Look. We need to be honest about the state of Star Wars games. For years, we were basically starving. We had a few mobile titles and some controversial shooters, but nothing that really captured that feeling of being a Jedi in a massive, living universe. Then Cal Kestis showed up in 2019. But it wasn't until Star Wars Jedi Survivor hit the shelves that Respawn Entertainment actually delivered on the promise of the prequel era's scale mixed with the original trilogy's heart. It's a massive game. Huge.
It's also kind of a mess sometimes, but that’s part of the charm.
You play as Cal, older now, more tired, and definitely more dangerous. He’s not the scared Padawan from Fallen Order anymore. He’s a veteran of a guerrilla war that he’s clearly losing. That's the vibe of the whole game. It's desperate. It’s gritty. It feels like what would happen if you dropped a Dark Souls character into a Ralph McQuarrie painting.
Why Star Wars Jedi Survivor Hits Different
Most games try to give you a power fantasy right out of the gate. Respawn didn't do that. They let you keep most of your powers from the first game—which is a huge rarity in sequels—and then they just made the world harder to compensate. You start with the double-jump. You start with the push and pull. But the Empire? They’ve got new toys too.
The combat system is where the game really shines. You’ve got five stances now.
- Single blade (the classic).
- Double-bladed (Maul style, great for crowds).
- Dual wield (fast, aggressive, risky).
- Blaster stance (Wait, a Jedi with a gun? Yes, and it’s glorious).
- Crossguard (The Kylo Ren heavy hitter).
Switching between these on the fly feels incredible once you get the rhythm down. You'll find yourself using the Blaster stance to pick off annoying probe droids from a distance, then instantly swapping to the Crossguard to break the guard of a Bedlam Smasher. It’s tactical. It’s not just button mashing. If you try to mash against a Purge Trooper on Grandmaster difficulty, you’re going to see the loading screen. A lot.
Honestly, the Crossguard stance changed how I play action games. It’s slow. Like, really slow. Every swing feels like it weighs a thousand pounds. But when you land a hit? It’s devastating. It turns the game into a dance of timing and parries rather than just a flurry of glowing sticks.
The Koboh Factor
Most of your time in Star Wars Jedi Survivor is spent on a planet called Koboh. At first, it looks like just another rocky canyon world. Boring, right? Wrong. Koboh is a "hub" world in the same way the God of War games use their central lakes. It expands as you get new gear. You’ll see a ledge you can’t reach, and three hours later, after getting a grappling hook upgrade or a new Force ability, you’ll remember it and head back.
👉 See also: When Was Monopoly Invented: The Truth About Lizzie Magie and the Parker Brothers
There’s a town there called Rambler’s Reach. It’s basically a space-western settlement. You can recruit people you meet on other planets to come live there. You can garden on the roof of the saloon. You can even play a holographic chess game called Holotactics that is way more addictive than it has any right to be.
This isn't just filler content. It makes the world feel lived-in. In the first game, the Mantis felt a bit lonely. Here, you’re building a community. You’re seeing the actual impact of the Empire’s tyranny on regular people—the miners, the shopkeepers, the droids. It adds stakes to Cal’s mission that weren't quite there before.
Dealing With the Technical Ghost in the Machine
We have to talk about the launch. It was rough. Stuttering, frame drops, lighting bugs—it was a bit of a disaster on PC especially. Even on PS5 and Xbox Series X, the "Performance Mode" struggled to stay at 60fps in the more open areas of Koboh.
EA and Respawn have patched it a lot since then. It’s much better now. But you still see some weirdness. Screen tearing happens. Sometimes the HDR looks a bit washed out in the darker caves. If you’re playing on a high-end PC, you’ll still want to make sure your drivers are current and maybe keep DLSS or FSR turned on.
Is it a dealbreaker? No. The game is too good to let some frame drops ruin it. But it’s a reminder that modern game development is incredibly complex, and even the best studios struggle to optimize these massive, seamless worlds.
The Narrative Weight of a Dying Order
The story of Star Wars Jedi Survivor isn't just "go here, find the MacGuffin." It’s about obsession. Cal is obsessed with fighting the Empire, even though he’s barely making a dent. He meets a character from the High Republic era—a time when the Jedi were at their peak—and the contrast is heartbreaking.
Dagan Gera, the antagonist, is a mirror for Cal. He shows what happens when a Jedi loses their way because they can't let go of the past. It’s heavy stuff for a game where you can also spend twenty minutes customizing your beard and choosing which material your lightsaber hilt is made of.
