Star Wars Jedi: Survivor | |
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Developer(s) | Respawn Entertainment |
Publisher(s) | Electronic Arts |
Director(s) | Stig Asmussen |
Producer(s) | Paul Hatfield |
Designer(s) |
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Programmer(s) | Jon Carr |
Artist(s) |
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Writer(s) |
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Composer(s) | |
Engine | Unreal Engine 4 |
Platform(s) | |
Release | PS5, Windows, Xbox Series X/S April 28, 2023 PS4, Xbox One September 17, 2024 |
Genre(s) | Action-adventure |
Mode(s) | Single-player |
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is a 2023 action-adventure game developed by Respawn Entertainment and published by Electronic Arts. The game is the sequel to Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order (2019), taking place five years after the events of the previous game and continuing the adventure of young Jedi Knight Cal Kestis (Cameron Monaghan), as he and his friends continue in their struggle to survive the tyranny of the Galactic Empire while racing against a corrupted High Republic Jedi to reach a shrouded planet that can serve as a safe haven for those oppressed by the Empire. As with its predecessor, Survivor's structure was inspired by Metroidvania games, with gameplay split between combating hostile enemies using Cal's lightsaber and Force powers, platforming, and puzzle-solving.
Development of the game began in late 2019 and lasted for three and a half years, with Stig Asmussen once again serving as the game's director. It was the last game released by EA during its 10-year exclusivity contract with Lucasfilm to produce Star Wars games. With the sequel, the goal for the team was to significantly expand its scope and scale, refining mechanics established in Fallen Order while introducing new gameplay features such as AI-controlled companions. The team collaborated closely with Lucasfilm while writing the game's narrative, which had a significantly darker tone when compared with Fallen Order. In Survivor, Cal grapples with the futility of the rebellion and the dominance of the Empire while facing several antagonists that serve as a foil to him.
Announced in May 2022, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor was released for PlayStation 5, Windows, and Xbox Series X/S on April 28, 2023. Versions for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One were released on September 17, 2024. The game was met with positive reviews from critics, who praised the characters, combat, level design, and music, with most deeming it a significant improvement over its predecessor. The PC version of the game, however, was criticized for its technical issues. It was a commercial success for the publisher, and it was nominated for multiple year-end awards, including Best Action/Adventure Game at The Game Awards 2023. A sequel, which also serves as a conclusion to Cal's story, is currently in development.
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is a third-person action-adventure video game. The game's playable character, Jedi Knight Cal Kestis, is equipped with a lightsaber to fight against enemies. Both Cal and his enemies have a health meter and a block meter. He can use his lightsaber to strike against enemies or block incoming melee attacks or projectiles. By observing the attack patterns of enemies, Cal can parry hostile attacks just before they land. Parrying an enemy will significantly deplete their block meter, opening up an opportunity to strike and deal large damage. [1] Some enemies will glow red when they attempt to launch an unblockable attack. These attacks cannot be parried, and players must dodge them. [2] The game features five different lightsaber stances (double-bladed, dual-wield, single, blaster, and crossguard), each of which is useful against various enemy types and encounters, though players can only equip any two of them in the game. [3] For instance, the double-bladed stance is suitable for fighting a large group of enemies, while the crossguard stance, despite being slow, is able to inflict powerful damage. [4] The game offers five distinct difficulty modes for players to choose from. [5]
Cal also has access to several Force abilities, allowing him to pull and push enemies and projectiles and briefly slow down time using the Force. As players progress, they will unlock more telekinetic abilities such as lifting and slamming enemies onto the ground and confusing enemies into attacking their own. Using Force abilities will deplete Cal's Force meters, though it will gradually replenish. [6] Throughout the game, Cal is accompanied by a droid named BD-1. In combat, the droid heals Cal using Stim Canisters [7] and helps hack into hostile droids. [8] Occasionally, they will be joined with a companion character who will assist them in both combat and traversal. [9] As players progress and eliminate enemies, they will gain experience points (XP), which can be used to upgrade Cal's skills. [10] The skill tree is divided into three categories, focusing on Cal's combat stance, Force powers, and survival skills. Each combat stance has its own distinct skill trees and special abilities. [11] Players can also equip Cal with perks, which provide passive combat bonuses. [12]
