To make issues extra manageable, you even have mounts to ferry you round. I’m an enormous fan of issues like this and whereas there isn’t a lot behind the mechanic — it’s form of like Cal’s simply borrowing random beasties for a bit fairly than having one other companion — there are some fairly spectacular colours, and whereas Cal may insist he’s in hiding, it’s nice enjoyable to ship him round on a large neon pink ostrich-type alien.
One space which Survivor improves on is by providing you with much more customisation choices with Cal, BD-1, and Cal’s lightsaber. Somewhat than simply set outfits, you’ll be able to combine and match separate items of Cal’s clothes in addition to colors. You possibly can change up his coiffure and facial hair too. It’s a little odd to die over and over making an attempt to succeed in a far-off level on a wierd planet solely to open a chest and discover a mullet, nevertheless it offers extra flexibility to creating your personal Cal. BD-1 and the lightsaber’s choices are nonetheless extra in depth, as you cannot solely combine up kinds, elements, and colours, but additionally how well-worn or brand-new every part appears.
The most effective bits about Survivor, although, is the addition of a hub space to return to with Pyloon’s Saloon. Fairly aside from giving Cal one thing of an anchor as a substitute of leaving him to wander round alone, this hub space step by step fills up with extra newcomers who offer you rumors to chase up, new outlets, background lore, and a little bit of life to what is usually a fairly remoted galaxy. It’s a good way to see a few of the affect of Cal’s actions, as folks he rescues begin popping up there and the locals begin warming as much as him. Within the grand custom of RPGs, they’ll reward you for saving their lives by pelting you with requests and favors, and it’s right here that you just’ll see examples of a few of the extra expanded dialogue to be discovered within the sequel. What’s extra, you’ll be able to see this base enhancing as you progress by way of the sport, with the belongings you do having an precise affect — whether or not it’s filling up the massive aquarium, or bringing again seeds to populate the rooftop backyard. It additionally introduces a really cool minigame — I don’t wish to spoil it when you’re new to the sport, nevertheless it makes BD-1’s willpower to scan enemies way more helpful.
In the event you have been pissed off with the way in which you needed to construct up key skills within the first sport, then it would swimsuit you that Survivor lets Cal hold his skills and construct upon them. He additionally has new lightsaber stances, and the entire thing works nicely with the concept that Cal is now a power to be reckoned with. He’s gruffer and grimmer than earlier than, however he’s additionally extra highly effective, and slightly extra unforgiving. It’s at all times enjoyable to drag enemies in direction of you solely to fling them over cliffs, sending them crusing to their doom at the same time as they’re insisting they’ll beat you simply, however Cal has some new methods of combating which opens issues up nonetheless additional.
Traversal is made a lot smoother too, which is an effective factor, as Survivor has simply as a lot — if no more — wall-running, ziplining, and climbing as earlier than, in addition to some fascinating gliding bits because of Cal’s new means of befriending alien beasties. It takes a number of frustration out of a sport which asks you to take action a lot precision motion when you’ll be able to really do the issues it’s asking you to.
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor feels prefer it actually does construct on what the primary sport promised. We all know Respawn is “engaged on a 3rd” sport, and whereas we await any information on that, you’ll be able to take a look at every part we find out about Star Wars Outlaws for extra on one other upcoming Star Wars sport!