Some media professionals attending this year’s E3, held at the Los Angeles Convention Center earlier this month, had the opportunity to play 26 minutes of Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, the highly anticipated RPG console game set during the Dark Times after Episode III – Revenge of the Sith and before Rogue One. For the rest of us, EA Games and game director Stig Asmussen dropped that same demo online Tuesday morning to watch.
In the gameplay, we first see Cal Kestis (voiced by Shameless and Gotham star Cameron Monaghan), a young Padawan in hiding who survived the Jedi eradication of Order 66, sneaking up the side of an AT-AT with help from droid companion BD-1.
Once inside the mechanical behemoth, Cal gets to show off his lightsaber and Force powers as health gauges over his enemies keep track of how much damage he’s doing to Stormtroopers.
“We spent months going back and forth discussing the best strategy to release this content, and ultimately decided for the first-look, it was critical to present a focused 15 minutes of raw, in-game footage highlighting lightsaber gameplay that speaks to the Jedi fantasy in an empowering way,” Asmussen wrote in a letter to fans. “But it should not be mistaken that our combat is overpowered or easy. I promise there is considerable challenge and depth to be found within our combat system.”
The demo, which includes cut scenes, also highlights the return of Forest Whitaker’s Saw Gerrera, last seen making the jump to television in the animated Star Wars Rebels. New creatures (like the giant wyyyshock spider), landscapes (like the Imperial sap refinery), skills (like wall running and Force pulling vines), and enemies (like the Imperial security droid, the same kind as Rogue One‘s K-2SO) also abound.
“We are not done yet,” Asmussen clarified, “and are continually play testing to ensure the game challenges even the most skilled player, while not alienating those who want to take a more casual approach. And, maybe most importantly, we also want to make sure that the game is delivering on the core promise of becoming a Jedi.”
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order will be unleashed Nov. 15.
Related content:
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order director discusses characters, story, and inspiration from Zelda and Dark Souls
Watch the trailer for the game Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
First look at Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order gameplay revealed