While some of the planets in Jedi: Survivor are linear levels, some locations are large, sprawling spaces for players to explore freely. [13] Meditation circles are scattered throughout the game, in which players can restore their health, though doing so will cause all enemies to respawn. Meditation circles also served as fast travel points and a venue for players to change their combat stance and upgrade their skills. [14] Cal will also respawn in the nearest mediation point after he is killed in combat. Attacking the same enemy who defeats Cal after respawning will allow players to retrieve all lost XP. [9] The game also introduces ridable mounts, allowing players to travel through locations quickly. [15] Cal is an agile character who can perform moves such as wall-running, air-dashing, and double-jumping using his Force powers. [9] Early on in the game, Cal will unlock the Ascension cable, which serves as a grappling hook for him to reach distant ledges. [15] Players need to chain these highly acrobatic moves together in order to reach great distances and complete platforming challenges to progress. [16] The game adopts a structure similar to a Metroidvania game. Both Cal and BD-1 will unlock new upgrades and tools for traversal and reaching previously inaccessible areas. [9] Players can also unlock various shortcuts, allowing repeated visits to the same location to be more efficient. [17]
Players will encounter other non-playable characters who will give Cal side quests (known as rumors in the game). [18] Some of them can be recruited to join Cal at Pyloon's Saloon, unlocking more side content such as eliminating bounty hunters pursuing Cal, planting alien seeds, and playing Holotactics, an in-game tabletop game. [19] BD-1 will also help open hidden treasure chests that unlock additional cosmetic items for both Cal, his lightsaber, and BD-1. They will also find various collectibles, which can be sold to vendors in exchange for upgrades, perks, or customization items. [20] [21] Cal will collect Force Essence, which increases either his maximum health or Force or grants additional skill points or perks. [22] Scattered throughout Koboh are seven High Republic-era Jedi Chambers for players to discover. Jedi Meditation Chambers feature puzzles and challenges for players to complete and provide rewards such as perks or skill points. [23] Players can also complete Force Tears, which are optional challenge rooms that reward players with an additional skill point when completed. [24]
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor takes place five years after the events of Fallen Order . The game follows Jedi Knight Cal Kestis (Cameron Monaghan) as he fights the Empire while searching for a place to hide from them. Cal's allies include Jedi Master Cere Junda (Debra Wilson); former pilot of the Stinger Mantis Greez Dritus (Daniel Roebuck); BD-1 (Ben Burtt), a small droid; Merrin (Tina Ivlev), one of the last surviving members of the Nightsister clan of Dathomir; and Bode Akuna (Noshir Dalal), a mercenary fighting for the safety of his daughter Kata (Tajinae Turner). Other characters include Jedi Master Eno Cordova (Tony Amendola), BD-1's former owner, now helping Cere recover the Jedi Archive; and ZN-A4 (Kendal Rae), a droid from the High Republic Era formerly owned by Jedi Master Santari Khri (Tracy Ifeachor).
Cal fights many enemies during his journey, such as the Pau'an Senator Daho Sejan (T. J. Ramini); Imperial Commander Lank Denvik (Gideon Emery); the Ninth Sister (Misty Lee), who is trained by the Sith Lord Darth Vader (Scott Lawrence) as part of the Imperial Inquisitorius program; former High Republic Jedi Dagan Gera (Cody Fern), who seeks to reach Tanalorr; and his right-hand man, the Gen'Dai Rayvis (D. C. Douglas), the leader of the Bedlam Raiders. Temuera Morrison voices Boba Fett, having portrayed the character several times previously. [25]
Five years after destroying the Jedi Holocron, [a] Jedi Knight Cal Kestis has parted ways with Cere Junda, Greez Dritus, and Merrin to continue his battle against the Empire as a resistance fighter working under Saw Gerrera. Cal and his team infiltrate the Imperial capital world of Coruscant and steal valuable military data from Senator Daho Sejan. Cal is disheartened to learn from the data that despite all his efforts, the Empire has only become more powerful, expanding its reach farther through the galaxy. The Ninth Sister arrives to confront and exact revenge on Cal, slaughtering Sejan and most of Cal's team, but is killed by Cal soon after. Cal and his comrade and mercenary Bode Akuna escape Coruscant, but the Stinger Mantis is damaged in the process. Cal reunites with Greez to repair the Mantis. While searching the required parts for the repairs, Cal stumbles on ZN-A4, or "Zee", a droid that served the Jedi Order during the High Republic era. Zee gives Cal a tuner device to which she was ordered to activate the Forest Array hundreds of year ago before becoming incapacitated. Cal travels to the Array and gains a vision of High Republic Jedi Dagan Gera and Santari Khri, who discovered the mythical planet of Tanalorr hidden behind the supposedly impassable Koboh Abyss nebula. Cal encounters a trapped one-armed Dagan; in the hopes of recruiting a former Jedi, Cal frees him, but it ends in combat as Dagan has fallen to the dark side of the Force. Dagan escapes with Rayvis and the Bedlam Raiders.
