Developer – Respawn

Publisher – EA

Platforms – PC – Reviewed, PS5, Xbox Series

Respawn’s Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order was a classic action-adventure game that sometimes buckled due to technical issues. If Respawn was given a second chance at tackling a single-player action game, what could they do to change and learn from that experience? Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is the culmination of that lesson and delivers a stunning sequel worthy of their legendary track record.

 In this third-person action-adventure follow-up, players once again play as Cal Kestus on his quest to rebuild the Jedi Order after the events of Order 66 and Revenge of the Sith. Cal’s journey involves platforming through deadly tombs, wall running, and facing off against the Empire. Cal rebuilds his connection to the force as players progress, and the cast of allies and enemies evolve past their archetypes. 

While Star Wars Jedi: Survivor doesn’t introduce anything revolutionary or novel to the third-person action-adventure genre, it’s still an incredible experience to play. Respawn’s refinement of the game mechanics is evident in combat, with hints of Sekiro and the older Dark Forces games, and world design and core gameplay loop that harken back to Metroid Prime. 

Cal’s journey takes players to various planets; each location is long, varied, and satisfying. In addition to swinging lightsabers, Jedi: Survivor spends a fair amount of time with its story. The multi-faceted characters, including enemies, and the back-and-forth Cal develops with the town and people of Koboh but add a sense of purpose and coziness to the high stakes a Star Wars story usually deals in. Survivor is right up there with KOTOR, X Wing vs. Tie Fighter, and Jedi Knight as one of the best examples of using a licensed property to tell a great tale that makes sense for video games. 

Although there are a few issues with the game, such as inconsistent framerates on PS5 and slight PC stuttering in the open world, Survivor performs far better than Fallen Order did at launch. Enemies still have questionable AI, but it helps the Stormtroopers feel accurate to the lore if nothing else. One of the drawbacks of exploration is the rewards, with the vast majority of exploration leading to cosmetic items that feel inconsequential, which was also an issue with the first game.

Accessibility is probably the game’s most considerable improvement, with EA and Respawn offering many options designed to smooth the experience for players like me. Turning off fall damage, automatic completion of quick time events, and more all help the experience feel like a fun but still tense adventure. It was nice to have a game with this combat style and a difficulty modifier that doesn’t punish casual players like me.

While the game doesn’t move the genre forward meaningfully, it’s still an excellent game that I highly recommend to any Star Wars fan. It’s the next great Star Wars single-player game that many of us have been waiting for since the original one surprised all of us.