Unveiling the Limitations of Star Wars Jedi Games – Is There More Than Meets the Eye?

Respawn Entertainment's Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, one of the year's most anticipated releases, carries on the tradition of beloved video games set in the Star Wars universe. Drawing inspiration from the successful Fallen Order, this latest installment solidifies Respawn's titles as a standalone series. Although a third game is expected to conclude the trilogy, there are missed opportunities for the Star Wars Jedi franchise.

Fallen Order's narrative revolves around the Great Jedi Purge and the rise of the Galactic Empire, placing storytelling at the core of Cal Kestis' journey. Despite this emphasis, Star Wars Jedi has often been compared to "soulslike" games, similar to FromSoftware's notoriously challenging RPGs. Although it doesn't reach the same difficulty levels, the recent Jedi: Survivor has incorporated mechanics from these games, leaving some players craving even more.

Cal Kestis' Story Came First for Star Wars Jedi

Concluding its trilogy, Star Wars: Jedi has made a deliberate effort to develop Cal as the main character and share his journey of becoming a Jedi Knight amidst a turbulent period for force sensitives in the galaxy. Through emotional narratives of both loss and triumph, Cal's interactions with supporting characters like Cere and Bode have been made possible due to the series' choice to focus on the growth of a single protagonist.

With its gameplay design influenced by soul-inspired mechanics and a strong emphasis on storytelling, the Jedi series has drawn comparisons to FromSoft's unique Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. While it shares many strengths with Sekiro, the Jedi series takes its central character's development to a higher level. By centering the narrative on Cal across multiple games, Respawn's titles distinguish themselves with a commitment to clear storytelling that is unparalleled in the Soulslike genre. While it successfully combines enjoyable elements of the genre with accessibility and a focus on narrative, Star Wars: Jedi could have also benefited from exploring a different approach.

The True Potential of a Star Wars Soulslike

Cal Kestis' adventures could have been a groundbreaking experience if a more thorough exploration of soulslike elements were implemented. While the core gameplay elements may be familiar to fans of FromSoft games, the inclusion of custom character creation and an open-ended progression system would have elevated the experience. By allowing players to enter into a part of the Star Wars galaxy on their own terms, the game could have rivaled the prestige of RPGs like Knights of the Old Republic. This would have been a departure from the franchise's traditional storytelling, introducing a discovery-based approach to lore similar to titles like Elden Ring.

Regardless of whether the next game amplifies the soulslike aspects or not, it is highly likely that Cal's story will conclude in a manner fitting of the Star Wars universe with the Star Wars Jedi Threequel. Although the future of the entire Star Wars Jedi series remains uncertain, the financial success of the franchise raises doubt about its potential end. Cal will likely always be associated with the series since he has become its recognizable face, but there is always the possibility for him to pass the torch in a significant way in the future.

Star Wars Jedi Survivor is out now for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.