Realizing the value of a planet inaccessible to the Empire, Cal, Bode, and Greez repair the Mantis and head for the planet Jedha, where Cere has been working with Merrin and Eno Cordova to rebuild the Jedi Archives with the help of a resistance organization called the Hidden Path. Cordova explains that Dagan was the first and only pilot to find a path through the Koboh Abyss, Santari developed special compasses to navigate it, and the Republic then established a settlement and Jedi Temple on Tanalorr. However, the Republic withdrew from the planet and destroyed the compasses when it was assaulted by a group of raiders known as the Nihil. Angry at the Jedi Order for abandoning the planet, Dagan murdered several Jedi while attempting to retrieve one of the compasses, resulting in Santari severing his arm and trapping him in the bacta tank. Cal, Merrin, Bode, and Greez decide to search for three remaining compasses; Bode wishes to find a refuge for his young daughter Kata, while Merrin believes that the Hidden Path could use Tanalorr as their new home. During their journey, Cal and Merrin confess their feelings for each other and decide to pursue a relationship.
After unsuccessfully retrieving two salvageable compasses, Cal kills Rayvis and Dagan, and recovers a compass which Cordova may repair. The Empire launches an attack on Jedha, during which Bode murders Cordova and steals the compass. Cal confronts him, and Bode reveals himself as both an Imperial spy and a fallen Jedi. Meanwhile, Cere prevents the Empire from reaching the archives but is killed while holding off Darth Vader. Furious over Bode's betrayal, Cal infiltrates the Imperial Security Bureau (ISB) to locate him. Bode reveals that he made a deal with ISB's commander Lank Denvik to work as a spy in exchange for keeping him and Kata hidden from Vader, but flees with the compass and Kata. Cal briefly embraces the dark side to escape the garrison, nearly killing Denvik, but Merrin talks him down. After recovering a recording left behind by Santari, Cal learns that the arrays on Koboh can be used to open an alternate path through the Koboh Abyss.
The group arrives at Tanalorr, and attempts to convince Bode to back down, but it ends in a battle which nearly kills Merrin. Cal, seeing that his former friend is beyond redemption, fatally shoots Bode. Afterward, the group holds a Jedi funeral to mourn Cere, Cordova, and Bode. With the planet now under their control, Cal, Merrin, and Greez decide to adopt Kata and plan to make contact with the Hidden Path to relocate them to Tanalorr.
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor was developed by Respawn Entertainment, led by Stig Asmussen. Development of the game began in late 2019 and lasted for three and a half years. The game's production was significantly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, with Asmussen adding that a significant portion of the game was created with the team working remotely. [26] Survivor is the final Star Wars game published by Electronic Arts as per its 10-year exclusivity contract with Lucasfilm, which was set to expire later in the year. [27]
Respawn described Survivor as "an expansion of Fallen Order in every possible way," with the team aiming to address players' feedback and make the general experience more polished. Fast travel and a more refined holomap were identified as some of the most requested features from players. [28] The team also reintroduced mechanics that were scrapped in Fallen Order. For instance, the dual-wield stance was planned for the first game, but it was only relegated to a special attack as the team did not have enough time to fully flesh out its gameplay. [29] Respawn made an intentional decision to unlock all of Cal's skills in Fallen Order at the beginning of Survivor, because Cal was no longer a weak apprentice like he was in the first game. To prevent Cal from being too overpowered, the team introduced various enemy types that can counter some of his Force powers. [30] Early in the game's development, the team decided that droids would become a more prominent enemy type, as they gave the team more freedom to create distinct weapons and attack patterns. [31] To maintain an overall sense of progression, Respawn decided that new skills and upgrades were tied to the game's story and were not found as hidden collectibles. [32] The team did not want to fundamentally change the combat system from the first game, [33] but combat was designed to be more fluid than Fallen Order, with the team comparing it to dancing. [34] AI-controlled companions were introduced in Survivor. These companions will respond to players' actions with their own skills, though this was not taught to players in order to create "emergent" moments that were choreographed like movies. [35]
