I’ve just started playing Star Wars Jedi: Survivor. Maybe 2 years since playing and reviewing Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order, and really quickly, I’ve found it clicked for me way more.
It got me thinking. Why is this working for me when I struggled with Jedi Fallen Order almost all the way through?
Playing Fallen Order, I always felt it was missing something; every aspect of the game was close, but not quite there. It was frustrating because, from a narrative perspective, I enjoyed it, and I like the character of Cal.
So…..what does any normal human being do in this situation? Let’s compare them both!!
Story and narrative
Jedi Fallen Order introduced us to Cal, a former Padawan in hiding, thrust back into the fight against the Empire. Its narrative was a focused, character-driven tale of survival, discovery, and the burgeoning hope of a scattered rebellion. The journey to rediscover the Jedi path and confront past trauma felt personal and impactful.
Jedi Survivor picks up five years later, with a more mature and battle-hardened Cal. The stakes are higher, the galaxy feels larger, and the narrative delves into themes of legacy, finding one’s place in a galaxy still gripped by darkness, and the moral complexities of fighting for freedom. With a more intricate plot and compelling new characters, and deeper connections to the wider Star Wars lore.
Gameplay and combat
Jedi Fallen Order pioneered a satisfying blend of Metroidvania-style exploration, challenging Souls-like combat, and engaging platforming. Cal’s lightsaber combat felt weighty and strategic, with an emphasis on parrying and utilising Force powers defensively and offensively. The limited number of stances kept the focus tight.
Jedi Survivor refines and expands upon every aspect of Fallen Order’s gameplay. Exploration is more rewarding with greater environmental variety and secrets. Combat is significantly enhanced with the addition of new lightsaber stances (dual-wield, crossguard, blaster stance), offering greater tactical flexibility and catering to different playstyles. Force powers are more versatile, and enemy variety keeps encounters fresh and challenging.
Exploration and world design
Jedi Fallen Order featured interconnected-but-relatively-linear levels with rewarding secrets and collectables tucked away. While backtracking was necessary for progression, the scope felt somewhat constrained.
Jedi Survivor presents significantly larger and more open environments to explore. Planets feel more distinct and alive, offering a greater sense of freedom and discovery. While still retaining Metroidvania elements, the scale is grander, encouraging more thorough exploration for valuable upgrades, lore, and side quests.
Progression and customisation
Jedi Fallen Order offered a straightforward skill tree focused on enhancing combat abilities and Force powers. Customisation was primarily limited to lightsaber parts and BD-1 skins.
Jedi Survivor features a more in-depth skill tree with distinct branches catering to different playstyles. Character customisation is significantly expanded, allowing players to alter Cal’s appearance with various hairstyles, beards, and clothing options. Lightsaber customisation remains robust, with even more parts to unlock and combine.
Technical aspects
Jedi Fallen Order, while visually impressive for its time, wasn’t without its technical hiccups, particularly on older hardware. It ran great for me on both PC and Steam Deck.
Jedi Survivor boasts stunning visuals, showcasing the power of current-generation consoles. However, its initial release was plagued by performance issues on PC, which have largely been addressed through patches. It’s still not quite right for me, so it’s not the strong point that it should be.
All in all
I wasn’t massive on Jedi Fallen Order. It was fine, but there was just something missing that made it feel largely hollow.
Jedi Survivor feels better straight away, and now, 15 hours in, I’m seeing all the improvements and benefits of the change kicking in.
I’m not finished yet, but instead of it being a chore, I’m looking forward to getting back to it most days and seeing where things go!
With recent layoffs at EA and Respawn, who can say if there will be a third entry into the series? Jedi Survivor raised the bar enough to make me want to see more after I finish it, and now I’m apprehensive that I might not get a satisfying conclusion. We’ll see!
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