Despite only being out for a month, it seems safe to say that Star Wars Jedi: Survivor will go down as one of the best pieces of Star Wars media ever made. Though it certainly isn't perfect, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor's character development, open-world exploration, refined combat mechanics, and great visuals help to cement it as one of the greatest Star Wars games of all time, and a true celebration of the entire franchise.
Over the last 46 years, there have been countless pieces of Star Wars media, all of which belong to a specific era on the timeline. While some of these have been relegated to the non-canon Legends side of the franchise, a few distinct eras have remained. And while most Star Wars projects tend to fit into just one of these eras, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor spreads itself across several. By the end of the Respawn's Star Wars Jedi series, fans might see it cover the entire timeline in one way or another.
Respawn's Star Wars Jedi Series Could Dabble In Every Star Wars Era
Respawn's Star Wars Jedi series opens up five years after the events of Order 66. During this era, the Galactic Empire is in full swing, with its forces reaching across the galaxy. For a Jedi, no corner of the galaxy is safe during this period, with Darth Vader and his Sith Inquisitors actively seeking out any Jedi survivors and eradicating them with no mercy. Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order also features a number of flashbacks to the Clone Wars era, mostly right before and during the events of Order 66, as Cal Kestis attempts to escape the purge with the assistance of his master, Jaro Tapal. Fallen Order references both of these key Star Wars eras through its environmental design as well, with Clone Wars-era vehicles still being scrapped on Bracca and found at the bottom of Kashyyyk's riverbed, while Imperial-era vehicles, enemies, and structures can be seen around every corner.
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor brings even more Star Wars eras into the mix. Set five years after Fallen Order, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor takes place around the same time as the Obi-Wan Kenobi show, where the Empire has really hit its peak in terms of sheer dominance over the rest of the galaxy. While Inquisitors were enough of a worry in Fallen Order, Jedi: Survivor's time setting sees regular citizens turning in Jedi or any rebellious dissenters. While the Empire's technology and enemy types haven't changed all that much in five years, its ever-growing strength plays a major role in Star Wars Jedi: Survivor's story.
On top of the evolved Empire era, Star Wars: Jedi Survivor also makes much more direct references to the Clone Wars era. As opposed to just set dressing, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor actively includes a number of Clone Wars era enemies in its slew of Battle Droids. These enemy types are also paired with Star Wars Jedi: Survivor's Lucrehulk, a large portion of the Koboh map set in the control module of an abandoned CIS capital ship. Star Wars Jedi: Survivor also pays homage to the High Republic era - a fairly new plot on the canon Star Wars timeline - with one of its main antagonists being a lost Jedi from that time period and the game's central storyline following his exploits from hundreds of years ago.
It's more than possible for the next Star Wars Jedi game to cover even more eras of the canon Star Wars timeline. The Old Republic era is still a little unclear in the actual canon timeline, but that hasn't stopped references from creeping into canon projects like Andor, potentially paving the way for more Old Republic Easter eggs in projects like the next Jedi game. Even the Dawn of the Resistance and the New Jedi Order eras aren't completely off the table for the next Star Wars Jedi game, with Cal's future being completely uncertain right now.
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is available now on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.