As with Fallen Order, Survivor adopted a structure that is similar to a Metroidvania game. The studio had aimed to introduce more optional areas for players to discover. To encourage exploration, the team introduced numerous customization options and gameplay upgrades scattered throughout the game's world. Lead level designer Martin Badowsky said that Respawn wanted Koboh to feature a dense central area with more open outskirts areas as players explore outwards. In addition, the Mantis landing pads have been moved to more central locations on planets to provide easier access to the various regions. Planets were designed to encourage repeated visits, as players can utilize their newly-acquired skills to access previously out-of-reach areas. [36] The geography of Koboh, which had a lot of vertical landscape and flat surfaces, was inspired by terraced rice fields and canyon overhangs. The team attempted to maintain an "Old West" aesthetic, and settlements in the game were inspired by farm buildings and modular homes. The team wanted Jedha to feel "ancient" and "almost mythical" as it was considered to be a spiritual planet for Force users, and the team was inspired by Mediterranean and Egyptian antiquity while creating it. Tanalorr was described by Respawn as a "heaven-like, otherworldly" environment; blue and purple were chosen as the planet's major color hue to create a "very mild and quiet" ambiance. [37] Environmental puzzles in the game, such as those found in Mediation Chambers on Koboh, were inspired by the shrines found in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild . [38]
The team worked closely with Lucasfilm to ensure that events in the game will not clash with other projects or affect the wider developments in the galaxy, prompting the team to position Cal as an important player in a conflict not seen previously in films or other projects. [34] As opposed to his scrappy image from the previous game, Cal was more comparable to a typical Star Wars hero, being more experienced and confident. [39] However, according to Monaghan, Cal's worldview has changed after years of fighting the Empire, becoming more weary of the world and people and losing his determination. Monaghan portrayed Cal as a young hero bearing a "weight beyond his years", [40] and added that the character lost "a lot of his naivete over the years." [41] According to Respawn, Cal is tired of fighting a losing war, but he does not want to give up because too many people have sacrificed for their fight. [42] The game explored the role of a Jedi during increasingly difficult times. The use of a blaster, a weapon Jedi typically frowned upon, also symbolized Cal's straying away from being a Jedi Knight. [43] Cal tapped into the Dark Side several times in the game, with the narrative team aiming to leave the character in an "uneasy state" at the end of the game. [44] Cinematic cutscenes were designed to be more "gritty", "visceral", and "grounded" to fit the game's darker tone. [42] Composer Gordy Haab added that the game's original score also had a darker tone to reflect the "omnipresence" of the Empire. [45] Despite this, the narrative team attempted to maintain a sense of adventure, sprinkled with moments of levity and humor. [46] [39]
A number of supporting characters from Fallen Order returned in Survivor. Cere Junda, now allied with the religious Anchorites to preserve the Jedi Archives, sports a shaved head to reflect the character's simpler and more spiritual life. [37] Merrin, meanwhile, was more confident than she was in Fallen Order, and her romantic relationship with Cal became a central theme for the game. [44] BD-1 was described as the "emotional cornerstone" for Cal's story. Gideon Emery, who portrayed the droid on set, followed the same motion capture process as other actors. He provided the sounds for the droid while wearing a nose flute, while following Monaghan around holding a cardboard replica of BD-1. [47] According to Joanna Robb, the game's narrative technical designer, Bode was "tricky to handle at all levels", as they had to lead players into believing he was an ally for a significant portion of the game while seeding in elements making his eventual betrayal more devastating. The team implemented mechanics to ensure that he was genuinely helpful in combat and wrote banter dialogues for the two characters to establish their developing bond. According to Robb, some of the techniques used by Bode against enemies were used against Cal in subsequent boss battles. [44] The team described the relationship between the two characters as "tragic", as the two had similar upbringings and had developed a genuine friendship with each other. [48] Bode was created by narrative designer Aaron Contreras, who was inspired by the character Bodhi from Point Break . [49]
Rayvis was a member of the fictional species Gen’dai, whose body is made up of regenerative tentacles. The team described Rayvis as a character with a strong sense of honor and a "chivalrous knight in his world." [50] Rayvis led a group of mercenaries named the Bedlam Raiders, which were described by the team as "resourceful" and "ruthless"; their settlements were inspired by the nomadic tribes in the Tibetan Plateau. [37] Dagan Gera, a High Republic Jedi who had fallen to the Dark Side, was considered to be an "interesting foil" for Cal and "a reflection of the dark path Cal could go down". While Dagan is obsessed with reaching the planet Tanalorr, the team ensured that he is not a "static" villain, as he gradually developed other grievances, blaming Cal for failing to stop the Empire from taking over. According to concept artist Theo Stylianides, Dagan's pale appearance and light-colored eyes helped evoke "an aura of mystery". [37] His relationship with Santari Khri was also designed to mirror Cal's relationship with Merrin. As the High Republic era showed the Jedi Order at its height, Cal wandering through its ruins created an uncomfortable situation for him. [51]
