Summary
Star Wars Jedi: Survivordrew from many different sources from across the legendary franchise, including the extremely controversialLast Jedi. The second installment in Respawn’s series ofStar Warsaction titles launched last April and continued the story of Cal Kestis as he traveled across the galaxy on a new mission to uncover a lost Jedi sanctuary. Along the way,Star Wars Jedi: Survivorplayers unlock new lightsaber stances and Force abilities, battle bounty hunters and Imperial stormtroopers alike, and explore several classicStar Warslocations.
As is the case with mostStar Warsgames, the developers behindJedi: Survivorlooked to the franchise’s long and storied history for inspiration. For example, Cal can unlock new alternate costumes based onStar Warscharacters like Kyle Katarnfrom the belovedJedi Knightseries, and he even finds a cross-guard lightsaber like the one Kylo Ren famously wielded in the Sequel Trilogy to use for heavier attacks in one ofJedi: Survivor’s new lightsaber styles. The game is chock full of other references to theStar Warsmovies, including a nod to one of the series’ most divisive entries.
While speaking at the recent GDC 2024,Star Wars Jedi: Survivorart director Daanish Syed revealed that the game’s character customization screen wasdirectly inspired by a moment fromStar Wars Episode 8: The Last Jedi. As reported byTheGamer, Syed described how his team looked at the scene in the film where Rey enters a mysterious cave on Ahch-To and encounters mirror versions of herself as part of a vision. Players canselect new outfits and hairstyles forJedi: Survivor’sCalby toggling through mirrored reflections of the former Jedi Padawan, which Syed says represents Cal looking within himself as he decides how he wants to look.
Jedi: Survivor’s Character Customization Calls Back To The Last Jedi
Daanish Syed went on to state thatStar Wars: Jedi Survivor’s pause menus are meant to be visual representations of the Force as it guides Cal’s thoughts and actions. For example, the skill trees that players use tounlock new Force abilitiesare shown as ancient tablets. This is all meant to call back toStar Wars’ classic theme of looking within to find the truth about oneself, something that classic protagonists like Luke Skywalker and Rey have done throughout their own journeys.
This rang true inThe Last Jedi, which saw Rey struggle with her growing Force potential and uncertain role in the conflict between the heroic Resistance and oppressive First Order. The themes and events of the film continue to divideStar Warsfans to this day, butThe Last Jedidid play a major role in howStar Wars Jedi: Survivorhandles character customization. In the game, Cal Kestis looks into himself amid the nexus of the Force, just like Rey did during her fateful trip inside the cave on Ahch-To.
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
WHERE TO PLAY
The story of Cal Kestis continues in Star Wars Jedi: Survivor™, a third person galaxy-spanning action-adventure game from Respawn Entertainment, developed in collaboration with Lucasfilm Games. This narratively-driven, single player title picks up five years after the events of Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order™ and follows Cal’s increasingly desperate fight as the galaxy descends further into darkness. Pushed to the edges of the galaxy by the Empire, Cal will find himself surrounded by threats new and familiar. As one of the last surviving Jedi Knights, Cal is driven to make a stand during the galaxy’s darkest times - but how far is he willing to go to protect himself, his crew, and the legacy of the Jedi Order?Explore an Untamed Galaxy – Discover new planets and familiar frontiers in the Star Wars galaxy, each with unique biomes, challenges, and enemies. Master new skills, equipment, and abilities that will augment the ways you explore, fight, and roam. With larger areas to explore and more to discover off the beaten path, players who adventure beyond the horizon will find hidden rewards.
