Respawn Entertainment has spent the last six years crafting their Star Wars Jedi series, bringing something fresh to the table for Star Wars enthusiasts. Prior to 2019’s Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, lightsaber combat in Star Wars games often relied on either a turn-based approach, like that seen in Knights of the Old Republic, or combat reminiscent of God of War found in The Force Unleashed. Occasionally, Star Wars Battlefront added a hero-focused twist.
Respawn shifted this paradigm with Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order and its sequel, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, by introducing up to five different lightsaber stances for the protagonist, Cal Kestis. While these new combat styles have been well-received, Respawn might face challenges in innovating further in the third installment of the series.
In Fallen Order, we find Cal Kestis, a survivor of the infamous Order 66, trying to stay ahead of the Imperial Inquisitors while attempting to bring back the Jedi Order with the help of Cere Junda, another Order 66 survivor. Players start with a single-bladed lightsaber—the remaining half of his fallen Master Jaro Tapal’s weapon—as they gradually regain lost skills. Visiting Dathomir early on offers the chance to obtain a double-bladed lightsaber sooner, adding more combat versatility. Near the game’s conclusion, Cal journeys to Ilum to locate a new kyber crystal, which allows him to repair and split the double-bladed lightsaber into two single blades.
These combat mechanics reappear in Jedi: Survivor, as Cal has honed his abilities in the five years since the events of Fallen Order. Reuniting with familiar faces such as Cere, Greez, and Merrin, he also teams up with Bode Akuna. During their mission on the planet Jedha, Akuna provides Cal with a blaster which he can pair with a lightsaber for a new combat style. A significant development occurs when Cal crafts a unique crossguard lightsaber, following an encounter with Raider lieutenant Drya Thornne.
Cal’s use of the crossguard lightsaber is notable as it marks the first time players have wielded this unique variant outside of Kylo Ren’s character in Star Wars games.
As we think about the direction for the highly anticipated Star Wars Jedi 3, Cal Kestis—despite not completing official Jedi training—has achieved an impressive mastery in lightsaber combat recognized in current Star Wars lore. While this proficiency could constrain Respawn from expanding Cal’s combat repertoire, a few novel lightsaber types are worth exploring. One intriguing concept is the Inquisitors’ double-bladed spinning lightsaber, which Cal has frequently encountered but has yet to wield. Characterized by a shorter blade length but offering rapid spinning action, Cal could ingeniously modify this to hover briefly.
Additionally, Respawn might delve into the seldom-seen lightsaber pike—akin to a lightsaber glaive—as seen in Star Wars: The Force Unleashed. This weapon, with its unusually long hilt, is designed to keep adversaries at bay.
The lightwhip represents another potential new direction for the series. Though complex and rare, this weapon was recently reintroduced in tales of the High Republic era. Essentially a lightsaber with a flexible plasma blade, it presents both a novel challenge and a risk to its wielder for missteps during combat. Integrating these exotic weapons could open up an exciting array of gameplay mechanics for future Star Wars adventures.
The work done by Respawn Entertainment with the Star Wars Jedi series has expanded the horizons of how lightsaber combat is represented in games, proving that there are still many paths left unexplored within this iconic universe.
