Kicking off the year with a bit of a whimper,Forspokenis already a shoo-in for “most disappointing games” lists at the end of the year. Though the premise was solid andForspoken’s parkour-magic hybrid gameplayhad some compelling mechanics,Forspokenjust didn’t land the way many wanted it to, and a lot of that comes down to the game’s execution, and in particular, its overabundance of “witty” dialogue. And while this trend of overly chatty player characters and NPCs is a growing one in the current gaming industry,Star Wars Jedi: Survivorhas luckily managed to avoid it completely.
TheStar Warsfranchise, at least for the most part, isn’t exactly known for its high-quality dialogue. The firstStar Warsmovie is infamously plagued with corny and nonsensical dialogue, so much so that its core cast of actors still talk about its absurdity today, and the rest of theGeorge Lucas-ledStar Warseradoesn’t do much better. That being said,Star Warsalso has more than its fair share of iconic dialogue lines, and though some of which are still a bit peculiar, they all play a massive part in makingStar Warsthe beloved franchise it is today. Thankfully,Star Wars Jedi: Survivormanages to capture that charm at every turn, with some lines of dialogue being genuinely quite funny.
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Star Wars Jedi: Survivor Has The Perfect Amount of Comedic Dialogue
One of the most infamousissues withForspokenwas its talkative protagonist, Frey, and their living arm brace, Cuff. From the moment the game starts, players are subjected to near-constant dialogue from either of the two main characters. While talkative lead protagonists are nothing new in gaming, withUncharted’s Nathan Drake being the perfect example,Forspokentook things a step too far, barely letting the player have a second to immerse themselves in the world around them. To make things worse, a lot of this dialogue is failed attempts at humor, with many jokes centering around ironic and self-aware humor, more at home in a 2-hourDeadpoolmovie than a 30-hour AAA action-adventure game.
Thankfully, it seems as thoughStar Wars Jedi: Survivorhas learned the best lesson fromForspoken, ensuring that any dialogue that’s spoken is a worthwhile addition to either the gameplay or the narrative. But that doesn’t mean thatStar Wars Jedi: Survivorisn’t afraid to make fun of a lighthearted situation. In perfectStar Warsstyle,Jedi: Survivor’s characters will occasionally make a tongue-in-cheek reference to something they’ve just done, or the situation they’ve found themselves in, and while it’s not usually a full-on joke, it’s the perfect amount of humor to balanceStar Wars Jedi: Survivor’s complex tone.
The best example ofStar Wars Jedi: Survivor’s perfect use of comedy can be found in the game’s many Battle Droids. AfterStar Wars Jedi: Survivor’s thrilling opening mission, players will find themselves on Koboh, a planet infested with raiders, who’ve commissioned the help of some long-dormant Battle Droids. Throughout the player’s time on Koboh, they’ll encounter countless Battle Droid patrols, and more often than not, this encounter will contain some kind of comedic dialogue, whether it’s a B1 Battle Droid mocking a B2 Super Battle Droid for its stoicism, or a Battle Droid exclaiming how lucky they are to be alive right before Cal Kestis cuts them in half.
While this tongue-in-cheek humor might not fit other franchises, or evenotherStar Warsvideo games, it perfectly suitsStar Wars Jedi: Survivor, and it does a lot to remind players that they’re living out their ownStar Warsadventure. With so much ofStar Wars Jedi: Survivorexploring darker themes, these little comedic interactions go a long way in balancing the game’s overall tone.
Star Wars Jedi: Survivoris available now on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S
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