Respawn Entertainment’s Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order was a game-changer for Star Wars fans. Finally, they were able to experience an authentic Star Wars story that was also a thrilling video game. Jedi: Fallen Order combined the best elements from popular games such as Dark Souls, Uncharted, and Metroid, resulting in a well-rounded game that pleased Star Wars fans.
Respawn Entertainment’s newest iteration, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, builds upon the success of Jedi: Fallen Order. Set five years after the events of the first game, Survivor follows the story of Cal Kestis, a rebellious Jedi who is desperate to end the war. Cal discovers a mysterious Jedi held in stasis in a bacta tank from the High Republic era and learns of a paradise planet outside the Empire’s gaze called Tanalorr. He realizes that he might have found a safe place to call home and pursues it with everything he has. However, there are many threats to endure before Cal can hang up his poncho, including Inquisitors, a new threat from a bygone era, and bandits eager to cash in a Jedi’s bounty.
Survivor offers exciting set pieces, impressive choreography, high-octane platforming, and generally more of what made Fallen Order so appealing. The exploration elements of Survivor are reminiscent of games like Uncharted and Tomb Raider, with big action moments, jumping across buildings, and climbing anything with a handhold. The combat system, which rewards a well-timed parry, feels more like a character action game than a Dark Souls game, especially on the easier settings. Jedi: Survivor makes a much better action-adventure game than it does a Soulslike, but one could certainly play a difficulty that treats combat as such.
The level design in Survivor has a palpable Metroid approach, especially on the game’s largest planet, Koboh. The game’s opening shot of the Mantis landing and running around in carefully crafted areas reminded me of the Ratchet & Clank games. The general structure of Survivor is in that mass appeal area of design where almost anyone with a basic game literacy can see Cal’s latest outing to the end.
Anyone fascinated by the texture and world-building of Star Wars will find something to love in Survivor. The game is filled with fascinating creatures to see and battle, and droids join the fray this time around. The Bedlam Raiders, a group of bandits, scavenge droids together, expanding the variety of things to blast Cal away. The game’s lore is enhanced through tons of written pieces, audio performances, and visuals. The rooftop garden section turns the game into a wholesome farming simulation, complete with finding plants across the game and cutting them with the lightsaber to collect them. There’s even a DJ droid one can add to the game’s hub area who plays some of the coolest tracks since Risk of Rain.
While there’s still room for improvement in Survivor, it’s a really exciting game that Star Wars fans will love. The game offers a unique experience to interact with the Star Wars universe, making it a must-play for fans of the franchise. The epic orchestral pieces capture the Star Wars spirit exceptionally well, and something about it reminded me of playing the classic Star Wars games. Jedi: Survivor is an excellent addition to the Star Wars video game canon, and it sets up things nicely for a final arc for Cal’s character in a third game.
