A sequel to Star Wars: Fallen Order, Star Wars: Jedi Survivor, was announced a while ago, but developer Respawn Entertainment has remained largely silent on what will happen. That changed earlier this month when a new game trailer lifts the veil on some new gameplay features, not to mention an impending release date in March. We’ve reached out to game director Stig Asmussen to learn more details about the much-anticipated title this.
One of the most notable additions is the appearance of some new fighting poses for Cal Kestis as he goes to war. “We have five fully implemented poses in the game,” Asmussen says. “A lot depends on the enemies you encounter. It is very advantageous to use certain types of stance against certain types of enemies, and the player has to figure that out. It requires the player to destroy the enemy and figure out what the best weapon of choice is.”
New poses include a dedicated dual blade option, which shows Kestis flipping and rotating his two separate blades at high speed. A separate new stance sees the Jedi wield a sword and lightsaber simultaneously, adding a new ranged dynamic to his moves. “It really speaks to where we find Cal in this part of the story,” Asmussen said. “It’s been five years since the first game, and the dark ages are still looming. He’s a unique Jedi, and he has to do unusual things. So something would be frowned upon during the height of the Jedi Order? Cal sees that he will do whatever it takes.”
Players also gain a new heavy stance when taking advantage of Kylo Ren’s familiar, crossguard-style lightsaber. “It’s a more confident approach,” Asmussen said. “It has weight; it’s chubby. But you have to be very careful about how to use it because the blade life is longer.
In addition to the return of well-received characters like BD-1 and Cere Junda, Respawn also introduces new faces, including a mercenary named Bode Akuna. “He and Cal formed a special bond,” Asmussen said. “It’s almost like they’re brothers. And they’re not exactly the same, but they really complement each other.” In addition to story considerations, Bode serves as a buddy AI character who aids in both combat and movement.
Jedi Survivor includes some new movement mechanics, allowing for much more flexible exploration. That includes using the ascension cable to climb and traverse distant points as well as Kestis’ ability to tame and ride mounts. “It’s a broader Metroidvania approach,” says Asmussen. “Cal can bridge great distances by combining a variety of skills. But it’s also about how we approach these mounts and how they are used to negotiate and rule the world.”
Obviously we’re just scratching the surface. There’s a new set of enemies that Cal must fight. We also know Cal is visiting a new planet in the Star Wars novels, which Asmussen says will be a central testing ground and place of discovery, alongside visits to many other worlds. The action and visuals (with some particularly impressive ray tracing features) look phenomenal. All signs point to the sequel being ready to move from Padawan to the true Jedi Knight.
Star Wars: Jedi Survivor launches on March 17 for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.