✨ Don't miss: Blox Fruit Current Stock: What Most People Get Wrong
Speaking of customization... the "Drippy Jedi" meme is real.
- You can find different hair styles (including a mullet).
- You can change every part of your lightsaber.
- BD-1 can be customized to look like he’s brand new or a piece of junk.
- Outfits range from tactical gear to "I just found this in a dumpster on Coruscant."
It sounds trivial, but it makes your version of Cal feel unique. My Cal wore a poncho and had a massive beard because he looked like a hermit who had been living in the woods for a decade. Your Cal might look like a sleek, professional bounty hunter. It’s your call.
A Masterclass in Level Design
Respawn hired people who worked on God of War and Titanfall 2, and you can tell. The platforming in this game is top-tier. There are sequences where you have to chain together wall-runs, air-dashes, and grappling hook swings that feel like a high-speed obstacle course.
The "Jedi Chambers" are another highlight. These are optional puzzle rooms scattered around Koboh. They’re basically Zelda shrines. They force you to use the Force in creative ways—moving orbs, burning away vines, manipulating bridges. They provide a nice break from the constant dismemberment of Stormtroopers.
Let's Talk About the High Republic
One of the coolest things about this game is how it integrates High Republic lore. If you haven't read the books or comics, don't worry. The game explains it. But for fans of that era, seeing the gold-and-white aesthetic of the Jedi at their height is a treat. It makes the current "Dark Times" feel even darker.
You find "Echoes" of the past throughout the world. These are little snippets of dialogue from people who lived hundreds of years ago. It’s environmental storytelling at its best. You aren't just reading a codex entry; you’re hearing the ghosts of the past. It builds a sense of history that most licensed games just ignore.
How to Actually Get Good at the Combat
If you’re struggling with the combat, you’re probably playing it like a hack-and-slash. Stop that. Star Wars Jedi Survivor is a parry-centric game.
🔗 Read more: Why the Yakuza 0 Miracle in Maharaja Quest is the Peak of Sega Storytelling
- Watch the stamina bar. Both yours and the enemies'. Once an enemy's guard is broken, they are vulnerable to a one-shot kill or massive damage.
- Don't ignore your Force powers. Confusion is incredibly powerful. Making a heavy-hitting enemy fight their friends while you sit back and watch is a valid strategy.
- Slow down. The game rewards patience. Wait for the red glow (unblockable attacks) and dodge. Parry everything else.
- Upgrade your health first. The skill tree is huge. It’s tempting to buy the cool lightsaber moves first, but if you’re dying in two hits, those moves won’t help you.
The boss fights are a significant step up from the first game. Without spoiling anything, the fight against a certain legendary bounty hunter and the final encounter are some of the most cinematic moments in gaming history. They require you to use every single tool in your kit. No shortcuts.
Actionable Steps for New Players
If you’re just starting your journey or thinking about picking the game up, here is how you should approach it to get the most value.
First, don't rush the main story. If you just follow the golden path, you’re going to miss about 60% of the game’s content. The best upgrades, the coolest boss fights (like the Oggdo Bogdo spawn—yes, he’s back), and the most interesting lore are all off the beaten path. Explore every green path on your holomap.
Second, prioritize the "Sling" and "Dash" upgrades. These fundamentally change how you move through the world. Once you have the ability to dash mid-air, the platforming becomes significantly more forgiving and fun.
Third, invest in the "Teamwork" skill tree. This affects how BD-1 helps you in combat. Getting extra stims and having BD-1 distract enemies can save your life when you’re cornered by three Bedlam Raiders and a stray chicken-walker.
Finally, experiment with the stances. Don't just stick to the single blade because it feels familiar. Spend an hour with the Blaster stance or the Crossguard. Each stance has its own skill tree and its own "vibe." You might find that a certain boss you’ve been struggling with becomes a cakewalk once you switch to a different fighting style.
Star Wars Jedi Survivor isn't a perfect game. It has technical hiccups and the map can still be a bit confusing to navigate. But it is a game with a soul. It’s a game that respects the player’s intelligence and the source material's legacy. Whether you’re a die-hard Star Wars nerd or just someone who likes hitting things with a laser sword, it’s an essential experience.
Check your map for unexplored areas, upgrade your stim canisters, and remember: the Force is a tool, not just a weapon. Use it wisely.