Star Wars Jedi: Survivor bears many resemblances to Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order and not simply because the former is a sequel to the latter. There are clearly ways the sequel attempts to pay tribute to events in the original, for instance, and follow through on plot threads the original left dangling for Star Wars Jedi: Survivor to take up. The events that are most resoundingly iconic in either are presumably those featuring Darth Vader, whose sudden appearances in both games were surprising and climactic.
Fallen Order and Survivor do great work to blend cinematic sequences into gameplay. Some are more successful than others or are memorable for one reason as opposed to another, and although Survivor takes some huge swings in trying to outdo Fallen Order concerning cinematic sequences it arguably comes up short where it matters most. Try as they may, two feats on Survivor’s Jedha may match the cinematic quality of Fallen Order’s AT-AT sequence but ultimately fail to meet its standard of simultaneous interactivity.
Jedha Boasts Star Wars Jedi: Survivor’s Most Cinematic Sequences, Even if They’re Largely Uninvolved
The Jedha sequence where Cal Kestis and Merrin traverse around a gigantic drill via green Nightsister magic beats out the AT-AT sequence in terms of which is more astonishing and gripping from moment to moment. That said, it’s also purely a platforming section meant to behave like a cinematic tutorial for dashing through laser gates. It can be easy to get swept up in how immersive this scene is with so much going on and the player’s momentum being flung forward ceaselessly, not to mention Cal literally being swept up in Merrin’s green Nightsister portals.
However, aside from the legitimate platforming players perform amid all the commotion and an epic score, the green gliding portions are on-rails with player control only taking place before and after.
That’s not to say that this sequence is any less sensational or fun, though it isn’t as interactive as it may otherwise seem. Star Wars Jedi: Survivor’s final boss fight against Bode Akuna features a moment where Cal is thrown from the arena platform with Merrin catching him in another green portal that whisks him around the room.
Oddly enough, because this green gliding maneuver throws a wrench into the momentum of the boss fight it is noticeably slow and drags on longer than it is welcome, demonstrating that this hands-off mechanic may be contextual in how it is favored. Moreover, the Jedha sequence where Cal pursues Bode on a speeder is also more cinematic than the AT-AT sequence and has a superbly ominous track playing, but it is essentially a grandiose QTE section with exceptional dune vistas.
It’s a phenomenal moment in the sequel since one of its most dramatic twists has occurred seconds earlier and then players get to mount and ride a speeder across Jedha’s sands in a high-speed pursuit. Unfortunately, that’s about all it has going for it aside from a glorious landscape with Imperial vehicles marching toward Cere Junda’s archive base because all players do is steer the speeder side to side and mash a button when Cal eventually clashes with Bode and a random scout trooper.
Again, this is one of the sequel’s most memorable scenes and Star Wars Jedi: Survivor excels in gameplay on all accounts, especially in comparison to how gradually players unlock new abilities in Fallen Order. But, while gameplay is excellent elsewhere, it is highly noticeable when Survivor’s cinematics-led sequences lack much gameplay at all.
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order’s AT-AT Sequence Reigns Supreme Due to Its Gameplay Variety
Everything Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order’s AT-AT sequence brings to the table determines why it’s deserving of a crown regarding its design as it has light platforming, combat, and a laser-firing mini-game all while being incredibly cinematic. It may not be presented at a breakneck pace like Jedha’s two exhilarating sequences are and yet it marks a terrific opening on an occupied Kashyyyk by succinctly depicting the war-torn condition of the Wookiee homeworld and introduces resistance fighter and veteran Saw Gerrera to the Star Wars Jedi series with Forest Whitaker reprising the role.
Cal dives into an enormous body of water and swims hastily toward a moss-laden AT-AT on its way to land before clinging onto said moss and scaling the massive vehicle, which is enduring significant damage courtesy of the Rebels—or “insurgents” as Imps refer to them. Once atop it, Cal and BD-1 drop inside, cut down a group of troopers, ambush the vehicle’s pilots, and commandeer the vehicle.
Players then get to fire the AT-AT’s lasers at waves of Imperials conveniently standing near explosive red sap barrels in the distance from an over-the-shoulder POV through the windshield, as well as another AT-AT, an AT-ST, and a ship, all before touching down on Kashyyyk soil.
It’s here that Saw makes his first appearance by landing on the AT-AT, speaking to Cal from the other side of the windshield, and immersively integrating himself into the brief turret mini-game without withdrawing players from the action. A third Star Wars Jedi game could have the potential to dethrone Fallen Order’s AT-AT sequence with something cinematic of its own, but unlike Survivor it can’t forget to put interactivity at the forefront.
