5/5 ★ – SkyMyGuy's review of Star Wars Jedi: Survivor.

Honestly Game of the year. Honestly probably the best Star Wars game ever made. Honestly an incredible sequel. This shit builds upon the first game in every conceivable way, with an engage and more character focused narrative, and expanding the exploration and combat to the point where I feel it’s more it’s own thing, and is just a sick ass Star Wars fantasy. Like seriously, lightsabers fucking rule. The exploration being more like God of War is good fun, but the platforming, my god. I wasn’t expecting this to feel like Ori and the Blind Forest but holy shit is it so much fun. I have no clue how they’ll build on this for the next one, but stringing together jumps and dashes to grapples and wall runs and more is some of the most fun I’ve had platforming in a non-platformer maybe ever? The combat as well, which I feel isn’t a MASSIVE step up from Fallen Order in terms of functionality, is greatly improved in variety. Finally being able to dual wield lightsabers the ENTIRE game, plus blaster stance ???? That shit was insane. The broader array of force abilities were sick as well, but I feel perhaps this game was a little easier than the first? Or maybe I’m seriously just good at it. Like everyone I’ve seen was struggling with stuff I beat pretty comfortably on master difficulty. Idk. Double Oggdo was fucked tho, but that still took me under 3 hours. The characters in this game were a fucking joy as well. Especially Cere, Merrin and Bode. No character is particularly bad, they’re all pretty good actually, but these three stood out the most to me. Cere having a reduced role yet having found peace in her purpose and role in the galaxy left me wanting to see more of her, until you play as her. The whole set piece of playing as a JEDI MASTED WHO FOUGHT IN THE CLONE WARS, just absolutely tearing through imperials was incredible. And at that point I didn’t even see Vader coming. Although a bit gratuitous in the broader context of Star Wars, Cere had to die and it had to be Vader that killed her. Cere holding her own against Vader, even fucking him up, due to her removed fear was awesome, and it was my favorite fight in the game low key (except Dagan’s anime shit in the sky). Cere’s death is also a vital part of the story, and gave way for some of Cameron Monaghan’s best performances in the game. Merrin, I mostly liked cuz I just love Merrin and Cal low key. Their romance is something I’ve been waiting on for 3 long years, and that set piece on Jedha with the drill was the best set piece I’ve played in recent memory. I love her and Cal, I love that their relationship was the final straw in Cal’s devotion to the Jedi code (cuz same) and I love how her enlightenment contrasts Cal’s obsession and pushes his character forward. Also I’m convinced she somehow conjured up that sandstorm so she could just be alone with Cal I SWEAR. BODE. Fucking Bode. I feel I’m like the only one that didn’t see it coming ???? I mean, Noshir Dalal plays the best homie in EVERYTHING. Kotallo in Horizon, Charles in Red Dead, fucking RAMA IN GUILD WARS. Other people told me they were suspicious of him, but I didn’t listen, I was 110% sure he was just the bro, the homie, if you will. It was only the cutscene RIGHT BEFORE that I had a little feeling in the back of my mind. Cal running after him, the shock, the betrayal, the FUCKING FORCE PUSH ???? THE FUCK ????? Duuuuuude. Literally never before have I felt more betrayed. Not even Bioshock bruh like WHAT. “You’re not the only one that survived” EUUUGHHHH. didn’t see ANY of it coming. I literally couldn’t sleep that night because of the betrayal. Then learning about his past, how he lost himself, and then Cal DECIDING to put him down with the gun that Bode gave him. Oh my god. Fucking 10/10 I am not okay. The narrative is where the game really shines, because this is seriously one of my favorite stories in recent memory. First, the batshit insane setup of having the villain be a rogue Jedi from the High Republic, basically the Anakin of his time, forced into the imperial era was awesome (also we got to see him bleed his lightsaber which like ????). Dagan and the other antagonists being a mirror for Cal’s development, while perhaps disappointing that they are not characters in their own right, is the perfect in my eyes because it achieves what it set out to do for Cal’s character and is basically my favorite kind of villain. The story being a tale of obsession and losing yourself was extremely powerful. Cal not being able to move on from the destructive path he’s been on even after everyone left him, and almost losing himself because of it was not where I expected the story to go, but I’d exactly what was needed. Dagan, Rayvis and fucking BODE all being mirrors for what could happen to Cal if he gives into the obsession was brilliant honestly. Cal’s whole struggle with the dark side (especially at the end) and being set up further for the sequel is really powerful when you consider the toll the story has taken on him, and that final scene of Cal motionless by the fires of the fallen, talking to Cere, her telling him to guide Kata through the darkness, and the final shot of Cere’s saber in the ashes. Fuck man. Literally speechless. Seriously the best game I’ve played in so long. Better than Ragnarok in my eyes and the whole gaming industry dickrides that game to the moon and back (for good reason). The most fun I’ve had in forever. Engaging gameplay, world, exploration, characters and my favorite story in so long. Bugs be damned I love this game and this series and I can’t wait to see how it ends. 10/10.