Star Wars Jedi: Survivor might seem challenging at first to those who either did not play the first game or who haven’t experienced this type of melee-oriented combat before. Moreover, the game does not give a lot of extra tips for those who are just starting out, which can add to the difficulty in the beginning.
It has been five years since the first Star Wars Jedi game and Cal Kestis finds himself in trouble after a run-in with the Empire. Setting out to reunite with his friends, he comes across a lot of challenges, enemies, and puzzles to solve along the way. For those who have not played a Souls-like game before, some of the mechanics might seem odd or even frustrating, so here are ten tips to help beginners starting out.
10 Meditation Points Are A Player’s Best Friend
Meditation Points are the equivalent of a bonfire in a Souls game. They checkpoint Cal’s progress, upgrade his skills, restore his health if players decide to do so, and can act as fast travel points in Star Wars Jedi: Survivor.
If players rest, they also respawn enemies, so be aware that enemies will return after resting.
It is important to activate these points even if players do not choose to rest, as these spots are where players respawn after dying. Many times the game places one near a boss fight, so keep in mind that if the meditation point is not activated, if a boss, or any enemy, kills Cal, he will respawn at the last meditation point he activated.
9 Take Advantage of Switching Stances
Each stance, or how Cal uses his lightsaber, is unique and has pros and cons. The stats for each stance available in Star Wars Jedi: Survivor are viewable from the menu when equipping which ones Cal is going to use. Some bosses and areas are more resistant to some stances, so if the player is struggling with a boss fight, try a different stance to see if that works better.
For instance, really fast bosses might struggle against the high defense of the Crossguard stance, but a mob fight might be best dealt with using the Double-blade. Players will have their favorite stance by the end of the game, but stay flexible as what seems like an impossible challenge might be more doable with a different layout.
8 Skill Points and Respecs
Similarly, the player can reset all of Cal’s skills at any point in the game using the Meditation Point. Since Cal unlocks different abilities later on, players may feel frustrated if they spent all their points in one skill tree, before finding out that they really like a stance or technique introduced midway or near the end of the game.
Cal can respec at any time by finding a meditation point and choosing the option to do so. This can also allow him to cater his moveset toward a specific boss if needed. However, after the first respec, each subsequent respec will cost 1 Skill Point.
Skill Points will be earned simply by playing the game and defeating bosses, but for extra points, complete the Force Tear Challenges in Star Wars Jedi: Survivor.
7 Perks Bring Positive Changes
Perks are a new mechanic in Star Wars Jedi: Survivor that was not in its predecessor. Perks can allow players to change the way they play the game, or make Cal a bit hardier or hit harder. What the game does not necessarily tell the player is that perks must be equipped, even if it is the first one Cal has received in the menu.
While Cal may have open slots for a new perk, players will have to specifically add it to an open slot if they want to take advantage of it. Moreover, not all slots are equal and players will have to decide if they want one or two bigger benefits or a few smaller ones.
6 Explore Away
Going off-road in Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is the best thing a player can do most of the time. Taking detours and exploring the surroundings means players can get extra skill points as well as level up their max health and force meter without spending anything but time.
It is also a way to gain extra stim canisters, which keep Cal alive, as well as find rumors, new people to add to the base, and sellable items that can buy better perks or outfits for those who want to customize Cal to their heart’s content. This can give player’s a huge advantage in difficult boss fights and other scrapes they get into along the way.
While exploring, if Relter gliding is giving Cal trouble, or if at a particularly difficult platforming section, players can turn off fall damage to avoid a full death if they want to avoid it.
5 A Good Defense Is The Best Offense
While the game does inform players that parrying can be helpful, it is actually a crucial part of managing combat encounters. Being able to block and parry with good timing will make frustrating boss fights much easier. Players will need to pay attention and block when possible, while also dodging moves that are impervious to parries.
Cal can die very quickly if his defense fails, so being patient and wearing down an enemy’s stamina meter is the best way to survive most encounters. If an enemy is not attacking Cal, he can make a few swings of his own, but stay alert and be ready to block. Most enemies have a recognizable rhythm and pattern to them that players can take advantage of to block perfectly before retaliating.
4 Sprinting Is Fine
After Cal has died facing a tough enemy that is in the way of the main path, it can be frustrating if that path is also blocked by many smaller enemies that keep respawning when trying to heal. This might mean the smaller enemies have chipped away all his health before facing the tough enemy again. While the game does not say this, it is possible to run past most enemies in these situations.
Cal is often fast enough to sprint past most enemies with a few well-timed dodges. This is particularly true for melee enemies but can be true for ranged enemies as well if Cal puts a wall between them. This can make sprinting to a tough enemy easier and allow Cal to face it with more health than before. Don’t be afraid to try it.
3 Shortcuts Are Necessary
Sprinting can get Cal past some enemies, but players will find themselves frustrated if they did not activate a shortcut after five to ten minutes of traversal before dying or when returning to search for collectibles, such as Priorite Shards, in Star Wars Jedi: Survivor. Shortcuts will make a player’s time in the game much more enjoyable.
Most of the time, these consist of a zipline for BD-1 to activate or a previously locked door for Cal to open. This will make a very big difference for players as they traverse the game, and can save them from a lot of frustration. Keep an eye out for these life-saving unlocks as Cal journeys through the galaxy.
2 Take the Long Route Once
Fast travel is a new mechanic in Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, and players can fast travel from meditation point to meditation point on a planet. This can make it tempting for players to skip the travel and simply fast travel back to the Mantis after finishing a story beat, instead of taking the long route back. However, that is not going to be beneficial in the long run.
Cal can unlock mechanics and things such as mounts on the way back from main story missions, as well as open up new areas. Being able to activate more meditation points will be very useful when returning to a planet or space, and the time saved in the moment might mean more time spent later.
1 Talk to the NPCs
It can be tempting to completely skip minor dialogue to continue with the story, but for those that do they will be missing some important hints and the charm of the Star Wars galaxy. There are some that are important for the game itself, but there are others that hint at what is happening in the greater Star Wars Universe and some that fill out the world nicely.
Moreover, if Cal talks to them and the prompt reappears, it is a new dialogue. The prompt will disappear completely once the dialogue has been exhausted with that NPC for the time being, unless it is a merchant. And these conversations can meaningfully flesh out the various characters that Cal encounters, making the player’s experience in Star Wars Jedi: Survivor that much more delightful.
