Star Wars Jedi: Survivor First Impressions
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor has a lot of changes to the first game when we got to play it. We were really impressed with what Respawn Entertainment have managed to do.
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00:00 Early on playing Star Wars Jedi Survivor I made aware of how different a game this is.
00:12 I came across a sleeping Bile Maw and thanks to Cal's new Force Confusion ability I'm
00:18 able to influence the beast for a short time and turn it on nearby enemies.
00:23 Rising from its slumber the creature spews out an unpleasant brown gunk all over the
00:27 unfortunate fellows nearby. The sludge spouting animal makes quick work of the stormtroopers
00:32 for me but it's not long before the effects will wear off and I'm its next target so
00:38 I better leave.
00:39 Every movement from Cal feels more fluid, he has clearly grown from the padawan he once
00:44 was and his connection to the force is stronger than ever.
00:47 While the combat itself is very familiar, new force abilities, additional stances, a
00:52 wealth of cosmetic customisation options and the introduction of new means of traversal
00:57 mean this is a very different game. It feels bigger in every sense and just as I use the
01:01 Bile Maw to take out my foes instead of attacking them head on, the new powers have been brought
01:06 in to encourage different approaches in combat.
01:09 We wanted to introduce new powers that could make you approach encounters in different
01:12 ways so that's kind of our high level goal as designers. You know, push and pull, you
01:18 could do different things to certain enemies that make you play a certain way or an encounter
01:22 may end faster, stuff like that. So more agency for the player to approach encounters in different
01:28 ways.
01:29 I think it was kind of always the goal. And we see what power works and what doesn't
01:33 and we work with Lucasfilm and make sure it feels authentic where it can, says design
01:38 director Jason DeGeras.
01:40 My time with Star Wars Jedi Survivor begins an hour into the adventure on the planet of
01:44 Kobo after the Mantis crashes. From the off this planet feels much bigger than anything
01:49 I've explored before in Fallen Order, promising so much to discover and explore.
01:53 Survivor still retains the Metroidvania style set up of old, with blocked paths that you
01:58 must navigate or puzzle your way through, but it's vastly more open. Kobo is also teeming
02:04 with life and not just of the hostile variety. So many local residents dotted around the
02:09 locations will speak of notable areas or occurrences that will trigger side missions.
02:14 I set out to find ship parts but it's the mention of one familiar name that sends my
02:18 excitement soaring. Grease. The lovable forearm pilot now owns a cantina on Kobo and nothing
02:25 motivates me more than the prospect of a reunion.
02:27 So as keen as I am to see Grease again, there are happy distractions along the way and you're
02:32 always rewarded for doing so, be that by the way of new unlockable cosmetics, force echoes
02:37 or force tears. Just like Fallen Order, it's always hard to tear yourself away from the
02:42 exploration, but it's even harder in this game since the planet has so much more to
02:47 offer. Not only that but the expanded means of traversal brings freshness to exploration.
02:52 Now that Kal has restored his abilities, he's more agile and can make use of new ways to
02:57 reach areas. The ascension cable grappling hook for instance is a welcome addition that
03:01 zips across walls and latches onto vines to be climbed. Kal can also now wall jump between
03:07 tight spaces to access higher platforms and I occasionally found myself climbing across
03:12 ceilings. The ability to tame creatures is also a great addition, with the neko for travelling
03:17 across distances on land and the flying belter that lets me glide through the air. To aid
03:23 the sense of fluidity you can now fast travel from meditation points. FINALLY!
03:28 As De Harris explains, making Kal feel better in terms of combat and traversal was something
03:33 the team were eager to bring to the experience of Survivor, along with additional lightsaber
03:37 stances of which there are 5 in total. The twin stance was something we always wanted
03:41 to do in the first game but we had to cut it for time. So obviously that was one of
03:45 the first things we worked on to flesh it out. And then from there we kind of had our
03:49 three stances. And then we kind of say, ok where do we want to go with the other two?
03:53 And that's kind of what was the driving force behind that. So for game design and gameplay,
03:57 make Kal feel better in traversal and combat. While the improvements and new features in
04:02 combat and traversal definitely excite me, the characters and the bonds they share continue
04:06 to be the biggest draw for me. Once I finally find my way to Grease's Cantina in the town
04:11 of Rambler's Reach, the saloon is full of its regulars who can all be interacted with,
04:15 which just makes everything come to life with so much character. Of course, it's not complete
04:19 until Grease finally enters the picture, and just as it's a reunion for Kal, it really
04:24 feels like I'm seeing an old friend again. The relationship between the pair and the
04:28 conversations they share continue to be highlights, just as they were in Fallen Order. What's
04:33 most interesting though is that my presence in Rambler's Reach actually has an effect
04:37 on the town, with new shops and activities opening up as a result. As I discover, Survivor
04:42 will see you encounter different outposts that you can influence by recruiting residents
04:46 around the locations to come and assist your journey. I don't get to see too much of
04:50 this new feature, but I love the idea of having a direct effect on the places I visit as Kal,
04:55 and with the chance to open up new elements in the outpost, there's added incentive
04:59 to do more. When my session came to an end, I didn't
05:02 want to stop playing Star Wars Jedi Survivor, which I think says it all. There is so much
05:06 to do and see, so many new things to discover, and yet, with so many features returning,
05:11 I felt right at home in this follow up to Fallen Order. The wealth of new features,
05:16 quality of life improvements, new narrative stakes, make everything feel bigger and better,
05:21 as an experience that builds on just about everything that came before. It's clear
05:25 Respawn is striving to make this a Star Wars adventure anybody can enjoy. So, what are
05:30 you most looking forward to now that you've seen a bit more of Star Wars Jedi Survivor?
05:34 Let us know in the comments below.
05:36 Woah!
05:36 Take a look at that view! Is that a giant crater? Wow! I got it so easy. Guard the cliff,
05:46 crush the locals, look at the scenery! Nobody's getting past me, not without a blaster hole
05:52 in 'em. I wonder if I'll get promoted for doing such a good job. Then I'll get the other
05:57 droids to guard the cliff. Oh, but then I won't see the scenery. Hmm, now that's a dilemma.
06:05 Woah! Dilemma solved.
06:09 (Dino sound)
06:11 (thunder)