Overview
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, is the follow up to the Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, and it does an amazing job of expanding the universe and growing the story of Cal Kestsis. One of the most impressive things about the game is that you’re not wasting all the progress of the previous game. You’re not going to have to go through all the original steps of learning how to jump or wield your lightsaber again. That’s what so many other sequels do, but Survivor breaks that curse. You start out as a fully realized Jedi Knight and that just makes a huge difference. You really feel like you’re expanding on the story and continuing the growth of Cal. You’ll still find plenty of new things to discover, though. Your goal in this game is to go from Jedi Knight to Jedi Master and there’s a lot for you to do along the way.
Pros
- Expanded Combat Options
- Brand New Planets and Biomes
- Keep your Powers and Upgrades from Fallen Order
Cons
- Low Frame Rate Problems
- Stuttering
- Occasional Game Crashes
Intro
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor vastly expands the galaxy and you’re going to have more than enough brand new planets to explore. Many of them are completely new to the Star Wars universe and you never know what they have in store for you. As EA itself puts it: “players who adventure beyond the horizon will be rewarded handsomely” and that’s a great concept for a Star Wars game. The more you explore, the better your game will be and there are always going to be new things to find on your journey. Everything is improved from the previous entry and that’s saying a lot, especially when you consider just how good Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order was when it came out.
Fallen Order is not Required
If you’ve played Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, then you know how good it was. If you haven’t then you definitely should. However, you don’t to have played it before you jump into Survivor. You get the entire back story that you need and you’ll have a good understanding of your character’s motivation and what he’s after. It makes for a perfect entry into the franchise if you skipped out on the last game. You’ll have a fully formed character that you’ll know all about and you’ll be able to enjoy the story as it progresses. If you want a good idea of how this game expands and improves on the last one then all you have to do it remember how Arkham City enhanced Arkham Asylum.
Rewarding Unlocks
You start off Star Wars Jedi: Survivor on Coruscant and that’s where you’re going to unlock one of the best features that the game has to offer you. You’ll be able to grapple on walls to climb around as well as wall running, swinging, and sliding down slopes. As you progress through the game, you’re going to unlock new abilities that feel rewarding and come at a very good pace. The biggest change is the inclusion of the mid-air dash. That’s going to give you the ability to change your direction in the air and cover lots of ground without ever touching it. It’s just one more reason that the game is so much fun for you to play.
Fun with Lightsabers
Given that it’s a Star Wars game, it should come as no surprise that you’re going to have lots of fun with your lightsaber. It carries over the stances from the last game, so you’re still going to get the single blade lightsaber, the double bladed version, and the dual wield option. You’re also getting two new stances added in this installment. The first is the cross guard lightsaber stance that’s clearly inspired by Kylo Ren. On top of that, and possibly the best new addition, is the hybrid stance. That’s going to let your wield your lightsaber while also using a blaster and nothing on the planet can ever get better than that for a Star Wars fan.
The Story of Cal Kestis
There’s no Star Wars Jedi: Survivor without Cal Kestis and that’s just a fact. His character arch is perfectly fleshed out in this sequel and you get to see the real journey continued after the last game. Cameron Managhan is in top form and you couldn’t get a better actor to take on the role. Cal isn’t just a fugitive in this game. He’s trying to make a difference and turn his life into something more. You get to see him struggle with his guilt and try to become more than just a resistance fighter. He struggles with his choices and that adds a whole layer of character growth that you rarely get in a game like this.
Dangerous time Period
The game takes place between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope and that’s a great time period in the Star Wars universe. There’s a reason that Kenobi is such a popular series and the time is a big part of it. You get to fight against Imperial Inquisitors and plenty of different types of Stormtroopers. It’s not just about the Empire, though. You’re also going to go up against the many kinds of raiders that populate this era. One of the best times you can have will be fighting against salvaged Separatist Battle Droids and you’re never going to want to put down your controller for a single second after you step into the universe.
Final Thoughts
If you want to play an amazing Star Wars game then you have to play Star Wars Jedi: Survivor. EA and Respawn have really knocked it out of the park with this one and you’re going to feel like you’re expanding on the previous game. There are lots of new planets and biomes to explore and you’re going to have a lot of collectibles to find. The more you explore the galaxy, the more you’re going to be rewarded. The cast is amazing and the game direction is some of the best ever carried out. You’re going to find yourself in the time period between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope and that’s one of the best times to ever find yourself in the Star Wars universe. Play it as soon as you can and you’re not going to regret it for a single second.