Star Wars Jedi: Survivor

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor continues Cal Kestis's story from Fallen Order, taking the player five years later, when the hardened Jedi hides from the Empire and tries to find refuge in the form of the legendary hidden city of Tanalorr, about which little is known and whose existence most of the galaxy considers a mere legend. The game expands the lightsaber combat system with new fighting stances — from a heavy two-handed style through dual blades to a fast crossguard style and a standalone blaster — freely switchable on the fly depending on the situation and the type of enemy on screen, giving battles considerable tactical depth.

A more open level design offers more paths to explore and return to older locations with newly gained abilities, in the spirit of the metroidvania design that strongly characterized the first installment of the series as well, rewarding patient players with rare equipment and cosmetic items. On PlayStation 5 the game offers noticeably larger and more detailed environments, denser vegetation, and larger crowds of characters in cities, which, however, took a technical toll on the console in the form of frame rate fluctuations at launch, later partially addressed by patches. The film score again builds on the long-standing tradition of the Star Wars saga and heightens the most epic moments of the story as well as the battles against iconic villains.

Critics praised the deepened combat system, the more elaborate world, and an emotionally stronger story compared to the first installment, even though technical issues at launch noticeably detracted from an otherwise excellent overall impression. Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is today considered one of the best modern Star Wars titles and proof that the brand can work even outside the linear action-adventure format of the previous console generation, thanks to a compelling protagonist and an elaborate world.

Why play it: For fans of Star Wars and action-adventures alike, offering a deepened combat system and a stronger story than the first installment, despite the technical issues that plagued the series at launch.