EA has finally unveiled the rumored sequel to 2019’s Jedi: Fallen Order, the more punchily-named Jedi Survivor (opens in new tab), coming sometime in 2023.
Developed by the same team at Respawn as Fallen Order, Jedi Survivor begins five years after the events of the first game, which ended with Cal fleeing from Darth Vader after sabotaging an Imperial plot. This timeskip will see a gruffer, more lantern-jawed Cal Jedi-ing it up at the height of the Empire’s power.
Jedi Survivor’s pre-rendered trailer (opens in new tab) shows Cal pondering someone floating in a bacta tank, interspersed with shots of lightsaber combat and a view of his ship, the Mantis, crashed on a desert world. A Pau’an (opens in new tab) narrator muses on the hopelessness of Cal’s situation while wondering just what his next move will be.
In PC Gamer’s review (opens in new tab) of Fallen Order, Tom Senior enjoyed the game’s swashbuckling Star Wars vibe and Soulslike combat, but was less impressed with its technical foibles on PC. Hopefully Respawn can iron those issues out while expanding on the combat and exploration that worked so well.
EA’s press release asserts that “millions of Star Wars fans have been captivated by the story of Cal Kestis,” and I’m a little suspicious of the claim. Cal’s kind of a chump (opens in new tab)? Just a white guy with a lightsaber. At least Shadows of the Empire’s Dash Rendar (opens in new tab) mixed in a little ’90s Rob Liefeld muscle guy weirdness with his knockoff Han Solo schtick, and even warm glass of water Jaden Korr (opens in new tab) from Jedi Academy could be customized so that a Rodian delivers the character’s sleepy dialogue. Respawn: please give this boring boy some edge.