Star Wars Jedi: Survivor returns you to a galaxy far, far away, once again in the shoes of Jedi Padawan-turned-Knight Cal Kestis. It's been years since the events of Jedi: Fallen Order - Cal has grown into a capable rebel on his own merits but questions whether his resistance ultimately means anything. There is no victory - there is only the fight.
While Fallen Order offered a strong foundation for Jedi: Survivor to build on, whether it's worth the price of admission is another question entirely. If you've been standing on the sidelines, wondering whether it's your time to join the Rebellion, we're here to give an overview of the game's price, time commitment, and our thoughts.
Review
The galaxy has changed since you last saw it, for better or for worse. The price of rebellion is steep and uncompromising, scarring everyone inside and out. Cal isn't who he was five years ago - his hope flickers in the shadow of the Empire that threatens to snuff it out. It's here, on the cusp of despair, that we reunite with him.
In Stacey Henley's piece, "Star Wars Jedi: Survivor Review: This Is The Only Kind Of Way," she discusses the highs and lows of her experience with Jedi: Survivor, paying much attention to its superb story that is occasionally bogged down by its interactive ambitions.
For a story so sharp, it's a shame the game gets in its own way so often.
Where the game shines, according to Henley, is in its storytelling, its characters, and its incredible performances - with Cody Fern's performance as new character, Dagan Gera, being a standout. In a world full of Disney+ originals that often feel aimless or trying too hard to connect dots between every era and character of Star Wars, Jedi: Survivor feels intimate and scaled down. Henley praises the low stakes of Cal's journey, how deeply personal it feels. He's not Luke Skywalker, he's not a rebel leader - he's just someone who wants to make things better.
Despite the game's storytelling strength, Henley found its commitment to being a video game as an inhibition to her enjoyment. Traversal and puzzle-solving make up the bulk of Henley's frustrations with Jedi: Survivor. It's an extremely open game, but it expects you to progress in specific ways - you can't really mix and match your abilities and find alternate pathways. Cal is a competent Jedi (and parkour guy) who can run along walls - just not those walls. He can move anything with a flick of his hand - just not those things. Everything is open to you - just don't you dare try to double-jump to that ledge when you're meant to wall-run along a pre-selected path. It's a little stifling.
Still, Henley praises the combat system as satisfying, with some boss battles blending the dramatic flourishes of cutscenes with the graceful (or not so graceful, depending on your stance) swing of a lightsaber. It feels good in your hands and looks incredible on your screen, with the only drawback being the slowness with which your heal and how punishing death can be.
There are also performance issues to contend with - Henley's game crashed twice on the PS5, and she noticed stuttering and framerate issues even in Performance mode. Considering the fast pace of gameplay, especially in combat, this can feel like a death sentence. Whether some of these performance issues will remain permanently, or be patched out, remains to be seen.
Concluding her review, Henley emphasizes that if you're a Star Wars fan - especially one who feels the tug of nostalgia when you hear the echoes of John Williams' score - you will find much to like about the new-and-improved Cal Kestis in his latest adventure. Otherwise, you'll still find a solid, fun experience - just be prepared to deal with some minor frustrations.
Time Expenditure
In Stacey Henley's piece "Star Wars Jedi: Survivor Is Too Big, Too Small, Just Right," she states she completed the main campaign in around 35 hours, though she notes that, had she not explored as much, she likely could have finished it in 25. The narrative journey that Jedi: Survivor takes you on is a reasonably linear one that you can expect to complete in under 40 hours if you're taking exploration and side-quest detours.
However, if you're going for 100 percent completion, the ceiling is much higher. If you're dead-set on exploring every nook and finding every cosmetic, power-up, or hairstyle, the game will probably push closer to over 50 hours. Once you've completed the game, there is a New Game+ mode to explore, that will carry over all your skill tree investments, your inventory, give you new perks to equip, and offer a few new cosmetic options - such as new lightsaber colours, including red. So if you want to make Cal cosplay as a Sith, here's your chance.
Cost
The standard edition of Star Wars Jedi: Survivor retails for the typical AAA price tag of $70 on Playstation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and Windows. If you're interested in a few more cosmetic items, the Deluxe Edition comes in at $90 and offers distinct outfits for Cal, additional paint jobs for Cal's droid buddy, BD-1, and a few more customization options for your blaster and lightsaber.
The deluxe cosmetics are also available separately from the main game for $20 if you've already purchased the standard edition but want a few more style options to satisfy your inner galactic fashionista.
What People Are Saying
Now THIS Is Star Wars - Sam Hallahan
I'm not saying Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is the best game out there, because it's not. However, it's easily the best of Star Wars right now - compared to the other games, movies, shows, you name it - and offers up a fantastic gaming experience that seems to be so lacking elsewhere. It doesn't try too hard to do anything special, and because of that, it feels special. Cal Kestis, BD-1, and everyone else on the Mantis come together to build a story that is so refreshing in both its simplicity, and in its standalone stature. The characters are excellent, the action set pieces are intense, and the galaxy far, far away feels more alive than it ever has before.
We Need More Cal Kestis And BD-1 In Star Wars - Avery Feyrer
More than energy swords and sarcastic robots, Star Wars is about fighting for what you believe in, protecting those you care about, and rebelling against corruption. In Jedi: Survivor, Cal Kestis embodies everything “good” in Star Wars and his character growth in Fallen Order is recognized right away. It’s a breath of fresh air to not have a character magically (and conveniently) forget all their growth from the previous game, which makes Cal an even stronger protagonist. Most importantly, Survivor’s plot captivates you right away and adds more compelling details to Star Wars lore and offers more proof as to why we need more adventures with Cal and BD-1.
Ain't Nothing Wrong With A Second Round Of Star Wars Sekiro - James Kennedy
Look, you've heard about the bugs, and you know Star Wars Jedi: Survivor has performance issues. All of that is absolutely true. However, while Survivor may have a lot of the same issues with polish as Fallen Order, it has made some key improvements as well. For starters, traversing the world is substantially better here. And the side-quests? They are a wonderful addition. But more than anything, Survivor—like Fallen Order before it—plays like a less elegant version of Sekiro, and that is more than enough to make it worth playing.