Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order update adds combat challenges, cosmetics and more
Tarfful of surprises.
May the fourth is over for another year, but it didn't end without one final surprise last night, as Respawn released a free update for Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order which adds a bunch of extra features for veteran players.
For those who want some extra challenge, the update adds a new game mode hub called meditation training, which can be accessed via the meditation points scattered throughout the game. Within this, players can undertake combat challenges which pit Cal against waves of enemies, using backdrops and aliens from the main narrative and different sets of unique challenges, with each of the 12 challenge levels coming with a three-star completion rating. Unlocking all of those will earn you some extra BD-1 skins, but be warned, as the challenges are intended for experienced players and will be hard to complete at the early stages of a playthrough.
The other mode provided by meditation training is called the battle grid, which is essentially a sandbox mode for players to build their own encounters. You can pick the location, size of the skirmish, tinker with various difficulty options and add enemies of your choice. You can even fight against unique enemies seen in Cal's dark visions. I just wonder if you can create a battle with three Oggdo Bogdos.
Alongside the meditation training feature, the update also adds a New Journey + option for those who have already mastered the ways of the force. It essentially allows you to replay the game while carrying over all your cosmetic unlocks - meaning you'll have dozens of your ponchos patterns ready to go. There's a reason why this is cosmetic-only rather than letting you carry over your abilities and skills, as this would break both the progression and the narrative focus on Cal regaining his strength and overcoming his trauma.
NJ+ mode also means you'll no longer need modding tools to turn Cal to the dark side - on the surface, at least. Playing on NJ+ will unlock an inquisitor uniform for Cal, along with a red kyber crystal and some new lightsaber sets.
Along with the shiny new features, Respawn has also introduced a series of welcome accessibility features in the patch, such as text scaling and options to avoid button-mashing for quick time events. According to lead combat designer Jason de Heras, Respawn has also improved some combat input irregularities, specifically focused on blocking and parrying, along with the overall responsiveness of the gameplay. No excuses for missing your parrying windows now.