Summary
There’s so much Respawn’sStar Wars Jedifranchise does well with an amalgamation of action-adventure mechanics that come together beautifully. It’s easy to take a glance atStar Wars Jedi: Survivorand view it primarily as a Soulslike, but many features are far from what a traditional Soulslike might offer and those distinctions have mainly been for the best in terms ofStar Wars Jedihaving a unique identity. Like any sequel nowadays,Star Wars Jedi: Survivorneeded to succeed its predecessor as an expansion of whatFallen Orderdid well and that includes the original game’s platforming.
Platforming wasn’t nearly as involved or intricate inFallen Orderas it is inSurvivor, but that’s a result ofFallen Orderbeing the foundation thatSurvivorcould then expand on. Wall-running was surely in Respawn’s wheelhouse already; however, Cal couldn’t do much else that didn’t feel a bit janky, floaty, or unsatisfying unless it was part of a scripted set-piece moment. Platforming may not be why every player has enjoyed theStar Wars Jediseries. Still, it’s an inseparable and vital element now—platforming being reprised in the third game isn’t a matter of ‘if,’ but how it’s reprised will be a testament to Respawn’s ingenuity.
Survivor’s Platforming is in a Galaxy Far, Far Away from Fallen Order’s
Fallen Order’s Piecemeal Progression Leaves Platforming Inert and Uninteresting
The reason why platforming wasn’t extremely engaging or fun inFallen Ordercould logically boil down to why most ofFallen Ordercould be perceived as underwhelming, especially with the perspectiveSurvivorlends it: it’s highly elementary in a lot of ways and has a shaky framework laid out for mechanics to be earned gradually throughout. Players beginFallen Orderwith few mobility options as it is and they aren’t all received until nearly the end of the game as a means of progression.
This is narratively effective since a Force-amnesiac Cal needs to recuperate his previously learned abilities but puts a dogged strain on gameplay and maneuverability until the journey has almost reached its end.
Survivor More Than Makes Up for Fallen Order’s Lackluster Platforming
Fallen Orderbeing designed around delayed gratification meant thatSurvivor’s opening on Coruscantcould be instantly satisfying.Survivorwas able to start with all the abilities players had to work so hard for in the previous title and it’s a true sequel in that sense by not needlessly reverting Cal to nothing.
Even though new traversal tools and abilities are received not much longer after,Survivornever suffers from feeling stagnant or stifled in the beginning and is allowed to foster a sense of natural progression thereafter. Unfortunately, this inherently creates an issue forSurvivor’s sequel to solve.
SurvivorelevatedFallen Order’s platformingby giving it elaborate mechanics and challenging substance, but platforming isn’t necessarily what’s remembered about theStar Wars Jediseries despite its profound presence. Plus, whileSurvivor’s platforming was excellent, all it adds to the franchise may be difficult to exceed or refine in a sequel without subtracting or multiplying too much of what’s established in its platforming repertoire, including the following:
Simplifying platforming to the level ofFallen Orderwould be a detrimental backstep, for example, while expanding on it by a lot could encumberStar Wars Jedi’s action-adventure mechanics to the point of bloat, whichSurvivorarguably doesn’t have.
Indeed, a lot ofSurvivor’s platforming is only egged on by optional Force Tear challenges, anyway, but this could create a problem where platforming itself comes across as an optional activity rather than a baked-in feature. The third game needs to be careful with how it portrays platforming because it should theoretically be a prominent feature and yet it’s not as popular or notable asStar Wars Jedi’s Soulslike features.
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
WHERE TO PLAY
The story of Cal Kestis continues in Star Wars Jedi: Survivor™, a third person galaxy-spanning action-adventure game from Respawn Entertainment, developed in collaboration with Lucasfilm Games. This narratively-driven, single player title picks up five years after the events of Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order™ and follows Cal’s increasingly desperate fight as the galaxy descends further into darkness. Pushed to the edges of the galaxy by the Empire, Cal will find himself surrounded by threats new and familiar. As one of the last surviving Jedi Knights, Cal is driven to make a stand during the galaxy’s darkest times - but how far is he willing to go to protect himself, his crew, and the legacy of the Jedi Order?Explore an Untamed Galaxy – Discover new planets and familiar frontiers in the Star Wars galaxy, each with unique biomes, challenges, and enemies. Master new skills, equipment, and abilities that will augment the ways you explore, fight, and roam. With larger areas to explore and more to discover off the beaten path, players who adventure beyond the horizon will find hidden rewards.
