Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is among the most anticipated games of 2023, a sequel to a critically-acclaimed Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order. Developed by Respawn Entertainment, the new title aims to build on the foundations of its predecessor and deliver an experience that appeals to both Star Wars and action-adventure gaming fans.
While much larger in scale, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor takes inspiration from various games and tries to deliver a story that fits well in the Star Wars Universe. The larger question that needs answering is whether the game managed to deliver the blockbuster experience fans expect from Respawn Entertainment. Let’s find out.
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor – Story
If you’re well versed in the Star Wars franchise, Jedi Survivor is set ten years after the movie Revenge of the Sith. The Empire is eradicating the universe of Jedis after the execution of Order 66. We play as Cal Kestis, a Jedi on the run looking to get back at the Empire with the help of new and old friends.
After the events of Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, Cal sets out to embrace his Jedi powers and prevent the Empire from expanding their authoritarian rule across the galaxy. However, since most Jedis are in hiding, Cal must adopt more of a mercenary strategy and go on high-value missions for Saw Gerrara to foil the Empire’s plans. 
While working with a group of new and old Resistance members, Cal has managed to separate from his former teammates and sets out to look for them to help with a critical mission. However, due to some complications on Coruscant, Cal is forced to land on the plate Koboh and repair his damaged ship, better known as The Stinger Mantis. Here he will come across some long-forgotten mysteries and, in the process, learn new skills as a Jedi that might help him in his fight against the Empire.
Koboh is the first planet where players get to see the vastness of the new semi-open world created by Respawn Entertainment. While the plait is massive in size and full of many activities to do, this is where players will start experiencing some issues in Star Wars Jedi: Survivor.
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor – Gameplay
The prime focus for Star Wars Jedi: Survivor seems to be combat gameplay, as Respawn Entertainment has managed to expand mechanics with meaningful additions. For starters, there are new Stances that players can use when battling different types of enemies. Each stance has its own benefits and disadvantages, forcing players to think ahead about which stances they want to use against bosses and other tougher enemies such as a Rancor. 
In terms of other gameplay features, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor continues the same model as the previous game. Players will have to use Meditation points to restore their health, medical stems, change stances, and save progress. These meditation points are strategically placed before puzzles, bosses, and other points of interest, similar to Soulslike games and Metroidvania classics.
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor also uses familiar RPG mechanics such as Skills progression, gear, and character customisation, albeit it isn’t as expansive as traditional RPGs. To be honest, these restrained RPG mechanics are much more preferred for a game like Star Wars Jedi: Survivor as it lets players focus more on the game and waste less time in menus. What’s neat is that, unlike other RPGs, Cal has retained many of the skills learned from the previous game and builds upon them, much like a real Jedi would. 
Respawn Entertainment has extended improvements to other facets of the core gameplay with new and clever puzzles, rewarding side missions, and other Zelda-like shrines that all add to Cal’s growth as a Jedi. While completing these puzzles is optional, it is highly recommended players fully explore each area, as many of these rewards are worth your time.
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor – Performance & Graphics
With larger new environments, there are some caveats that players should be aware of at launch. At launch, the game suffers from slight performance issues on the PlayStation 5, while some significant issues on the PC. On the PS5, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor‘s performance can sometimes hinder the experience as there are many instances of stuttering and frame rate drops. There were also issues with random crashes, which can be slightly frustrating in a game that doesn’t use the auto-save feature often.
While the disappointing performance is less prevalent on consoles, players should refrain from playing this game on the PC at the moment. While there is an official update, it still doesn’t achieve 60FPS at 1440p resolution (performance mode) on the PlayStation 5. Having said that, the performance has definitely improved, but it would be prudent to be wary. 
Having said that, it wouldn’t be fair to rule out how beautiful the game actually looks. While it might be of the reasons for the disappointing performance, it still looks like a hand-crafted world. What’s neat is that Star Jedi: Survivor‘s world fits perfectly with the Star Wars vibe, especially with the introduction of new planets and biomes.
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor – Verdict
There’s no doubt that Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is an extremely fun game that upholds the values of blockbuster titles. Unfortunately, it does not uphold the quality of AAA titles as it lacks polish and has stability issues on the PC and, to an extent, on consoles as well. However, if you wish to look over the issues and still plan to play it, we recommend playing it on the PlayStation 5 or the Xbox Series X at the moment. If you’re waiting to play it on PC, it might be worth waiting until the game receives an update that mitigates all the known issues. Even considering performance issues, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is a must-play title.
Rating: 4 / 5
Pros:
- Exhilarating Gameplay
- Clever Puzzles
- Intense Boss Battles
- Impeccable Story
- Stunning Visuals
Cons:
- Frame Rate & Stuttering Issues
- Frequent Crashes
- Abysmal PC Port
