Summary
Soulslikes are incredibly engrossing for myriad reasons, and most times it depends entirely on the individual game to accentuate what makes it great apart from others since they can run so many parallels in their design and structure. That’s why Respawn’sStar Wars Jedifranchise is only technically a Soulslike and not fully steeped in that subgenre, though most of its gameplay is certainly oriented around Soulslike combat and design philosophies, and that’s as clear inStar Wars Jedi: Survivoras it was inStar Wars Jedi: Fallen Order.
The fact that theJedifranchise is primarily an action-adventure experience is appropriate when considering how the game is navigated, particularly in terms of its Metroidvania characteristics. That said, through-and-through the simplest way to boil it down will be to label it as a Soulslike series and call it a day. However, despite several huge changes to gameplay thatSurvivorimplemented,theJedifranchise stands tall as a Soulslike imitatorby not having players make one of the hardest choices Soulslikes normally ask of players at the start of their journey.
The Star Wars Jedi Franchise Rolls Melee and Magic into One Build
FromSoftware Soulslikes Commonly Boil Down to Melee or Magic Builds
BesidesBloodborneandSekiro: Shadows Die Twice,FromSoftware’s Soulslike gamesdo traditionally come down to either a melee or a magic build. There are tons of stats players can allocate their respective currencies into, but they will almost always be deciding between whether they want to dish out damage with the classic hit, kite, strafe, and roll combat system, or keep enemies at a distance so they can cast a wide catalog of magic at them.
BloodborneandSekiroare exempt because of how nuanced their approaches to gameplay are—trick weapons become multifaceted and an arcane build is much more comprehensive than simply casting ranged spells inBloodborne, for instance, while a katana and prosthetic arm tools are essentially all players rely on inSekiro. Some games have stronger melee builds than magic builds and vice versa, but likeSekiroone of the reasonswhyStar Wars Jediis greatis that it streamlines those builds into one rather than making players decide for themselves.
The Star Wars Jedi Series Lacks Build Variety, But is Dipping Its Toes in It
For better or for worse,Star Wars Jedi: Survivordid introduce something of a build system with individual skill trees for different lightsaber stances and Force proficiencies. It would be alarming if players needed to choose whether Cal would wield a lightsaber proficiently or wielded the Force proficiently, and marrying the two is logical for a Jedi character as well as crafting a build that makes sense forStar Wars Jedi’s action-adventure, story-driven Soulslikes.
This is certainly truer inFallen OrderthanSurvivorbecause of the skill trees offered in the latter, and the downside toSurvivor’s potential build combinationsis that a lot falls to the wayside once players have decided they prefer one lightsaber stance or Force attunement more than the rest.
Some Soulslike players may never dabble in a build that doesn’t immediately interest them, and while it can take quite an investment to craftan OP build in FromSoftware games, players fortunately have ample opportunities to respec their skill trees inSurvivorand try other builds whenever they’d like. Still, not having to choose and invest inStar Wars Jedi’s equivalent of melee or magic debacle is a massive boon.
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
WHERE TO PLAY
The story of Cal Kestis continues in Star Wars Jedi: Survivor™, a third person galaxy-spanning action-adventure game from Respawn Entertainment, developed in collaboration with Lucasfilm Games. This narratively-driven, single player title picks up five years after the events of Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order™ and follows Cal’s increasingly desperate fight as the galaxy descends further into darkness. Pushed to the edges of the galaxy by the Empire, Cal will find himself surrounded by threats new and familiar. As one of the last surviving Jedi Knights, Cal is driven to make a stand during the galaxy’s darkest times - but how far is he willing to go to protect himself, his crew, and the legacy of the Jedi Order?Explore an Untamed Galaxy – Discover new planets and familiar frontiers in the Star Wars galaxy, each with unique biomes, challenges, and enemies. Master new skills, equipment, and abilities that will augment the ways you explore, fight, and roam. With larger areas to explore and more to discover off the beaten path, players who adventure beyond the horizon will find hidden rewards.
