'Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order' returned to the franchise's roots, and the result is an authentic 'Star Wars' experience fan will love

Star Wars creator George Lucas built the original "Star Wars" films on the idea of the monomyth, a broad thematic structure that follows a hero's journey through challenging trials, temptation, and encounters with the supernatural. While the premise of "Star Wars" is a clash between futuristic military forces, the core theme is a familiar coming-of-age story about power and responsibility.

"Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order" follows Cal Kestis, a young man who's Jedi training was cut short by the nebulous Empire's rise to power. While "Star Wars" fans won't take long to figure out how the game lines up with the movies, newcomers can simply focus on Cal's story. During the journey, players work to restore Cal's connection to the force, gaining new powers to fight the Empire in the process.

Aaron Contreras, Respawn's lead narrative designer for "Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order," said the game's story is directly inspired by the original "Star Wars" and the concept of the hero's journey.

"So from the beginning, our team director's said they wanted to tell this David and Goliath story — the classic battle of good versus evil," Contreras said. "So on the narrative side, we kind of fine-tuned it to follow that sort of mythic format."

Contreras said the "Star Wars" movie studio Lucasfilm was originally resistant to having a Jedi as the protagonist of "Fallen Order" but Respawn was eventually able to get the company to approve Cal as the game's protagonist.

While past "Star Wars" games let players control superpowered Jedi who could pull spaceships out of the sky, Cal is a former apprentice working to complete his training.

"We want Cal and the player to feel like they're growing with each challenge, from each step of the quest that he goes through," Contreras said. "Becoming more and more competent with his lightsaber, with the force. So there's a real progression and a real rising action in how people feel."

Respawn worked closely with Lucasfilm to ensure that "Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order" met all of the film studio's criteria for an authentic "Star Wars" product. The two companies were in constant communication throughout development, with Lucasfilm employees play-testing multiple versions of the game. Respawn also had employees of Lucasfilm's former game development studio, Lucasarts, working on the project.

The game includes tons of recognizable "Star Wars" motifs, but also brings planets to life with unique alien creatures and varied environments. "Fallen Order" introduces an ancient alien species that trained to master the force, and delves into the origins of the Jedi's teachings. Cal explores these temples in hopes of restoring his own connection with the force.

"Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order" delivers a focused experience without the distractions of multiplayer, online features, and downloadable content. It's a surprisingly straight-forward product at a time where video game releases are getting increasingly complex.

You can find the game now on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.