The development of a sequel to Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order was announced in January 2022. [52] The game's title of Star Wars Jedi: Survivor was announced for Windows, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X and Series S in May 2022 alongside the debut of a CGI teaser trailer at Star Wars Celebration. [53] EA showed expanded gameplay for the game at The Game Awards on December 8, 2022, while also announcing that it would be released on March 17, 2023. [54] On January 31, 2023, EA announced that the game's release would be delayed to April 28, 2023, for the Respawn development team to carry out final bug fixes. [55] There are three cosmetic sets available with a pre-order of the game. The first, available with a pre-order of both the standard and deluxe editions, is a "Hermit" cosmetic set replicating Obi-Wan Kenobi's outfit from the Obi-Wan Kenobi series and Kenobi's lightsaber from Episode I and Episode II. The two exclusive "Scoundrel" and "Rebel Hero" cosmetic sets available with the deluxe edition replicate Han Solo's DL-44 blaster and scoundrel outfit and Luke Skywalker's yellow jacket outfit from A New Hope . [56] Versions for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One were released on September 17, 2024. [57]
Star Wars Jedi: Battle Scars is a tie-in novel written by Sam Maggs, released on March 7, 2023, which bridges the five-year story gap between Fallen Order and Survivor. [58] Cal was also introduced as a special playable character in the mobile game Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes on iOS and Android, unlocked by completing a series of stages that recapped the events of Fallen Order with several characters from that game the player was required to collect and upgrade. [59] EA and Disney also partnered with Hasbro and The Lego Group to release figurines and Lego sets of Cal Kestis, respectively, [60] [61] and collaborated with Dark Horse Comics to release an art book based on the game. [62] Disney also released a replica of Cal's lightsaber in August 2023. [63] A free PC copy of Star Wars Jedi: Survivor was included with a purchase of an AMD Ryzen 7000 processor in a promotional bundle deal that ran from January 2023 until April 1, 2023. [64]
Aggregator | Score |
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Metacritic | PC: 78/100 [65] PS5: 85/100 [66] XSXS: 86/100 [67] |
OpenCritic | 88% [68] |
Publication | Score |
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Game Informer | 9.25/10 [69] |
GameSpot | 8/10 [70] |
GamesRadar+ | [71] |
IGN | 9/10 [72] |
PC Gamer (US) | 80/100 [73] |
PCGamesN | 8/10 [74] |
The Guardian | [75] |
VG247 | [76] |
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor received "generally favorable" reviews from critics, according to review aggregator website Metacritic. [65] [66] [67] 88% of the critics recommended the game on OpenCritic. [68] Many critics felt that Survivor was a significant step up when compared with its predecessor. [69] [71] [70] [77]
Rick Lane from The Guardian called the game "visually spectacular, mechanically sophisticated and riotously entertaining", adding that it had everything a player will want from a Star Wars game and a blockbuster production. [75] Matt Miller from Game Informer praised the game's combat for being "challenging" and the boss battles for being climactic and memorable, adding that players need to carefully observe enemy movement in order to succeed in combat. [69] Dan Stapleton from IGN wrote that Survivor had "some of the flashiest and fiercest Star Wars melee battles", and the presence of a dismemberment mechanic made combat more gratifying. He praised the enemy variety, which includes both the Imperial forces and the Separatist droids from the prequel trilogy. [72] GameSpot 's Jordan Ramée praised the flow of combat, which demanded players to balance between careful timing and strategic aggression. [70] Connor Makar from VG247 praised the combat stances for catering to a wide range of play styles. [76] Writing for Polygon , Todd Harper, while considering the combat an improvement over Fallen Order, criticized the tight parry window and certain encounters for overwhelming Cal with enemies, making fights "intolerable." [78] Several critics praised Respawn's decision of making Cal powerful from the get-go [72] [69] and adding fast travel to the game. [72] [78] [73]
Miller appreciated Cal for being a very mobile character and wrote that navigation challenges were kept engaging as they became progressively more complicated. [69] Stapleton also called traversal satisfying and noted that players can cover long distances without ever touching the ground by chaining moves together. Bell, however, felt that traversal may become overwhelming as there were way too many gadgets and options. [79] Morgan Park from PC Gamer wrote that the game was evenly split between combat and platforming, effectively making the game a 3D platformer, singling out Koboh as "a collection of linear levels connected to a central area like spokes on a wheel". [73] Alessandro Fillari from Ars Technica compared the game's structure to God of War (2018) and praised the game's sense of scale, though he remarked that he had difficulty finding how to progress as it was sometimes unclear what objects Cal can be climbed or latched onto. [80] Bell remarked that while there were not a lot of maps in the game, they were "Swiss-cheese mazes that fold under and over themselves," praising the game's Metroidvania inspirations. [79] Stapleton wrote that levels in the game were meticulously crafted, applauding its density and diverse environments. [72] Writing for GamesRadar , Ali Jones wrote that Koboh "dwarfs all of Jedi: Fallen Order combined", but she felt that Respawn failed to populate these vast spaces "beyond throwing challenges" at the player constantly. [71] Several critics were weary of the wealth of collectibles featured in the game. [76] [74]
Miller felt that the story started very slowly and suffered from a lack of focus, though moment-to-moment character interactions and the game's tackling of classic Star Wars themes such as love and attachment nonetheless made the campaign "memorable and rewarding". [69] Stapleton liked the story's lack of urgency, which encouraged players to explore and complete side content. He felt that Cal had significantly more character development in Survivor and praised Monaghan's performance. However, he felt that the narrative twist was too predictable. [72] Harper also praised the character interactions in the game and noted that Cal's journey of reassembling the team created "an enjoyable Mass Effect 2 vibe". [78] Ramée described the narrative as a "suspenseful story of a Jedi trying to avoid loss", and liked how the antagonists in the game served as a foil to Cal, catalyzing his growth as a character. [70] Park liked how the narrative focused on how Cal grappled with the futility of fighting and coping with the dominance of the Empire, though he felt that these themes were overshadowed midway through the game. [73] Will Nelson from PCGamesN criticized the story for being "formulaic", noting that the narrative reasons for returning to planets were "contrived". [74]
Many reviewers and players noted performance problems with the PC version. [81] [82] [83] PC Gamer 's review highlighted an average of 35 frames per second with dips as low as 15-20 frames in cutscenes. [73] EA released a day one patch to improve the game's performance on PC and promised to release more patches in the following weeks. [84] EA stated that a significant reason for poor performance is players using Windows 10 with advanced processors built for Windows 11. [85] Despite the release of several patches, Digital Foundry billed it as "the worst triple-A PC port of 2023", [86] and remarked that the game's performance remained unsatisfactory "[m]ore than 500 days after its initial launch". [87]
In Japan, the PlayStation 5 version of Star Wars Jedi: Survivor sold 16,742 physical units, making it the seventh best-selling retail game during its first week of release. [88] In the United Kingdom, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor launch sales were thirty percent higher than those of Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order. [89] It was the best-selling video game in April 2024 in the United States. [90] CEO of Electronic Arts, Andrew Wilson, wrote that the publisher was "overjoyed" by the game's commercial performance and added that its sales were pacing "strongly" against expectations. [91] In August 2023, EA described the game as a "commercial success". [92]
Year | Award | Category | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
2023 | Golden Joystick Awards | Ultimate Game of the Year | Nominated | [93] |
Best Lead Performer (Cameron Monaghan as Cal Kestis) | Nominated | |||
Best Storytelling | Nominated | |||
PlayStation Game of the Year | Nominated | |||
The Game Awards 2023 | Best Performance (Cameron Monaghan as Cal Kestis) | Nominated | [94] | |
Best Action/Adventure Game | Nominated | |||
The Steam Awards | Outstanding Story-Rich Game | Nominated | [95] [96] | |
2024 | 66th Annual Grammy Awards | Best Score Soundtrack for Video Games and Other Interactive Media | Won | [97] [98] |
2023 NAVGTR Awards | Camera Direction in a Game Engine | Nominated | [99] [100] | |
Control Design, 3D | Nominated | |||
Direction in a Game Cinema | Nominated | |||
Gameplay Design, Franchise | Nominated | |||
Performance in a Drama, Supporting (Tony Amendola as Eno Cordova) | Nominated | |||
Sound Editing in a Game Cinema | Nominated | |||
27th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards | Adventure Game of the Year | Nominated | [101] [102] | |
Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction | Nominated | |||
Outstanding Achievement in Audio Design | Nominated | |||
Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition | Nominated | |||
20th British Academy Games Awards | Best Game | Longlisted | [103] | |
Animation | Nominated | [104] [105] | ||
Audio Achievement | Nominated | |||
Music | Nominated | |||
Narrative | Nominated | |||
Performer in a Leading Role (Cameron Monaghan as Cal Kestis) | Nominated | |||
Performer in a Supporting Role (Debra Wilson as Cere Junda) | Nominated | |||
Game Audio Network Guild Awards | Audio of the Year | Won | [106] [107] | |
Best Audio Mix | Won | |||
Best Cinematic & Cut Scene Audio | Nominated | |||
Best Ensemble Cast Performance | Nominated | |||
Best Game Foley | Nominated | |||
Best Game Trailer Audio | Nominated | |||
Best Main Theme | Nominated | |||
Best Original Song | Nominated | |||
Best Original Soundtrack Album | Won | |||
Best UI, Reward, or Objective Sound Design | Won | |||
Best Performance | Nominated | |||
Creative and Technical Achievement in Music | Nominated | |||
Creative and Technical Achievement in Sound Design | Won | |||
Dialogue of the Year | Nominated | |||
Music of the Year | Won | |||
Sound Design of the Year | Won | |||
Ivor Novello Awards | Best Original Video Game Score | Won | [108] | |
Hugo Awards | Best Game or Interactive Work | Nominated | [109] |
Asmussen left EA to form his own company in 2023, but a spokesperson from EA stated that "[v]eteran Respawn leaders will be stepping up to guide the team as they continue their work on Star Wars Jedi: Survivor." He told interviewers at the time that it was his intention to make the Star Wars Jedi series a trilogy, [110] with the possible third game being built using Unreal Engine 5. [111] In September 2023, Monaghan stated that the team was "in the process of [making a third game] right now". [112] At a September 2024 presentation to investors, EA president Laura Miele announced that a third game was in production, confirming it would be the final game in the series. [113]
Jedi, Jedi Knights, or collectively the Jedi Order are fictional characters, and often protagonists, featured in many works within the Star Wars franchise. Working symbiotically alongside the Old Galactic Republic, the Jedi Order is depicted as a religious, academic, meritocratic, and military-auxiliary (peacekeeping) organization whose origin dates back thousands of years before the events of the first film released in the franchise. The fictional organization has inspired a real-world new religious movement and parody religion: Jediism.
Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast is a 2002 first- and third-person shooter video game developed by Raven Software for Windows and Mac OS. Westlake Interactive ported the game to Mac OS X, while the Xbox and GameCube versions were ported by Vicarious Visions; most versions were published by Activision and LucasArts, with only the Mac OS version published by Aspyr. The game is a sequel to 1997's Star Wars Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II, and the third main installment in the Star Wars: Jedi Knight series. The single-player campaign, set in the fictional Star Wars expanded universe two years after the Mysteries of the Sith expansion for Dark Forces II, follows returning protagonist Kyle Katarn, a mercenary working for the New Republic and former Jedi who cut his connection to the Force. Katarn must return to his Jedi ways to stop a branch of the Imperial Remnant led by the Dark Jedi Desann from empowering their army with the Force.
Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy is a first- and third-person shooter video game developed by Raven Software and published by LucasArts for Windows, Mac OS X and Xbox in 2003. Vicarious Visions was responsible for the development of the Xbox version. The game is a sequel to 2002's Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast and the fourth and final installment in the Star Wars: Jedi Knight series. The single-player story, set in the fictional Star Wars expanded universe two years after Jedi Outcast, follows Jaden Korr, a new student at Luke Skywalker's Jedi Academy under the tutelage of the previous games' protagonist, Kyle Katarn. As Jaden, players are tasked with investigating a Dark Jedi cult called the Disciples of Ragnos, while slowly learning the ways of the Force and committing themselves to either the light side or the dark side.
Over one hundred video games based on the Star Wars franchise have been released, dating back to some of the earliest home consoles. Some are based directly on films while others rely heavily on the Star Wars Expanded Universe.
Cameron Riley Monaghan is an American actor and model. The accolades he has received include nominations for a BAFTA Award and a Critics' Choice Television Award.
Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith is a 2005 action video game based on the movie of the same name. It was released on May 5, 2005, for the PlayStation 2, Xbox, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS, and Symbian OS. For the Xbox 360's backwards compatible lineup, Revenge of the Sith is one out of the 400+ backwards compatible games for the 360. As part of the PlayStation 2 classics program, the PlayStation 2 version was re-released in Europe on the PlayStation Network on February 11, 2015, and in North America on April 28, 2015. Meanwhile, the Xbox version was also added to the backwards compatibility list for the Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S on November 15, 2021, A PlayStation Portable version was in development, but was cancelled. It received mixed reviews from critics.
Movie Battles II (MBII) is a team-based multiplayer mod for the 2003 third and first-person shooter game Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy. It is a successor of the Movie Battles mod for Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast. The primary purpose of the mod is to allow players to experience setpiece battle scenes from the Star Wars films and the Star Wars expanded universe. The gameplay is similar to that of the base game, but builds upon it with several new elements. The mod has been lauded for providing one of the best lightsaber combat experiences out of any Star Wars game.
Star Wars: Obi-Wan, originally titled Star Wars: Episode I: Obi-Wan, is a 2001 action-adventure video game developed and published by LucasArts and released exclusively for Xbox on December 19, 2001 in North America and March 29, 2002 in Europe. It is set in the Legends canonicity of the Star Wars universe. Players control the Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi around 32 years before the Battle of Yavin, shortly prior to and during the events of the 1999 film The Phantom Menace. The game received generally mixed reviews upon its release.
The Sith are the main antagonists in the fictional universe of the Star Wars franchise. They are the antithesis and ancient enemies of the Jedi. The Sith Order is depicted as an ancient cult of warriors who draw strength from the dark side of the Force and use it to seize power by any means necessary, including terrorism and mass murder; their ultimate goals are to destroy the Jedi and rule the galaxy.
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (KOTOR) is a media franchise of space opera role-playing video games created and developed by BioWare, which have seen releases on the original Xbox, Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows, OS X, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, IOS, Android and Nintendo Switch. The franchise takes place in the fictional universe of Star Wars by George Lucas.
Star Wars: The Old Republic is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) based in the Star Wars universe. Developed by BioWare Austin and a supplemental team at BioWare Edmonton, the game was announced on October 21, 2008. The video game was released for the Microsoft Windows platform on December 20, 2011 in North America and part of Europe. It was released in Oceania and Asia on March 1, 2012.
Stig Asmussen is an American video game developer best known for his work on the God of War series for Santa Monica Studio and the Star Wars Jedi series for Respawn Entertainment. Stig Asmussen founded his own new AAA video game development studio Giant Skull in 2023 September 9.
Respawn Entertainment, LLC is an American video game development studio founded in 2010 by Jason West and Vince Zampella and owned by Electronic Arts since 2017. West and Zampella previously co-founded Infinity Ward and created the Call of Duty franchise, where they were responsible for its development until 2010.
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order is a 2019 action-adventure game developed by Respawn Entertainment and published by Electronic Arts. The story is set in the Star Wars universe, five years after Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith. It follows Jedi Padawan Cal Kestis, who becomes a target of the Galactic Empire and is hunted throughout the galaxy by the Imperial Inquisitors while attempting to complete his training, reconcile with his troubled past, and rebuild the fallen Jedi Order. The player can use Kestis' lightsaber and Force powers to defeat enemies, including stormtroopers, wild beasts and bounty hunters. The game adopts a Metroidvania style of level design where new areas are accessed as Cal unlocks skills and abilities.
Cal Kestis is a fictional character in the Star Wars franchise. He is the playable protagonist of the Star Wars Jedi game series which includes the 2019 video game Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order and its 2023 sequel, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, developed by Respawn Entertainment. The character has also appeared in other media of the franchise, such as the novel Star Wars Jedi: Battle Scars by Sam Maggs, which bridges the gap between the two Star Wars Jedi games. Cal is played by American actor and model Cameron Monaghan through performance capture.
A Soulslike is a subgenre of action role-playing games known for high difficulty level and emphasis on environmental storytelling, typically in a dark fantasy setting. It has its origin in Demon's Souls and the Dark Souls trilogy by FromSoftware, the themes and mechanics of which directly inspired several other games. The "Soulslike" name has been adopted by a number of critics and developers. However, there have also been questions whether it is a true genre or a collection of shared mechanics. A subset of these games, named Soulsborne, refers to most of the Soulslike games developed by FromSoftware.
Star Wars Jedi: Battle Scars is a 2023 Star Wars novel written by Sam Maggs and published on March 7, 2023, by Random House Worlds.
Vince Zampella is an American video game designer best known for being a co-founder and former studio head of Infinity Ward and the current head of Respawn Entertainment and Ripple Effect Studios.