'Star Wars Jedi: Survivor' is 'Star Wars' storytelling at its best

'Survivor' is a love letter to the Jedi, those mystical yet superpowered beings who have often stood at opposite ends of the franchise's moral compass. — Electronic Arts

Star Wars in 2023 is sprawling, a franchise with numerous animated and live-action streaming series, books and theme park lands. I suspect that most fans who are interested in the brand pick and choose their spots, rather than try to keep up with it all. My favourite element of Star Wars these days is the one that's in a physical space — Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge at Disneyland Park. It's a place to wander, explore and play, and a reminder that the original films created not just a new American myth but a world we wanted to get lost in.

Perhaps, then, it makes sense that I've taken so highly to Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, the latest large-scale video game from Sherman Oaks-based studio Respawn Entertainment. It's also Star Wars at its most comfortable and old-fashioned, in the best way possible. Arriving at a time when series such as Andor and The Mandalorian are attempting to push Star Wars beyond its familiar slate of characters and stories, Survivor taps into a mix of action adventure, hokiness and light spirituality that can make even the largest and silliest of Star Wars tales feel somewhat personal.