Summary
TheStar Wars Jedifranchise has blossomed into quite a rare piece ofStar Warslore and media nowadays, not only in how it blends Soulslike tendencies with action-adventure gameplay but also in how it doesn’t ever feel the need to harp on IP iconography as much as its counterparts do. This is true of which characters appear throughoutStar Wars Jedi: Fallen OrderandStar Wars Jedi: Survivoralike, as well as in which planets are featured.
In terms of which planets have been explorable thus far, theStar Wars Jedifranchise really hasn’t indulged in that many incredibly iconic planets. Choosing instead to concentrate on brand-new planets such as Bracca, Bogano, and Koboh,Survivordid have a cinematic introduction onone ofStar Warsfans’ favorite plants, Coruscant. This planet lived up to the bustling, neon-soaked nightlife that it’s famous for, butSurvivorarguably didn’t give players many reasons to hang around there afterward and a third game could rectify that.
The Star Wars Jedi Franchise Should Spend More Time in Coruscant
Survivor’s Coruscant Wasn’t an Open World, But It Could Be
Survivor’s Coruscant didn’t play a huge role but instead made for an excellent tutorial set piece filled with emotional beats that lead up to the death of theNinth Sister. There are a few bits of optional content players can indulge in there, but the more substantial content is locked and mysterious until much later on inSurvivoronce certain abilities have been learned, contributing to its Metroidvania elements.
The map is also incredibly linear despite several shortcuts and trekking back through it is only advisable if players know they have something they can actually achieve once they’ve made their way back through its scattered rooftops. Not many planets are that satisfying to explore until more of the main story is progressed for this reason, but Coruscant being as claustrophobic and linear as it is truly makes for a more tedious experience when players want to head back and see one ofStar Wars’ most iconic planetsagain.
Still, it serves its purpose as an introductory set piece planet, and it’s up to a sequel to decide whether Coruscant is worth revisiting. It would be terrific to explore Coruscant’s streets, for instance, and brush past hundreds of NPCs of different races. There could be a cantina or two, bounty hunters to meet, and a bunch of vices to partake in if Respawn wanted to flesh it out more than it had inSurvivor, let alone simply expanding the planet for players to see more of it and find more collectibles.
Star Wars Jedi Could Easily Move on and Forget Coruscant Now
On the other hand,Survivor’s sequelcould wipe its hands clean of Coruscant and perhaps even invent a new, similarly bustling planet for Cal and his crew to explore. It wouldn’t make sense for Coruscant to be revisited for familiarity’s sake, and going back would have to mean that Respawn had opened it up further to allow for more exploration, hopefully somewhere on a scale close to Koboh.
Respawn deciding to make Koboh expansive was likely an experiment in how it could transition a third game into being a fully open world with travel between immense planets, but that would probably be a huge undertaking and could be detrimental toStar Wars Jedi’s popular Metroidvania design. Either way, there’s no shortage of planets Respawn hasn’t already featured that can be potential settings for its thirdJedigame, though Coruscant may have been undercut a little and deserves to have a reason for Cal to go back.
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.
