4.5/5 ★ – wesleytypes's review of Star Wars Jedi: Survivor.

Jedi: Survivor is the ideal sequel, and in my opinion, the ideal modern Star Wars gaming experience. It takes everything that its predecessor did, and every scenario that I could dream of as a Star Wars fan, and delivers on such an exceptional level. On top of that, the game also gives you things that you didn't even know you needed, only adding to the feeling that this is everything you could want from a Star Wars experience. I was initially worried that the game would become too big for its own good with how much new stuff it was promising to give players, but all of the additional scale and depth is warranted, and it's presented in a way that doesn't overwhelm. There are some aspects of the game that I felt were unnecessary (I'm looking at you rooftop gardening), but that comes with the territory of being a AAA game that needs to justify its development time and costs. From menu UI to map icons to gameplay feature to quest handling, the game just does a really good job of simplifying the logistical aspects of your adventure, which many would say is a much needed improvement over the last game. There is somehow much more to do, and much less to worry about. In terms of story and setting, I actually slightly prefer the tone of Fallen Order, because the fight against the Empire is more familiar and reminds me of older Star Wars games. However, what Jedi: Survivor does is definitely fresher and more impressive. The cast is stellar, including all the new characters. It's one of the best groups of characters in any Star Wars property, and they're all exceptionally well acted. I wish there were more and varied planets and locations, but the purposefulness of each location and the attention to detail is so good that I don't feel like I can't fault it. Gameplay is really satisfying and many of the new side activities were so fun they felt necessary to me, such as bounty hunting and the Jedi trial puzzles. All the updates to movement and traversal are really fun and welcome improvements. It feels so good to swing Cal's lightsaber, and all of the different stances are great. I didn't use all of force powers and lightsaber options in my time with the game, but I think that will only strengthen subsequent playthroughs, and it highlights the amount of choices and role-play options that are available to you. Speaking of choices, I absolutely love the expanded customization options. Changing out parts on the lightsaber, gun, BD-1, and mixing and matching outfits and hair on Cal might have been my favorite part of the game (along with using photo mode to chronicle my adventure). I really felt like I could make Cal my own. This plays into how I view Cal as a protagonist as well. Some consider him a bland character, but I really think they strike a great balance between him being a decent character with interesting motivation, and being someone you can step into the shoes of and feel like you're them. All in all, Jedi: Survivor felt perfect to me, but I know many are dealing with some technical issues. I'm confident those will be quickly fixed and eventually forgotten. Besides that, and few stray preferences of mine, this game is simply fantastic and a must-play for even the most casual Star Wars fan.