Earlier this week, I posted about the Star Wars Jedi Battle Scars novel by Sam Maggs, which takes place between the events of Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order and Star Wars Jedi Survivor.

My original plan was to only read that novel before jumping into Star Wars Jedi Survivor. However, after finishing the novel I felt that I needed a refresher on the original Cal Kestis story. I was still two weeks out from the release of Star Wars Jedi Survivor, so I decided that I had enough time to quickly replay Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order (and I was almost correct, I finished my replay one day after the release of Survivor).

These three Star Wars Jedi stories take place during the most troubling times for the Jedi Order. Order 66 has just taken place. The clones have executed all (or most) of the Jedi order. The remaining Jedi (very few) have gone into hiding, while some have become Inquisitors (or Jedi Hunters).

I first played Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order back in 2019 on my PlayStation 4 Pro. It was definitely my top Star Wars gaming experience, as well as one of my top games of the last console generation. Any gaming Star Wars fan’s dream involves using the Force, wielding a lightsaber, and playing as a Jedi in a video game.

A FAMILIAR STORY

When it comes to using established, well-regarded IP (Intellectual Property) in games (such as Star Wars) it’s a double edged sword for the developer. First, if the game is “good enough,” it can be seen as better than it actually is. That added element of allowing players to be part of this familiar world they love can make a good game seem like a great one. Players may look past certain minor flaws that may have ruined a game set in a brand new world.

The other side is if the game is “not so good,” it can be seen as way worse. We will see more outrage and backlash from fans of the IP. I can think of two opposite instances with recent Marvel games. 

First, we have Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy, a game that I really enjoyed. If that game had been instead about some original characters and not some of my current favorite Marvel characters, would it have been so well received? Maybe not.

I for one came into that game ready for a different take on the Guardians of the Galaxy story. So, even though some things were a bit off, I was more forgiving as a fan of the characters and still enjoyed most of my time with that game.

When Marvel’s Avengers was FREE on PS Plus, I finally decided to give it a shot. After playing a few missions, I was enjoying the stories and playing as different Avengers. The gameplay was fine, but what ultimately ruined the game for many was the grinding for experience points (XP), slow release of new content, and the use of microtransactions.

STILL HOLDS UP

I do remember running into some technical bugs and small problems during my original playthrough of Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order back in 2019, but nothing big enough to ruin the game. This time around I found the experience much smoother and pretty much free of bugs.

Since my original playthrough the game has been optimized for the PlayStation 5, with mostly visual improvements. Still, I expected the game to feel a bit outdated in some ways, due to it being four years old. This game still feels great!

I had forgotten about so many key moments that blew me away. Moments like climbing up an AT-AT to then commandeer that AT-AT, and use it against the Empire with the help of Saw Gerrera. Also, that first time I turned on my double-sided lightsaber. Being captured and forced to fight monsters in the battle arena, and the way the Mantis crew crashed that party. Fighting zombie night sisters, inquisitors, and that big boss appearance at the very end. The story of Cal Kestis is so rich that I hope that non-gaming Star Wars fans are able to experience it.

The idea of implementing Metroidvania style world exploration into this game is so great. It’s such a rewarding feeling when you finally unlock a door/shortcut to a previous area, which was locked when you first encountered it from the other side. The game allows for multiple visits to certain planets to move the story along. The interactive menu map is also a great way to help the player find out where to go next, if they need the extra help.

In my first playthrough, I remember visiting Dathomir way too early, and not getting much done. I was so excited to visit Dathomir thanks to The Clone Wars (the animated series). This time I didn’t visit until later in the game (when I was supposed to) and it made a big difference.

There are many small crevices which Cal can squeeze through to find new areas. This feels like a neat developer trick to send the player into a cutscene, which they are “controlling,” so that the next part of the level can load in a fluid motion.

*Side Quest: My favorite part of the game will always be using the Force Push
to launch enemies off of high cliffs. That never gets old, and even
makes you feel clever when using it to quickly skip a tough battle.

WHAT COMES NEXT?

Throughout my replay of Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order, I kept wondering what kind of improvements are they going to make on Star Wars Jedi Survivor. It’s been four years, plus they are using brand new, next-gen hardware (PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S). I expect some big changes, I just don’t know what they are because this game still feels so great.

At the time of posting this, I have already begun my journey into Star Wars Jedi Survivor, but I will share more on that in my next Star Wars Jedi post.

**Pro Tip: I did recently talk to a friend who also just started playing Star Wars Jedi Survivor.
He did not replay Fallen Order before Survivor, and mentioned he was having a tough time
getting a handle on the controls. Due to this, I recommend replaying Fallen Order, or at
least part of it, if you have the time to get a quick refresh.

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***The images used throughout this post were provided by the publisher via the Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order press kit.