Star Wars: Jedi Survivor March release date and trailer reaction

By Kieran Burt.

Star Wars: Jedi Survivor got a full gameplay trailer at The Game Awards, and spends its time showing new enemies and skills, but does also give a bit of a hint of the story for the upcoming game. EA has confirmed that the game will be released in March, during The Bad Batch season two and The Mandalorian season three. 

The trailer opens with the figure in the bacta tank being released by Cal, saying that he was betrayed by the one he trusted most. It’s not clear who this character is yet, but later the trailer shows him to be working with one of the bounty hunter enemies shown in the trailer, searching for a macguffin. 

His robes do suggest a High Republic tie-in, which is the huge publishing initiative Lucasfilm are currently doing, and it would be a great way to draw new people into the era. Whoever he is, he and the bounty hunters seem like they will serve as the main bad guy of the game, and the character with the red lightsaber and the Pau’an Senator from the first trailer being side antagonists.  

Quick shots of Cal fighting enemies can be seen, some stormtroopers, but also some new droids, and finally a helmented opponent wielding a yellow lightsaber. It’s unlikely to be the same person from the bacta tank, as this opponent has both arms. 

Cal is seen crashing the Mantis on a distant planet, but the most notable thing is that there isn’t a hint of the ship’s crew. Cere is thankfully OK, and she is setting up an archive and possibly a home base on a currently unknown planet. Where Greez or Merrin are is unknown, but hopefully they’re safe.   

But Cal won’t be alone. New companion Bode appears to help Cal in combat, and helps Cal get up onto a building. It’s unsure how the two will meet, but if they are on Coruscant, Cal might meet him on the lower levels. Coruscant feels like the perfect location for a metroid style location, with the many levels the city is on. 

Cal’s list of enemies has been expanded. No longer will it just be wildlife and stormtroopers, more droids will be finding their way into the mix, especially from the Clone war era. B1 battle droids, Magnaguards, Super battle droids and Commando droids all appear, but whether they’re part of a larger Separatist remnant or reprogrammed by a criminal group can’t be seen. 

The Imperials will also be getting a new droid, D-T series droid from Star Wars: Rebels. This droid is adapted from the dark troopers from Star Wars Legends, and is quite a threat. These tie-ins are much appreciated, and makes Jedi Survivor feel connected to the wider universe it inhabits. 

Animals will still be part of the enemy roster though. Cal returns to Kashyyyk, and encounters a forest variant of the Wampa, which throws him about, hinting at how much trouble these creatures are. There is also some kind of dinosaur creature, which seems to be a boss fight. 

Turning to gameplay elements, Cal will be able to mind trick his enemies abilities to his advantage, as he yanks with the Force a stormtrooper and uses him to demolish two other troopers, communicating with animals to fly or run on land, a new ascension cable, and a Crossguard lightsaber, like Kylo Ren. These are all welcome editions, and reassure gamers that their abilities from the first game won’t be taken away from them like in other Metroidvanias. 

But there’s no blaster play yet.The pre-order bonuses suggest that Cal will be able to use a blaster, though it’s not sure how that will come out. It might only be for a specific section, else it would conflict with the lightsaber focused gameplay. 

Overall the trailer is a mix of story and gameplay elements, teasing new enemies and new gameplay elements. Hopefully there will be other trailers for the game, more fully showcasing the story, as right now that’s still very vague. 
Star Wars: Jedi Survivor releases March 17, 2023 on the Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5 and PC.