A Detailed Closer Look at Jedi: Survivor
You’ve probably already read a few reviews of Star Wars Jedi: Survivor but might still be a little hesitant to fork out the hefty asking price. We understand, especially since the average price of a game has gone up significantly. That’s why we’re putting out a review of our own, even if it is a little late. Though, you can be sure that we sunk in a ton of hours before coming to a final conclusion. Let’s take a look at Jedi: Survivor and see if it’s worth the money.
The Same But Better
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order is a great game. We rank it as amongst the best Star Wars games ever made, even taking into account the performance issues. If you’ve played Fallen Order, you have a pretty good idea of what Survivor is. Though we mean that both in terms of positives and negatives. Survivor is a bigger, better version of its predecessor, though also inherits most of the issues.
As far as gameplay goes, you’ll get what you expect. Survivor is the same platformer crossed with Dark Souls style combat as the first, letting you explore, complete quests, and redo sections as many times as you like. Only, in this case the areas are enormous, the enemies more plentiful, and the story vastly longer. So, if all you’re after is more of the same, you’re going to be happy.
Story And Acting
When it comes to Star Wars narratives about Jedi you’re pretty much always going to get the same deal. Here we have a Jedi, they go through trials and tribulations. Will they be a Dark or Light Jedi in the end? Fallen Order already dealt with this concept as far as protagonist Cal Kestis is concerned. So where can the story go in the sequel, since we already know Cal is a Light Jedi?
As with superhero stories, it’s the origin of a character that is the most interesting part. Since we’ve already dealt with Cal’s personal story, the narrative can now only explore the world itself. This isn’t to say that Jedi: Survivor isn’t still interesting, and that the acting isn’t still great. There is plenty to enjoy here in the narrative department, but the story just isn’t as compelling as the first.
Gameplay
As said, you know what you’re going to get in the gameplay department. Cal still jumps, climbs and slides his way around treacherous landscapes. You’ll be doing a lot of this sort of exploration. In fact, exploration will occupy around 80% of your playtime. Though the developers have clearly made an effort to step up the scale of the platforming, which is welcome. Expect to be making crazy, eye-watering jumps that a rational human wouldn’t dream of. Heck, even Nathan Drake would probably think twice about doing what Cal achieves with ease.
In the combat department, again things are ramped up considerably. Cal can now use a variety of lightsaber-style weapons, including the iconic double-bladed sabre from Phantom Menace. You can also switch between a number of combat styles, adding to the freedom. Enemies are as robust as before, with new additions, bigger monsters than ever, and plenty of cannon fodder stormtroopers. Plus, you’ll be happy to know, you can now also chop off arms. Who says devs don’t listen to feedback?
Tragic Performance Issues
Now for some of the bad news. Survivor runs as badly, if not worse than Fallen Order. Expect frame dips, stuttering, and noticeable lag. PC players are the worst hit in this regard, and no, having a beefy PC won’t resolve the issue. It’s a gobsmacking shame that big-budget games still release in this state, especially considering that the developers must have known about the issue after the first game.
There is no other way to put it; the performance is bad enough to really get annoying. If you’re a purist that demands silky smooth performance, you may want to hold off on making a purchase. Some improvements have already been made and Respawn is apparently working on more performance fixes in the future. So, sit back, maybe hit up Bella Vegas casino, and wait.
Customisation And Collectibles
If you want to design your own lightsaber, including every aspect from the hilt to the colour, you’re in luck. Respawn went all in on the customisation, so much so that it’s ridiculous. The developers clearly know their audience, and thus have gone so heavily into letting you design your own lightsaber that it’s comical. Will you see this detail during gameplay? Not at all. But then, whoever said Star Wars nerds care about whether a meticulously chosen lightsaber hilt is noticeable?
As far as collectables go, there are also plenty. Since the game offers so much in terms of exploration, you’ll be finding odds and ends for endless hours. Search every nook and cranny, see what you discover, and rest assured there will still be more to find.
Overall
If you want something new going into Survivor, you’re going to be sorely let down. But if you want more of the same, you’ll get what you pay for. Especially since Jedi: Survivor does shine brightly in the replayability department. The game, from the ground up, is a classic sequel. Though, in this era of gaming a sequel to a single-player game is exactly what most gamers are looking for. This isn’t a live service, it isn’t overflowing with microtransactions and other nonsense, and is very high quality.
The performance issues are a shame to be sure, and we do wish that the problem wasn’t so glaring. But we trust that Respawn will put in the effort and release a patch, sooner rather than later. Assuming performance does get a fix, we’re comfortable calling this one of the best Star Wars games ever made. You may disagree, especially if you prefer something like Knights Of The Old Republic. But, let’s be honest, we likely won’t be seeing a Star Wars game of that scale again any time soon. At least not until the KOTOR remake, that is.