And just like that, we're back in a galaxy far, far away in Star Wars Jedi: Survivor. As the player, you get to aid Cal Kestis's latest journey and watch it all unfold with hopes that he and his cohorts will eventually find a better future for themselves, despite the abysmal reign of the Empire that we know will inevitably continue.
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is a thrilling dive into the life of a Jedi Knight who acts a bit like a ronin — a warrior lost and without a tribe. With the Jedi Order long behind him, Cal continues his fight against the Empire the best way he knows how. It's a true epic, but that doesn't mean it can't be improved.
10 Fix Framerate Issues
This is an obvious critique, really. The game has been plagued with performance issues upon launch, and one of the most egregious issues is the constant dip in the framerate. With the performance mode activated, you should be enjoying a buttery smooth 60 frames per second. But that's not always the case.
There are a multitude of moments where the framerate will dip noticeably. This seems to be even more greatly affected when using photo mode. Fixing this issue across the board would do wonders for Jedi: Survivor.
9 More Fluid Animations
As a Jedi Knight, Cal is a slick fighter. His movements are both calculated and stylish. It's only what we've come to expect from anyone who considers themselves a Jedi. But there are some moments, particularly when Cal battles the hostile elements of the world where the animations aren't the greatest.
More times than not, it's the enemy animations that are a bit rigid. Killing enemies sometimes looks as if they were simply deactivated like a robot (or droid) just dropping to the ground. In the case of fighting actual droids, that makes sense. Not so much for Stormtroopers or other organic life forms.
8 Dynamic Open World
Jedi: Survivor toys with the idea of an open world. Koboh offers a sprawling community with a small town that is home to Greez's cantina. But there is also a wealth of other areas and outposts to explore with rogue elements such as the raiders and their remnant separatist droids.
Even though Koboh acts like an open world, it's still not up to par with the open worlds we see in other hit titles like Red Dead Redemption 2. Because enemy elements instantly reset upon using meditation spots, the open world feels like it's just being reset and following a script. There's no true dynamism at play. Adding a bit of that spontaneity might help the world feel a bit more alive.
7 Better Companion Combat Options
Throughout Jedi: Survivor, Cal has the pleasure of engaging in combat with some of his pals. He doesn't always have to go it alone. It is a neat addition to the series. However, there's not a lot of depth or interactivity available for this mechanic.
Most of what you get is two people fighting side by side, while you can command Cal's companion to target a specific enemy that can occasionally lead to cool team-up combos. But that's about it. There's plenty of room to really improve upon this idea and create an engrossing partnership experience.
6 Expand Force Abilities
Thankfully, Jedi: Survivor did expand Cal's access to the force from his last adventure in Fallen Order — at least within combat. That seems to be a product of his growth as a Jedi. It's absolutely cool to see that he can lift a massive beast in the air, or toss a group of stormtroopers.
So, maybe, let's take it a step further. Imagine a game where Cal had total control over his surroundings when it comes to the force. The game could offer more dynamic environmental interactions instead of pre-determined elements that can be affected by the force.
5 Let Us Play As Merrin
Look, Merrin is just plain cool. And she has some wicked abilities to boot. Sure, the game is under the 'Jedi' banner, and she isn't exactly a Jedi. But, perhaps, we can just have a glimpse at what it's like to be able to teleport at the snap of a finger or use her magic to recreate broken structures.
Her skillset would lend itself well to solving environmental traversal puzzles that the developers seemingly love placing in Cal's path. This is more of a wishlist addition than a true necessity for improvement, but one can only dream.
4 Make The Workbench Functional, Not Just Aesthetic
How many times have you encountered a workbench and then continued walking past it? You already set your lightsaber and BD-1 to look the way you want them. You're not going to change the look of your blade, blaster, or droid at every single bench you encounter. Furthermore, you can already change your stance at meditation points.
The workbench is largely useless when it comes to functionality. Why not have lightsaber upgrades be meaningful? Perhaps, some hilts can create a bolder blade that can boost defense or attack stats.
3 Offer More Dialogue Options And Choices
There are moments throughout Jedi: Survivor where Cal will be sharing a conversation with someone else and the game will randomly offer you a choice between two different responses. It's a fun idea but is ultimately very half-baked.
Like the workbench, there's really no purpose to having any choice in what Cal says. For starters, it doesn't affect the outcome. And second, these moments are so rare compared to the overall amount of dialogue, that it's a wonder Respawn even included it to begin with. So, if we're going to have dialogue options, let's have them be more frequent and impactful.
2 Depict More Of The Galaxy
Jedi: Survivor focuses on a few different locales. Koboh is a hot spot for sure. We also get to see Coruscant and Jedha among a few other places. Of course, these locations are crucial to the story Survivor is attempting to tell.
But what if the follow-up is a broader galaxy-spanning adventure that includes places like the Outer Rim or Han's home turf of Correllia? It'd be great to see more of the galaxy that fans are so familiar with from the films. And having a wealth of locales to visit would only further emphasize the grandeur of traveling around an actual galaxy.
1 Greater Connectivity To the Rebellion
Cal has a lot on his plate. As a Jedi, he's wanted by the Empire and will surely be put to death if ever captured. Still, his desire to fight the Empire at every turn and his alliance with folks like Saw Gerrera shows that he's very much ready to be a leader in a rebellion.
With shows like Andor, Obi-Wan, and even the films Solo and Rogue One, it's clear that the stirrings of rebellion are happening all over the galaxy. It's kind of amazing that these elements don't have greater connectivity. Let's have Cal actually meet Mon Mothma or someone of a similar caliber. Based on his character, Cal shouldn't just be kept at arm's length from film and TV-based Star Wars characters just because he's in a video game.