Star Wars Jedi: Survivor – Exclusive Hands-On Preview | IGN First #GeekLeap

As a fan of Star Wars, Soulslikes, and big-budget single-player motion video games, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order was a sport that spoke to me on a number of ranges. It efficiently merged the danger/reward parts of From Software program’s Souls collection with the ability fantasy that inherently comes with being a Jedi. That mentioned, it wasn’t an ideal mixture. Backtracking with none technique of quick journey was annoying, exploration was rewarded primarily with underwhelming cosmetics, and I couldn’t assist however want I may do extra with my powers than simply push, pull, and sluggish.

I say all of this as a result of my principal takeaway from roughly 5 hours with the upcoming sequel, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, is that it felt like I used to be systematically crossing off the problems I had with Fallen Order. Survivor feels grander with out ever letting the burgeoning scope compromise the exploration and sense of discovery that serves as its coronary heart.

My preview time was damaged up with me spending about 4 hours on the planet Koboh, a huge and extensive open planet that largely serves as Cal’s dwelling away from dwelling all through the course of Jedi Survivor’s story, after which about an hour on a moon planet to showcase some extra conventional fight and platforming encounters that followers have come to anticipate. Let’s begin off with Koboh, as a result of it represents the most important change in Jedi Survivor versus Fallen Order: An unlimited open world that sprawls out in each course, with attention-grabbing encounters and rewards all over the place you flip.

Koboh Let’s Go

We’ve already proven you 9 minutes of Koboh gameplay as a part of our IGN First protection, however what we haven’t actually gotten to level out is the truth that most of that footage covers solely the introduction to the planet, which is a reasonably conventional linear portion that guides you thru caves, valleys, and mountain trails, however then opens extensive up when you get to the Southern Attain – in a second that dropped at my thoughts the very first time you step out onto the Nice Plateau in Breath of the Wild.

My principal aim all through this complete part was to succeed in the Cantina to search out somebody to restore my crashed Mantis ship, and I may’ve simply booked it over there to get on with the story, but when I did I’d’ve missed out on a lot significant exploration. Off in a single course there was a hidden cave that housed an extremely powerful (and extremely cool) boss battle that I’d be remiss to spoil for you right here, off in one other course there was a Bedlam Raider camp with Stormtrooper armor on spikes and a nasty shock ready for me in a entice door that led underground, and if I took one other path I’d ultimately discover a Jedi Chamber that housed a huge puzzle room. Different paths nonetheless have been closed off to me till I discovered a selected improve.

All of those excursions felt appropriately rewarding.

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Even higher, all of those excursions felt appropriately rewarding. Most supplied me ability factors for my hassle – that are way more invaluable in Survivor on account of the truth that there are actually particular person ability timber for every lightsaber stance, your drive powers, and for flat well being and drive upgrades – and even the treasure chests that supply beauty objects have vastly improved rewards on account of the truth that you’ll find completely totally different outfits for Cal to put on (versus simply totally different designs of ponchos). Along with that, you may even discover new hairstyles to equip Cal with. My private favourite up to now was a bandana that made him look a little bit bit like Stable Snake from Steel Gear Stable.

Koboh is very large, however fortunately, I by no means felt misplaced because of some actually glorious map options, like computerized markers that spotlight passageways that result in unexplored areas, symbols that allow you to know what areas you may’t entry but together with your present talents, a path that marks the way in which you simply got here, and naturally, quick journey. Thank Yoda for quick journey. Even higher, Cal ultimately additionally positive factors the power to tame beasts so he can use them as mounts or as methods to traverse massive gaps. All of those additions, on high of simply stellar artwork design, all add as much as make the act of exploring Koboh a pleasure.

All of it provides as much as make the act of exploring Koboh a pleasure.

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One other factor that struck me as I used to be enjoying via was how good each the extent and enemy design was at establishing alternatives so that you can use your drive powers in enjoyable methods. Miniboss arenas are stuffed with objects that could possibly be drive pulled and thrown to deal massive harm, rolling mines are each a relentless risk and a relentless blessing when you may ship them again at pursuing foes, and there have been loads of alternatives to finish a battle earlier than it even started by drive pushing foes off a ledge. My favourite interplay is after I tried to drive pull a employees wielding enemy in direction of me. He would attempt to plant his employees into the bottom to cease himself, and when that failed, he’d let himself go and try and slash whereas he was pulled in direction of me. The primary time I attempted this, he bought me, however then I discovered that I may parry his desperation assault, which allowed me to nonetheless flip the tide in my favor.

Koboh can be not a one-stop store. It’s a planet that you just’re meant to return to many instances over the course of Cal’s journey. Other than the aforementioned locked passageways that Cal received’t have the ability to progress via till he will get a selected improve, the Cantina and the city it resides in, Rambler’s Ranch, doubles as a type of dwelling base for Cal. There are distributors to buy new customization choices, colourful NPCs to speak to, and everytime you come again, you could be sure there shall be one thing new to take a look at.

Fly Me to the Moon (Planet)

The second space I bought to play was on an unnamed moon planet that Cal and his companion Bode go to someday later within the sport. Compared to Koboh, this felt like a way more conventional fashion of degree that might’ve been proper at dwelling in Jedi: Fallen Order. That isn’t to take something away from it although, as a result of it was a ton of enjoyable – with a wholesome stability of each loss of life defying platforming challenges and difficult fight encounters.

The factor that the majority stood out about this degree was there was nearly a horror theme to it. Seems that the enemies have been anticipating Cal, and thus most of them have been mendacity in ambush. The start was very tense because it appeared like enemies have been hiding round each nook ready to get the leap on me. Respawn even performed to this expectation just a few instances and would have a innocent droid immediately come out via the fog, which I completely bit on and sliced the poor harmless bot in half.

Even in a degree that was way more linear, there nonetheless have been loads of goodies hidden off the crushed path, together with Jedi: Survivor’s tackle a DMC-like problem room. In it, I needed to face off towards wave after wave of what appeared like lots of upon lots of of B1 droids that might all go down in a single or two hits, however may very simply swarm and overwhelm me. It was an absolute blast – and surprisingly powerful as nicely – as soon as they began mixing in some droids that might self-destruct if I didn’t drive push them or in any other case get the heck out of the way in which in time.

I cherished this encounter as a result of it’s one thing that wouldn’t have made sense throughout the context of the particular degree, however in a sealed-off area the place something goes, it was the right type of fight take a look at. I hope there are a ton extra of those and I’d fortunately search each nook and cranny to search out them.

I may go on speaking concerning the Jedi Chamber puzzle rooms, the enjoyable new drive powers, the thrilling story beats that befell after I stepped foot into the Cantina, or a number of the superior boss battles that I needed to overcome, however it’s all stuff that’s most likely higher skilled for your self as soon as the sport comes out on April 28.