00:00Early on playing Star Wars Jedi Survivor, I made aware of how different a game this is.
00:13I came across a sleeping bile maw, and thanks to Cal's new force confusion ability,
00:18I'm able to influence the beast for a short time, and turn it on nearby enemies.
00:23Rising from its slumber, the creature spews out an unpleasant brown gunk
00:27all over the unfortunate fellows nearby.
00:30The sludge spouting animal makes quick work of the stormtroopers for me,
00:33but it's not long before the effects will wear off, and I'm its next target, so I better leave.
00:39Every movement from Cal feels more fluid, he has clearly grown from the padawan he once was,
00:45and his connection to the force is stronger than ever.
00:47While the combat itself is very familiar, new force abilities, additional stances,
00:52a wealth of cosmetic customisation options, and the introduction of new means of traversal,
00:57mean this is a very different game.
00:59It feels bigger in every sense, and just as I use the bile maw to take out my foes instead of attacking them head on,
01:05the new powers have been brought in to encourage different approaches in combat.
01:09We wanted to introduce new powers that could make you approach encounters in different ways,
01:13so that's kind of our high level goal as designers.
01:16You know, push and pull, you could do different things to certain enemies that make you play a certain way,
01:22or an encounter may end faster, stuff like that.
01:25So, more agency for the player to approach encounters in different ways.
01:29I think it was kind of always the goal, and we see what power works and what doesn't,
01:34and we work with Lucasfilm and make sure it feels authentic where it can, says design director Jason DeHarris.
01:40My time with Star Wars Jedi Survivor begins an hour into the adventure on the planet of Kobo,
01:45after the Mantis crashes.
01:47From the off, this planet feels much bigger than anything I've explored before in Fallen Order,
01:51promising so much to discover and explore.
01:53Survivor still retains the Metroidvania style setup of old,
01:57with blocked paths that you must navigate or puzzle your way through, but it's vastly more open.
02:03Kobo is also teeming with life, and not just of the hostile variety.
02:07So many local residents dotted around the locations will speak of notable areas or occurrences that will trigger side missions.
02:14I set out to find ship parts, but it's the mention of one familiar name that sends my excitement soaring.
02:20Grease.
02:21The lovable forearm pilot now owns a cantina on Kobo,
02:24and nothing motivates me more than the prospect of a reunion.
02:27So, as keen as I am to see Grease again, there are happy distractions along the way,
02:32and you're always rewarded for doing so, be that by the way of new unlockable cosmetics, force echoes or force tears.
02:39Just like Fallen Order, it's always hard to tear yourself away from the exploration,
02:43but it's even harder in this game since the planet has so much more to offer.
02:47Not only that, but the expanded means of traversal brings freshness to exploration.
02:52Now that Kal has restored his abilities, he's more agile, and can make use of new ways to reach areas.
02:58The ascension cable grappling hook, for instance, is a welcome addition that zips across walls,
03:03and latches onto vines to be climbed.
03:05Kal can also now wall jump between tight spaces to access higher platforms,
03:10and I occasionally found myself climbing across ceilings.
03:13The ability to tame creatures is also a great addition,
03:16with the neko for travelling across distances on land,
03:19and the flying belter that lets me glide through the air.
03:22To aid this sense of fluidity, you can now fast travel from meditation points.
03:26FINALLY!
03:28As de Harris explains, making Kal feel better in terms of combat and traversal
03:32was something the team were eager to bring to the experience of Survivor,
03:35along with additional lightsaber stances, of which there are five in total.
03:39The twin stance was something we always wanted to do in the first game,
03:42but we had to cut it for time.
03:44So obviously that was one of the first things we worked on to flesh it out.
03:47And then from there, we kind of had our three stances.
03:50And then we kind of say, okay, where do we want to go with the other two?
03:53And that's kind of what was the driving force behind that.
03:56So for game design and gameplay, make Kal feel better in traversal and combat.
04:00While the improvements and new features in combat and traversal definitely excite me,
04:04the characters and the bonds they share continue to be the biggest draw for me.
04:08Once I finally find my way to Grease's Cantina in the town of Ramblers Reach,
04:12the saloon is full of its regulars who can all be interacted with,
04:15which just makes everything come to life with so much character.
04:18Of course, it's not complete until Grease finally enters the picture.
04:22And just as it's a reunion for Kal, it really feels like I'm seeing an old friend again.
04:27The relationship between the pair and the conversations they share continue to be highlights,
04:31just as they were in Fallen Order.
04:33What's most interesting though is that my presence in Ramblers Reach actually has an effect on the town,
04:38with new shops and activities opening up as a result.
04:41As I discover, Survivor will see you encounter different outposts that you can influence by recruiting residents around the locations to come and assist your journey.
04:49I don't get to see too much of this new feature, but I love the idea of having a direct effect on the places I visit as Kal.
04:56And with the chance to open up new elements in the outpost, there's added incentive to do more.
05:00When my session came to an end, I didn't want to stop playing Star Wars Jedi Survivor, which I think says it all.
05:06There is so much to do and see, so many new things to discover, and yet, with so many features returning,
05:12I felt right at home in this follow up to Fallen Order.
05:15The wealth of new features, quality of life improvements, new narrative stakes make everything feel bigger and better,
05:21as an experience that builds on just about everything that came before.
05:25It's clear Respawn is striving to make this a Star Wars adventure anybody can enjoy.
05:30So what are you most looking forward to now that you've seen a bit more of Star Wars Jedi Survivor?
05:35Let us know in the comments below.
05:37Whoa!
05:38Take a look at that view!
05:41Is that a giant crater?
05:43Wow!
05:44I got it so easy.
05:46Guard the cliff, crush the locals, look at the scenery!
05:50Nobody's getting past me, not without a blaster hole in him.
05:54I wonder if I'll get promoted for doing such a good job.
05:57Then I'll get the other droids to guard the cliff.
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