Unveiling the Bold Move: Star Wars Jedi Ignites New Era Without Blasters!
Enhance the Star Wars Jedi series by embracing the essence of the Jedi, suggesting a refreshing approach for the next installment that moves away from blasters, ensuring a more immersive and focused experience
Warning: MAJOR SPOILERS for Star Wars Jedi: Survivor follow. Proceed at your own risk.
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor enhanced nearly every element from its previous installment, however, with the upcoming launch of Star Wars Outlaws, the subsequent game in Respawn's franchise may contemplate retracting one of its novel components. While the inclusion of additional lightsaber stances was well-received for individualizing the power fantasy and diversifying combat in Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, the exclusion of its blaster stance bears both narrative and gameplay justification for its absence in the forthcoming sequel.
Though a Singular Franchise, Star Wars Wears Many Faces
EA's 10-year exclusivity deal for developing Star Wars games came to an end with a memorable finale in Star Wars Jedi: Survivor. As studios like Ubisoft step in to continue the Star Wars legacy, they will be expected to meet the high standard set by Respawn's acclaimed sequel. With upcoming titles like Star Wars Outlaws, Star Wars Eclipse, and the remake of Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, we can hopefully look forward to a series of exceptional games that maintain Respawn's impressive precedent in the coming years.
The unveiling of Star Wars Outlaws at the Ubisoft Showcase not only surprised fans, but captivated them with its immersive gameplay experience. Massive Entertainment's newest creation not only wowed audiences with its adrenaline-pumping cinematic trailer, but also provided more than 10 minutes of in-depth gameplay footage. Diverging from the traditional lightsabers and robes, this installment showcased the grittier and more grounded aspects of the Star Wars universe, featuring bandolier vests and blaster pistols. Despite past disappointments with hyped-up promotional content, the preview of Star Wars Outlaws showcased immense potential and left gamers eagerly awaiting its release.
The contrast between the Star Wars Jedi games and Star Wars Outlaws can be partially summed up by the motif of its weaponry. A Jedi, even one in hiding following Order 66, prominently wields their lightsaber. Star Wars Jedi: Survivor excels in its lightsaber combat, offering multiple stances, branching upgradable talents, as well as impeccable visual and audio design, creating an immersive and joyous experience when playing as Cal Kestis. Although Star Wars Outlaws is yet to be released and its features are not definitively outlined, the gameplay showcase emphasized a shift towards stealth and shooting. While still retaining the unmistakable Star Wars essence, it offers a more humble experience compared to playing as a Jedi, requiring the protagonist to rely on wit and bravado rather than superhuman abilities and iconic weaponry.
The Next Star Wars Jedi Game Should Double Down on The Jedi
Respawn's next installment in the Star Wars Jedi series is expected to follow a similar approach to its predecessors, refining and enhancing the core systems of Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, much like it did with Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order. Combat improvement is a top priority, aiming to elevate the overall experience to new levels. While the easiest option would be to introduce more elements, such as additional stances, combos, finishers, or customizations, Respawn might want to reconsider the blaster stance feature introduced in Star Wars Jedi: Survivor. Instead, the focus should be on emphasizing the game's greatest strength in combat: lightsabers. Given that Star Wars Outlaws is set to establish a precedent for blaster-based combat, Respawn should concentrate on playing to their unique advantage.
The impending Star Wars Jedi game has a legitimate reason to eliminate the blaster stance, rooted in the lore. Surprisingly, the individual who passed on the fighting technique to Cal is revealed as the primary antagonist in the game. In an intriguing twist, Cal should symbolically abandon his knowledge of the fighting style by literally burying the blaster gifted by Bode. This decision not only allows for the exploration of more ingenious lightsaber stances, potentially drawing inspiration from the expanded universe, but also avoids the disappointment of having lackluster blaster-based combat compared to Star Wars Outlaw's. Consequently, both games should wholeheartedly focus on their respective strengths. Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is available now on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S.
