Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is just one of many Star Wars games in the works at Electronic Arts in partnership with Lucasfilm Games. Announced at Star Wars Celebration 2022, Jedi: Survivor continues Cal Kestis' journey across the galaxy on the run from the Inquisitorius.
Like its predecessor, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, Respawn is at the helm on this project, aiming to create another unforgettable singleplayer adventure. As we look ahead towards its release in 2023, we'll compile all of the new information we hear about it, from its gameplay to its story and everything in between. Here's what you need to know about Star Wars Jedi: Survivor.
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor — What is it?
Like Fallen Order, Jedi: Survivor will remain a single-player action-adventure game with a focus on lightsaber combat. Fall Order was sometimes described as a Metroidvania and Souls-like with its emphasis on difficult combat, rewarding exploration, and manual save points at fixed locations. Having seen the gameplay, we know what Star Wars Jedi: Survivor will look like, and it appears that it will double down on what players are familiar with.
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor — Story & characters
Last we left off, Fallen Order ended with Cal managing to retrieve a Holocron containing a list of Force-sensitive children. Realizing that the list only puts those children in danger, Cal destroyed the Holocron with the belief that they should be able to choose their own destinies.
Fast forward five years to the events of Jedi: Survivor, we don't know where Cal and the crew are or what they'll be doing. Odds are that the Inquisitorius and Darth Vader are still searching for them. Though its predecessor took us to new and returning locations like Dathomir, Kashyyyk, and Zeffo, a list of planets in Survivor hasn't been revealed yet.
Jedi: Survivor's reveal trailer features a voiceover of a Pau'an Imperial Senator asking, "Why lead when they won't follow? Why fight when you can't win. What is your next move, Jedi?" It's at this point that Cal is seen fighting a mysterious Sith and dropping his lightsaber before the scene cuts back to the Senator opening up a box containing his lightsaber.
Near the end of the trailer, Cal and BD-1 are also seen looking into a bacta tank with an unknown person inside. Whoever this person is, they'll most likely play an important role in the story.
So far only Cal and his buddy droid BD-1 have been confirmed to return in Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, but the crew (Cere, Merrin, and Greez) of the Mantis may very well follow. In an interview with StarWars.com, game director Stig Asmussen spoke about plans for the sequel, and he mentioned, "where we’re going to go with the story, how Cal and the crew are going to evolve and grow," are some aspects that he wants the team to explore.
Speaking of Cal and friends, Asmussen also says that BD-1 is still "connected" to Cal, and calls the two of them a "special duo."
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor — Gameplay
Gameplay in Jedi: Survivor should be similar to its predecessor, focusing on lightsaber combat and Force abilities. Jedi: Fall Order emphasized timing and parries in combat, with different attacks to inflict higher damage and break an enemy's guard. Players also had to balance their stamina and Force power meters so as not to deplete them too quickly or at an inopportune moment, lest they leave themselves open for a strike.
Jedi: Survivor will likely have open levels that encourage exploration as well. One of the best parts about Fallen Order was unlocking a new ability so that Cal would revisit an older location and discover a previously inaccessible area which may have contained a new lightsaber cosmetic or poncho.
The developers are building on the formula with new environments, enemies, abilities, and more. Cal can use a grappling hook to further explore his surroundings, while also using tamed creatures to reach new areas.
Like any good Metroidvania, Fallen Order had its fair share of puzzle solving as well that Jedi: Survivor is expected to bring back. Though most of the planets had their own puzzle-platforming sections throughout, there were specific Tombs where these mechanics shined the most.
And if Jedi: Survivor is anything like Fallen Order, players should expect some brutally difficult bosses along the way.
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor — Where does it fit in canon?
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor takes place five years after Jedi: Fallen Order, which itself began five years after Order 66 in Revenge of the Sith. This puts it in the same timeframe that the Obi-Wan Kenobi series takes place.
Being made under Disney, it's fully canonized within the Star Wars timeline, meaning elements of it could be referenced in upcoming movies or television and vice versa. People have theorized that Cal Kestis, played by actor Cameron Monaghan, could show up in the Kenobi series on Disney+, but this is purely fan speculation at this point.
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor — Release date & platforms
After initially being announced for a 2023 release window, we now know that Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is due out on March 17, 2023 for Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PS5, and PC.
Asmussen noted that the power of current-gen consoles allows the team to work with ray tracing and real-time lighting effects. The experience should also be streamlined with a drastic reduction in loading times. Interestingly, Asmussen also mentioned the PS5 DualSense's haptic feedback that the team is working to fully utilize.
Whatever the case, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is sure to look and play wonderfully when it launches.
