Star Wars Jedi: Survivor Preview – New Details Set The Stage

Star Wars: Jedi Survivor is the sequel to Star Wars: Fallen Order. However, Respawn Entertainment has remained largely silent about what we can expect. This changed when Respawn Entertainment released a gameplay trailer that revealed new gameplay features as well as a possible March release date. Stig Asmussen, the game director, was available to answer our questions about the title.

One of the most notable additions is the arrival of several new fighting stances for Cal Kestis as he goes into battle. “We have five fully realized stances in the game,” Asmussen shares. “A lot of it depends on the enemy that you’re coming across. It’s advantageous to use certain types of stances against certain types of enemies, and it’s up to the player to figure that out. It requires the player to break down the enemies and figure out what the best weapon of choice is.”

Kestis will be spinning and flipping his blades with high speed in the dual-blade stance. Another new position sees the Jedi simultaneously wielding both a lightsaber and blaster, giving him a unique range of moves. “It really speaks to where we find Cal in this part of the story,” Asmussen says. “It’s five years since the first game, and the dark times are still in full swing. He’s an unconventional Jedi, and he has to do unconventional things. This is something that was not considered acceptable during the peak of the Jedi Order. Cal’s finding he’s going to do whatever it takes.”

A new, heavy position is created by the use of the lightsaber crossguard-style. It was popularized by Kyloren. “It’s a more confident approach,” Asmussen says. “It’s weighty; it’s beefy. But you have to be very measured on how you use it because the timing windows are longer with the blade.”

Along with the return of popular characters like Cere Junda or BD-1, Respawn introduces new faces. One such mercenary is Bode Akuna. “He and Cal form a special bond,” Asmussen says. “It’s almost like they’re brothers. And they’re not exactly the same, but they really do complement each other.” Beyond story considerations, Bode plays a role as a buddy A.I. Character who assists in both combating and traversal.

Jedi Survivor has many new traversal mechanisms that allow for greater exploration flexibility. That includes using an ascension cable for climbing and crossing distant points and Kestis’ ability to tame and ride mounts. “It’s much of a wider Metroidvania approach,” Asmussen says. “Cal can cross huge gaps by chaining several types of skills together. But it’s also about how we approach these mounts and how they’re used to negotiate and dominate the world.”

It’s clear we’re just scratching the surface. There’s a new gang of enemies Cal must contend against. Cal also knows he is going to a Star Wars fictional planet. Asmussen said that it will serve as Asmussen’s central proving ground. It will also allow him to visit other worlds. Amazing visuals and action, with some impressive raytracing, are evident. The signs are pointing to a sequel, which is ready and willing to take on the role of Jedi Knight.

Star Wars Jedi Survivor will be available for purchase on March 17, 2017 via PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC.