Star Wars: Jedi Survivor Releases on 28th April

Many aspects of the sequel trilogy era divided the Star Wars fanbase (just ask a room of fans for their opinions on The Last Jedi, and you’ll see more chaos than if you’d landed in a nest of gundarks). Nevertheless, certain films, TV shows and games released during the Disney era managed to balance the force by meeting with near-universal praise from the fanbase.

Film and TV entries such as Rogue One and The Mandalorian are two such examples – 2019’s PC and console game Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order is another.

Now, four (light) years after the first epic game introduced young Jedi-in-hiding Cal Kestis to the galaxy, fans can start looking forward to the long-awaited sequel finally hitting shelves on 28^th April.

Why Was Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order So Popular?

Star Wars fans have enjoyed a love/hate relationship with EA over the years. Since Electronic Arts obtained the exclusive rights license to Star Wars games in 2013, many gamers argue there has been a significant drop in the quality of titles produced, along with an over-use of loot boxes and a tendency not to give fans what they want.

On paper, making a Star Wars game should be simple. Everyone dreams of piloting ships such as the X-Wing, Tie-Fighter and Millennium Falcon in a dogfight, and pre-EA games such as Rogue Squadron and the X-Wing series (both of which are now non-canon) perfectly encapsulate this. Fans also want to play as a Jedi knight, using the powers of the force and lightsaber skills in exciting hack-and-slash combat while experiencing an engaging story. Prior to Jedi: Fallen Order’s release, the most successful example of this remained the Jedi Knight series with fan-favourite Kyle Katarn (also no longer canon).

EA tried their best to create a game to satisfy our lightsaber and piloting needs, although offerings such as the Star Wars Battlefront reboot severely lacked an engaging story and linear missions, which the classic games all had in abundance. It was not until 2017’s sequel, Star Wars Battlefront II, that a fully realised story campaign was introduced. Positive reactions to these gameplay elements may have influenced EA’s decision to create Jedi: Fallen Order.

On its release, it soon became apparent that the new Jedi game had hit the zeitgeist. After being starved of such a game for nearly a decade, fans were thrilled by the simple but challenging mix of lightsaber combat, force attacks and jumping abilities possessed by the main character. The game was set against a backdrop of lush open-world planets, all waiting to be explored, with plenty of dangers and secrets to discover. In terms of game mechanics and design, it was the ultimate modern-day homage to the classics while making the most of next-gen technology and visuals.

The game also contained a rich story. Events follow a young Jedi, Cal Kestis, as he tries to remain hidden following the events of Order 66 in Revenge of the Sith. Inevitably, his disguise eventually slips when he is forced to use his force powers to survive, sending Cal on a classic hero’s journey to rebuild the Jedi Order while evading the Galactic Empire and dangerous Sith such as Darth Vader and the Inquisitors. Along the way, he befriends wacky aliens, encounters familiar characters, and even visits the home planet of Darth Maul’s Zabrak species for a climactic showdown with an unexpected dark force user.

What Is Star Wars: Jedi Survivor About?

Jedi Survivor resumes Cal Kestis’ tale five years after the first game’s conclusion (putting it around the same time as the Disney+ Obi-Wan Kenobi show) as he continues to evade hostile forces seeking to wipe out the remaining Jedi.

Many fans expected the main villain to be the Grand Inquisitor, however the official teaser trailer revealed the antagonist to be an unnamed Pau’an Imperial Senator. Cal will also have to battle against a near-immortal giant enemy named Rayvis, whose species has not been seen since The Clone Wars TV series. You can see this new villain in action in the final gameplay trailer.

Will There Be Jedi Fallen Order/Survivor LEGO Sets?

2022 saw the release of BD-1 75335, Cal’s trusty companion droid in brick form. This nifty model was a favourite of ours, as it looked equally special when displayed on a desk or bookshelf alongside our console game collection and other Star Wars LEGO sets. BD-1 left us hoping for more replica sets from the game, though, to date, nothing has been announced.

We would love to see the crew’s spaceship, The Stinger Mantis, realised as a creative display project. The giant Shyyyo bird from the Wookie planet of Kashyyyk would also make a great showcase addition to most bedrooms. And come 28th April, we’ll certainly have some locations from the new game worthy of a creative LEGO brick project.

If you feel like grabbing your own BD-1 sidekick, be sure to exhibit the model in our quality display case to keep it dust-free. The case also includes a fun optional printed background to heighten your Star Wars collection…