar praise for its story mode in Titanfall 2, Respawn’s ability to capture the Star Wars story was a major positive in the game’s success.
EA knew Fallen Order’s success would carry them onto the next generation of consoles, making a PS5 and Series X upgrade imminent for players who have already moved on to the new hardware yet needed an incentive to play a polished version of the 2019 hit. In 2021, those players got their wish as a standalone port for both consoles were released, with a free upgrade for players of the previous generation.
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order Was Beautiful But Now It’s More Pristine
With that said, mainly because I’ve played the game on PC, it was interesting to compare the PS5 version, which would be the definitive way to play the game, and see how the optimized upgraded version compares to its PC counterpart, which is its only real direct competition.
To put things short, the PS5 and Series X version is the best way to play the game on console as there’s no contest between the PS4 and Xbox One versions. As the PC is of a different beast entirely, my question that was more or less answered was can a console port stand against the “PC Master Race?”
Rebuild The Jedi Order In ‘Fallen Order’
VIsually speaking it comes damn close in doing so, although frustratingly it lacks many of the visual options that one would expect from the PC version, including depth of field and FOV, though for the latter the game works wonders without a field-of-view slider as players can observe many details that the PS5 can bring out. Background details including moving ships, distant cities, and larger structures, are all as stunning as the foreground. Weather effects are just as refined, showing details including the wet effect on Cal’s clothes as he climbs alongside a ship in a thunderstorm.
In motion, during the intro sequence where Cal is chased by the Empire, the particle effects, camera movement, and the fluidity of combat are broad enough to give players the illusion that they are playing a Star Wars movie in the flesh. In fact, the opening to Fallen Order is something I wish recent Star Wars movies would take a page out of. The FPS doesn’t run at a full 60 fps, but I feel it fits well with the cinematic experience the introduction provides.
Is The PC ‘Master Race’?
What I just said was a cardinal sin just now, I’m pretty sure, as the mere thought of a game “not running full 60 fps” is a crime for many players. Fortunately, there is a “performance” mode that lowers the graphic quality for the sake of running at a full 60fps, which drops the level of graphics to that of the PS4 version, almost. While not as flattering as the default PS5 graphics, the solid 60 fps is a noticeable change compared to performance mode turned off.
“So that’s it! The PC version is better after all!” is what many including myself would say, which is the truth, but it’s amazing to see how close these next-gen consoles stack up to the PC versions of titles. Especially during a time when once upon a time, there was no way for a console game to catch up to the power that a PC could have in comparison. Console players can enjoy Fallen Order almost as well as they could enjoy on the PC although it’s not all positivity.
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Several glitches that may have existed in the PS4 version, or Fallen Order in general, including clipping and the occasional lag, still exist in the PS5 version. The PS5 version does little to completely separate itself from its PS4 predecessor aside from improved loading times, better graphics, and smoother framerate options. While it’s the best way to play the game on console, extra steps could have been taken to ensure the game is the best it could be, though this would be veering towards a remake and not a remaster.
I couldn’t even say it’s laziness on anyone’s part. If you’re looking for a 1:1 upgrade to an already amazing game, the PS5/Series X is the best way to go. Don’t expect any exclusive content or any quality of life changes that are outside of EA’s care to implement such changes. They’d be more likely to charge the consumer for such a version rather than include it with an upgraded port that’s free for previous generation owners anyway.
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order Remastered is available on the PC, PS5, Xbox Series X, and Xbox Series S.