Customization down to minute details can often be fun, but it is also a little bit unfortunate when players acknowledge how few times those cosmetic preferences will even be shown in-game. Red Dead Redemption 2’s customization is a great example of how fine, ornamental finishes on a revolver may never be seen up-close while in-game, though it is still fantastic knowing that the pistol is coated in a finish or design that the player has selected. Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is no different, though there actually is a clever way for fans to appreciate their efforts at a closer level during gameplay.
Of course, pausing the game through Photo Mode lets players get up close and personal with Cal Kestis’ lightsaber and blaster in Star Wars Jedi: Survivor’s fan-favorite feature, and these weapons are also shown a fair number of times in the game’s cutscenes. It is certainly not as if the player’s custom cosmetics are never displayed on-screen, but during authentic gameplay where players have control over Cal it is often difficult to see any alterations players have made. That said, there is a way for the lightsaber’s individual components to be shown in gameplay through an idle animation.
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor’s Cal Kestis Disassembles His Lightsaber in an Idle Animation
Cal has a number of idle animations that keep him feeling like an actual character while the player is away from their mouse or controller, with examples including him tapping his foot on the ground, swatting a bug from his face, or stretching his arms and torso. But one idle animation in particular has him briefly disassemble his lightsaber with the Force.
This animation references when a Jedi constructs their lightsaber or assesses it otherwise, including instances where they insert a new kyber crystal into the hilt, which gives their lightsaber a new color and meaning in Star Wars lore. There is seemingly no significance to this animation besides referencing that iconic imagery, but it makes for a fun animation to watch if players are lucky.
Cal’s lightsaber has customization for different components available on the hilt in Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, with Star Wars Jedi: Survivor’s customization adding onto that foundation. Now, the complete build of Cal Kestis’ lightsaber in Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is composed of emitters, vents, switches, grips, and pommels. The reason why Cal’s lightsaber-disassembling animation is so neat to catch, then, is because it reveals all of these pieces individually as Cal uses the Force to separate them from one another.
The only prerequisite to seeing this idle animation is that players patiently wait for it to occur, which can take quite a while due to its rarity. Star Wars Jedi: Survivor players may not care enough to wait that long and see such an animation, and it is likely that fans could go their entire playthrough without seeing it a single time as a result. Either way, it is great to see these components in such a way that details them outside the workbench customization or cutscenes that offer a close-up shot of Cal’s lightsaber.
In any case, the workbench is always an easy way to admire any custom changes players have made to the lightsaber or blaster, with the blaster being predominantly obscured in Cal’s thigh holster otherwise. BD-1’s component customizations are a welcome change in Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, though they can be a bit tough to see distinctly while the droid crawls around on Cal’s back. Rather, BD-1 is a character who is around often enough that players may already be able to identify the parts they have swapped in-and-out.
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is available now on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.
