Review: ‘Star Wars Jedi: Survivor’ charts new ground in sprawling sequel

The trouble with making a sequel is that it has to be different from the previous game, otherwise it feels more like an expansion than a full-blown new game. That’s the conundrum that faced Respawn Entertainment when creating “.”

How could the sequel cover new ground while feeling close to the original? It’s a balancing act, one that the developer performed admirably in creating the follow-up to the impressive original. With “Survivor,” players once again take control of Cal Kestis, the padawan who survived Order 66 and is one of the last remaining Jedi in the galaxy.

THE STORY SO FAR
This entry follows the protagonist five years after the events of “Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order.” He’s a full-blown Jedi Knight, but he has separated from old crew of Greez Dritus, Cere Junda and Merrin as he continues his dangerous fight against the Empire. He has picked up new allies along the way, but they’re in the story about as long as a “Star Trek” ensign.

After an escape from Coruscant, Cal crash-lands the Mantis on the planet of Koboh, which also happens to be where Greez settled down after their group parted ways. The Jedi asks his old friend to fix the ship, but while he’s stuck on the planet, he goes exploring and discovers old ruins and a droid named Zee, which is connected to the High Republic.

Through a quirk in the Force and backed by info from Zee, Cal discovers that Koboh had a special role in the High Republic as a starting point to a planet within the mysterious Koboh Abyss. It’s there that a hidden planet called Tanalorr resides, and it could potentially be a refuge for those fleeing the Empire. With the vision still buzzing in his head, he agrees to help Zee fulfill her mission, but that unintentionally leads to a Jedi named Dagan Gera.

At first, Cal believes he can recruit him to his cause, but that turns out to be wrong, as he has his own agenda for Tanalorr. For the rest of the campaign, Cal has to battle Dagan and his minions. Along the way, Cal makes discoveries about himself and why his former allies went their separate paths.

Thematically, it’s a good “Star Wars” story that benefits from the time skip that gives the characters space to evolve so they feel like newer people. It also offers more depth to Cal. He’s a hero who has already overcome challenges to become a Jedi and the traumatizing fears that drove him into hiding. Having new personal flaws for him to overcome is the tether that pulls and focuses players through a sprawling adventure.

A MORE OPEN WORLD TO EXPLORE
That open-world vibe is what makes this adventure so different from the original. If the first game felt like “Metroid,” this one is more “Zelda.” The core of “Survivor” takes place on Koboh but players can take the Mantis back to Coruscant, Koboh’s shattered moon, Jedah, Nova Garon and Tanalorr, which almost act like dungeons if you want to make the “Zelda” analogy complete.

These other locales are smaller than Koboh, but they also have areas that are inaccessible on first visits but become unlocked as Cal develops more skills and finds upgrades later in the campaign. Although these places are important, they pale in comparison to the wide open spaces of Koboh, which also has a small settlement called the Rambler’s Reach Outpost.

In the beginning, there isn’t much, but as players explore and advance the campaign, they’ll gather prospectors and other individuals to the town. The activity is centered on Pyloon’s Saloon, which happens to be owned by Greez. It’s essentially the hub that’s a manifestation of the players’ progress. It’s where they plant a garden using seeds they find on their adventures. It’s where they see fish that Skoova Skev catches when he runs across Cal. It’s also where Cal can turn in bounties to Caij. This is the place where players feel they’re changing the world as they adventure.

Cal meets new allies in “Star Wars Jedi: Survivor” such as Bode Akuna. (Electronic Arts)PLENTY TO LEARN
Aside from that, Cal will have new moves including a total of five stances that they can choose from though they can only use two at a time. They’ll be able to upgrade their powers and obtain perks that add more bonuses. Although Cal ended “Fallen Order” as a Jedi Knight, players will discover there’s still plenty more he has to learn.

Respawn also introduced helpers such as Merrin and Bode into the fray. Players can call upon them in a fight during certain scenarios for extra firepower or to gain an advantage. Despite being older, Cal has plenty of opportunities to grow in terms that make sense in combat. Players will be using force powers such as Confusion to turn one foe against another or pull turrets down with a Force slam.