Unleashing the Force: Epic Environments in Star Wars Jedi Sequel

While Star Wars Jedi: Survivor may have shifted its focus from exploring a large number of planets to a greater attention to detail and scale in the ones present, Respawn has still managed to deliver on its promise to improve on the first title in almost every aspect. The game has been a resounding success, surpassing the first game in sales and receiving early praise as a potential game of the year. Respawn has fine-tuned the combat, exploration, and map interconnectivity to make them even better than before. Additionally, the writing team has created a powerful narrative that builds on the bonds between the characters from the previous entry. However, the choice of whether to continue down this path or return to the more varied planets of the original will be a crucial decision for Respawn to make in the sequel.

Fewer Planets Means More Exploration in Star Wars Jedi: Survivor

Respawn addressed a key critique of Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order in its follow-up title, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, by expanding the scope and linearity of its planets. The game features more lavish and immersive playable spaces, brimming with puzzles, side-quests, collectibles, and breathtaking sights to behold. Respawn's revamped planets, particularly the impressive Koboh, showcase the developer's level design prowess with an abundance of unlockable shortcuts and intuitive layouts that prevent the exploration from devolving into backtracking, which was a notable issue in the first game. The larger and more populated spaces create an elevated sense of discovery, which is a major factor in why Star Wars Jedi: Survivor feels like a significant improvement over its predecessor.

While Star Wars Jedi: Survivor technically has one less destination than Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, with six compared to seven, the Shattered Moon and Nova Garon are similar in size to the first game's planets. The inclusion of Koboh as a home planet in Star Wars Jedi: Survivor adds a sense of progression to the storyline's world-building. The reception to the larger planets, such as Koboh and Jedah, has been mostly positive, as fans are given the opportunity to become more familiar with the locale before moving on to the next one. However, there are also some downsides to the change.

The Next Star Wars Jedi Game Should Focus on More Eclectic Environments

Each planet in Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is expertly crafted by Respawn, but they are somewhat limited by the respective biomes of each location. This can lead to a sense of repetitiveness that becomes more pronounced as the game progresses, particularly on planets like Jedah and Koboh. However, as the story unfolds and new areas are unlocked, the game's sense of freshness is restored. Despite these minor quibbles, Respawn's work on the game is impressive, and the continued development of Cal Kestus' story promises even more exciting adventures to come.

A potential solution for the next Star Wars Jedi game could be a balance between one-off zones tailored to story beats and set pieces, and the more open-world planets with less linear progression. The evolving design of Koboh and Rambler's Reach Outpost is a great concept that Respawn Entertainment could build upon. However, to truly capture the scope of Cal's journey, there should also be more frequent travel to far-off worlds, providing a contrast to the feeling of being at home. If executed well, this could make for an elegant and immersive gameplay experience. Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is currently available on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.