Star Wars fans are having one hell of a year so far. Following the end of The Mandalorian last week we’re being invited into the galaxy far far away again this week with the release of Jedi: Survivor, the sequel to Respawn’s 2019 action-adventure game.
If you’re new to the Star Wars video game franchise or just need a recap before diving into Jedi: Survivor we’re here to help. This is the way, after all.
Things to know before playing Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
Who is Cal Kestis?
If you haven’t played Jedi: Fallen Order, you’re probably wondering who this young Jedi on the cover art is.
That’s Cal Kestis, a force-wielding human and a survivor of the Jedi purge. Cal was training under Jaro Tapal when Order 66 took place and carried the guilt of his master’s sacrifice for years afterwards, causing him to cut himself off from the Force entirely.
After living in hiding for five years, Cal eventually fell onto the radar of the Inquisitors, force-wielding Jedi hunters, who tracked him across the galaxy. After joining Cere Junda (another Jedi master in hiding), and her pilot friend Greez, they helped Cal reconnect to the force and escape the Empire’s forces.
If Cal looks familiar you might be recognising the face of Cameron Monaghan (Gotham, Shameless), who plays the character in both games.
How did Jedi: Fallen Order end?
Throughout Jedi: Fallen Order, Cal and his crew were in a race against the Empire to retrieve a Holocron that contained a map of all the force-sensitive children in the galaxy.
This leads them into conflict with the Inquisitors, in particular, Trilla, who was once Cere’s apprentice but had since turned to the dark side.
After Darth Vader (yes, Darth Vader) witnessed Cal defeat Trilla in battle, she met her demise and Cal had to make a quick exit before Vader overpowered him.
Having escaped on their ship with the Holocron, Cal and the crew discuss what to do with it. Eventually, they decide to destroy it in order to keep the children on the map safe from the Empire forever.
Is there a droid?
Yes, its name is BD-1 and it is the MVP.
BD-1 is your constant companion in the game and will assist with scouting out information, opening crates and being all-around adorable.
What is the gameplay like?
Jedi: Fallen Order has been described by many as Souls-like. It utilises a mixture of combat encounters, which require precision timing and button combinations, and puzzle platforming, which draw on elements like lightsabers and force powers to make it feel satisfyingly Star Wars.
Environments are split into different planets that are made up of small open-world hubs. Some areas are only accessible after you acquire certain force powers, meaning you can visit different planets at will.
If you die in an encounter, you are taken back to your last meditation point and all enemies respawn, even if you’ve killed them previously. This can make the game incredibly challenging, so it’s important to save often.
Where does Jedi: Survivor fit on the timeline?
Jedi: Survivor will take place five years after the end of Fallen Order. At this time, Cal and his crew have separated and he is still struggling to stay ahead of the Empire as Sith inquisitors chase him across the galaxy.
In terms of the greater Star Wars timeline, this is around 9 BBY, or in the time between Episode III: Revenge of the Sith and Episode IV: A New Hope. It’s roughly around the same time Obi-Wan Kenobi and Star Wars: Rebels takes place, so we can cross our fingers for some crossovers.
What’s new in Jedi: Survivor?
All reports point to Jedi: Survivor building on Fallen Order in some of the best ways.
New to combat will be five unique fighting stances, such as single, double-bladed and dual-wield lightsaber styles, that you can switch between during encounters. Naturally, there will also be new force powers to invest in.
There will be Jedi Chambers that offer difficult puzzle challenges that, once solved, provide Cal with extra discoveries and skills.
Trailers have also shown new traversal options, with Cal using Relters and Nekkos to get around the larger map areas.
How much hard drive space will you need?
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, unfortunately, requires a large chunk of hard drive space to play it.
Digital Trends reports that the PC version requires 155GB, PS5 needs 147GB, and on Xbox consoles, the file size is 134GB. Start clearing some space.
How long does it take to beat Jedi Survor?
After such a large file size, you’re probably expecting a significantly large game. Jedi: Survivor hasn’t been released to the public yet, but early reports on How Long To Beat have the game clocking in at 20 hours for the main story and around 30 hours if you do the main campaign and all side missions.
When does Jedi: Survivor release?
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor will be released on PC, Xbox Series X/S and PS5 on April 28.
If you’re keen to get your hands on a copy check out this bargain guide.
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