With 2019's Jedi Fallen Order, Respawn Entertainment set a bold new standard for AAA single-player Star Wars games with its compelling narrative, likable characters, and responsive combat.
Now, almost four years later, the studio is gearing up to release its highly anticipated sequel, Star Wars: Jedi Survivor on current-gen consoles and PC. Recent trailers and previews seem to suggest that it's a bigger and more ambitious game that sets to improve upon the original's shortcomings.
Fast forward to now, and Star Wars: Jedi Survivor reviews are finally here. But is it worth getting at launch? Read on to find out.
Star Wars: Jedi Survivor Review Roundup
As of this writing, Star Wars: Jedi Survivor has a Metacritic score of 87/100 on PS5, with most critics praising the game's emotional story, challenging combat, and larger and more diverse world.
Here's what some leading outlets thought about the game:
"But - and a big but, I can't emphasise this enough - Star Wars: Jedi Survivor remains fundamentally really fun. Cal's platforming skills expand even more, and Jedi: Survivor's set pieces have become even more elaborate. There's a whiff of Force Unleashed at times, with the angsty but wonderfully over the top sense of action and melodrama. It is always enjoyable to ping yourself around runnable walls and ziplines and now grapple hooks (I know) like a human pinball. It is much more desirable that Star Wars games have a little goofiness, from genuinely funny companions like Greeze to the sheer amount of Jedi Suspension of Disbelief you have to harness throughout, than it is that they become too self-serious or stoic. UItimately this is the almost impossible tradeoff Respawn has with Star Wars: Jedi Survivor. Its lack of focus is what holds it back - and also what makes it such a blast."
"It might not quite match the narrative prowess of BioWare’s Knights of the Old Republic, but Jedi: Survivor has so much else going for it. Whether you’re tracking down optional bounty hunters, solving the puzzles in those Jedi temples, or searching Koboh’s many obscure thoroughfares for character upgrades, the game’s tactile controls and precisely balanced challenge make it consistently rewarding. Meanwhile, its biggest moments rival anything games like God of War or Elden Ring can throw at you. Be assured, this is the Star Wars game you’re looking for."
"Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is Star Wars at its very best. A thrilling adventure with a stellar cast tied together with smart, expansive combat, and huge new worlds to explore. Performance issues aside, it's easily one of the best Star Wars games ever made and only makes us wants more tales from the adventures of Cal Kestis and BD-1."
"Survivor builds on Fallen Order in several meaningful ways, tightening up the combat mechanics, expanding the variety of lightsaber styles, alleviating the frustration of platforming and puzzles, and digging into less-mainstream Star Wars lore to tell a fantastic story about a Jedi trying to defeat a tyrannical evil at all costs and coming to the realization that you can't just fight for good--you have to fight for good in the right way. It's a superb Star Wars game that gets into the nitty-gritty of the struggle of what it takes for a Jedi Knight to begin the journey toward the rank of Master."
"Star Wars Jedi: Survivor takes what Fallen Order achieved and wall-runs with it, then double-jumps and air-dashes straight into an epic lightsaber battle. Rather than taking us back to square one to begin Cal’s journey as a Padawan again, we’re trusted with control of a full-fledged Jedi Knight who we can grow into a master of superhuman mobility and fantastic and challenging combat. With a new set of larger, more diverse, and densely packed worlds to explore and a memorable cast of returning characters, Survivor tells a story that may be predictable but is still fun and at times emotional to watch play out. Launch performance issues aside, it’s a sequel that does virtually everything better than the original – which was already an exceptional Star Wars game. If Respawn makes one more like this it’ll complete the best Star Wars trilogy in 30 years, hands down."