Previously, I shared some of the technical issues I came across while playing Star Wars Jedi: Survivor. I focused on the technical problems first because I ran into many of these same problems in my original playthrough of Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order. Games today are more complicated than ever. The good news is that in the digital world we live in, even our physical games (disc/cartridge) can easily be updated after release.
Still, a big AAA studio should be able to release a game without day one players running into so many bugs. It wasn’t until I replayed Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, that I remembered how many problems I ran into during that first playthrough. I mostly realized this due to many of the previous problems no longer existing in the smoothed out, next-gen version of Fallen Order.
That being said, the Star Wars Jedi video gameseries has risen to my top Star Wars video games of all time. If this ends up being a trilogy, the next game will definitely be one of my most anticipated games in the future.
What makes Star Wars Jedi: Survivor so special to me?
*Disclaimer: If you haven’t completed Star Wars Jedi: Survivor and don’t want any spoilers, do not continue reading…
NOT YOUR CLASSIC VIDEO GAME SEQUEL
Ever since I was a kid, so many single player video game sequels exercised the same common trope. You end the last game as an all-powerful being, only to begin the next game as a nobody. Back in the day we just accepted this premise — it was a classic video game sequel trope. Later on, better sequels at least provided an explanation for this — “Oh no, this new supervillain has arrived to strip you of your powers and abilities.”
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor | Defeating my first Rancor
Certain sequels even go as far as letting you begin where you left off, only to strip you of your powers after the first few minutes. This has even been done in non-sequel games. You begin as a hero, but quickly lose everything and have to slowly re-learn how to be super.
This is also a classic Zelda game trope. I recently completed The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild immediately before starting The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. It was very sad to go from two full rows of heart containers, multiple stamina wheels, and the powers of the four divine beasts to only three hearts and not even a full stamina wheel. I quickly accepted this fate because this happens to Link in every game — usually after a very long nap (it just makes sense in Hyrule).
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is a different kind of sequel because they found a way to let Cal Kestis keep all (or most) of his abilities from the first game, while still adding so many new skills and abilities as you play through the game. There’s been a complete overhaul of the skill tree. The layout is much cleaner and more inviting with categorized abilities.
After creating a collection of Jedi skills and abilities for players to unlock in the first game, I’m sure it is tough to think of all new abilities. The addition of extra lightsaber stances was a great new feature. Plus, building this game for a brand new, more powerful generation of consoles (and PCs) allows for the dev team to include certain skills that may have not been possible during the previous console generation.
CAL KESTIS | JEDI HERO
After playing both Star Wars Jedi games back-to-back, I quickly noticed in Star Wars Jedi: Survivor that Cal felt like a bigger deal. In the first game he was a young lost Jedi padawan with no mentor trying to find his way after the execution of Order 66. From the opening moments of Star Wars Jedi: Survivor Cal feels more confident in who he is.
At the very start of Star Wars Jedi: Survivor the camera was much more zoomed in on Cal than it ever had been in the previous game. This small detail pulled me right back into this world, now knowing Cal Kestis as a leader and true hero.
The combat is more intense. I felt way more in control of Cal during fights. I was able to slow down my spastic button-mashing impulses to rely more heavily on well-timed defensive technics (counters, dodges, and parries). Unlocking more stances led to me thinking more about which to implement during certain big battles.
A WORTHY STORY
The Cal Kestis story would totally work as a Star Wars film or TV series, but I’m happy it is a video game instead. This character has so much depth, along with many of the surrounding characters (the Mantis crew). This is also the most interesting time for a Jedi story. It is a time when any remaining Jedi are on the run, and mostly trying to lay low.
It’s interesting how the featured worlds in this series are planets we’ve seen and heard of before, along with some new ones. We also get to see a different side of some of these planets we’ve seen in other Star Wars series, like The Clone Wars. The first game took us to a new corner of Dathomir. Star Wars Jedi: Survivor took us to both Jedha and Coruscant.
*Side Quest: I did read the in-between novel by Sam Maggs Star Wars Jedi: Battle Scars, which I would recommend to anyone who appreciates the story arc of Cal Kestis. There’s also some extra backstory on the rest of the crew: Merrin, Cere, Greez, and some new characters.
*Disclaimer: I am someone who enjoys reading tie-in Star Wars novels for movies, games, and TV shows.
Thankfully, the team decided to get rid of the ponchos from the first game — a terrible fashion choice. They also added all new customizable attire and looks for Cal. For every new planet I visited I put together a brand new wardrobe to either blend in or stand out.
MEMORABLE CHARACTERS
Cere Junda
At one point, you get to play as Cere and learn what the true power of a Jedi feels like. All this time, playing as Cal, I continuously acquired new skills thinking, Wow, Cal Kestis must be the most powerful of all the Jedi.
After playing as Cere for just a moment, that thought quickly went out the window. Cal started feeling more like a young Padawan in training — Ok, maybe not that bad, but Cere is definitely “the most powerful Jedi.”
Rick the Door Man
This was one of the more silly parts of the game. I was making my way through an enemy base when a special stormtrooper appeared.
What made it odd is that this trooper had both a specific name “Rick the Door Technician” and a boss-level health bar. I proceeded to block his first strike and take him down with one hit. I’m curious, did other people have trouble with Rick?
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor | Rick the Door Technician (Full Encounter)
Bode Akuna
From the very beginning of the game, there was something off about the Bode character to me. He was Cal’s buddy, but I knew there was some shady business to come. Even after the betrayal, Bode had many chances to redeem himself. He never did.
At some point I ran past some land speeders in our secret base, and knew they were to be used for something (foreshadowing). That was such a great chase scene with so much going on in the background.
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor | Defeating Bode
*Side Quest: There were many great cinematic/gameplay moments in Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order as well. There’s a part that feels like a big cinematic set piece, but you are still controlling Cal as he climbs up a full-size AT-AT in battle.
Nightsister Merrin
Merrin’s new punk rock meets Nightsister look when she returned in Star Wars Jedi: Survivor was simply bad ass.
She brought with her two unexpected twists to the game: (1) Cal being able to use her teleportation abilities, and (2) a love interest.
Merrin’s character arc throughout the first game, the Sam Maggs novel (Battle Scars), and now this game make her one of the most interesting characters in the Star Was Jedi series.
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor | Merrin Sequence
Dagan Gera
Bringing in a Jedi Master from the High Republic timeline was brilliant. I’m sure this is partially a marketing move to get Star Wars fans excited for the High Republic books, comics, and whatever upcoming stories are planned, but it did work.
I own a few High Republic novels, and I’m now excited to read them to learn more about this time, which happened hundreds of years before the Skywalker Saga timeline.
What’s Next?
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor had so many great moments. The game’s style has even shifted slightly. Respawn still relied on the Metroidvania meets Soulsborne map mechanics when it came to unlocking new parts of each map.
These maps were also so much larger. In the first game revisiting a planet meant you were going to see a few new parts of the same general areas. In Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, revisiting a planet would unlock a separate land within that world.
At times Koboh felt closer to a Bethesda-style, Fallout RPG with Cal interacting with different NPCs to receive optional side quests. After replaying Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order in anticipation for the sequel, I couldn’t think of too many improvements I needed for the next game. Respawn definitely went above and beyond to create a worthy sequel that felt different, yet familiar.
Even during my second playthrough of Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, I was still surprised at so many big moments I had forgotten about. I know that I will replay Star Wars Jedi: Survivor at some point — most likely right before the release of whatever comes next in the Cal Kestis story. I cannot wait to see what that is.
***myVGBC.com was given a review code for Star Wars Jedi: Survivor by the publisher.
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