Respawn Entertainmentknows what it has withStar Wars Jedi: Survivor. The action-packed sequel bursts out of the gate with untold confidence, thrusting us into the corrupt underbelly of Coruscant to pull off a heist that is bound to go wrong. I called the lightsaber in the case, the death of my comrades and a desire for vengeance, and a harder, grittier rendition of Cal Kestis, who needs to find his purpose in the galaxy all over again. He also has a beard now.
From its tightly designed levels to a surprising focus on more versatile platforming, Survivor also reminded me of another sequel from several years ago.Uncharted 2: Among Thievesis a masterstroke fromNaughty Dog, and set in motion the cycle of narrative blockbusters that the studio has produced ever since. It was gorgeous, charismatic, and improved upon what came before in ways so profound that the original immediately felt archaic. It was impossible to go back without grimacing at its shortcomings, and the same step forward can be noted in Survivor’s own initial surge of brilliance. Everything feels and looks better, like Respawn was finding its feet and is now ready to bolt off into a full-blown sprint.
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Starting us on the linear rollercoaster ride of Coruscant was a genius move since it grounds Cal in an environment with just enough freedom to provide us with a badass power fantasy while knowing there is still so much to learn and ample cutscenes we need to pay attention to. New faces are introduced with little room to breathe, and a lightsaber is placed in our hands with few expectations placed upon us. Tutorials on stances and styles surface, but the emphasis is always on swinging away and proving how powerful our hero has become in the years we’ve been away. I found myself in awe at how visceral it all felt, whether slicing off limbs or sending Stormtroopers hundreds of feet down to their death. Peace isn’t a part of the conversation anymore, it’s all about survival. Wait, I think I just figured out the name.
Cutscene direction and overall pacing show a developer that has begun to work out the kinks of its initial vision, knowing precisely what works and what doesn’t when it comes to a universe we know so well. Somehow it feels fresh, shining with a varnish of brutality eagerly awaiting to be picked apart and explored. I’ve only just landed on Koboh and begun the task of slicing apart its local wildlife, but already the larger environments and focus on a mix of experimental platforming and combat make the sequel much more interesting. Abilities learned during the last game aren’t taken away either, a sin committed by most sequels after a fancy intro as a hollow way to heighten the stakes and force us on the same journey all over again.
Cal can double jump, customise his gear, and utilise his force powers already, so everything earned from here on out will be entirely new. Jedi don’t suddenly get weak for the sake of narrative, they keep getting stronger and fighting the good fight. As a result, Respawn is able to expand the worlds we explore and enemies we fight without repeating the same tired encounters again and again. Every decision made is in service of evolution, leaving behindFallen Order’sfailures while still recognising everything it did so well. When the game first launched, I almost couldn’t believe it was developed by Respawn. Only ever known for shooters, the studio suddenly produced one of the finest action games in ages that pulled from everything fromDark SoulstoMetroid. It fell at a few hurdles, but the potential remained clear, and it’s amazing to see that realized so effectively in the sequel.
While I still have dozens of hours of Survivor to play, I’m already excited about the future of Respawn outsideApex Legendsand theTitanfallsequel we’re never going to get. We likely have another Star Wars Jedi game awaiting us in the years to come, but after that, Respawn could tackle so many different ideas no longer constrained by the shooter genre responsible for putting it on the map. Much like Uncharted 2, this is where the fun begins.
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