Highlights

  • Star Wars Jedi: Survivor incorporated a mount system inspired by FromSoftware's Elden Ring, allowing for both exploration and faster navigation.
  • A potential sequel to Jedi: Survivor could learn from Elden Ring's open-world design structure, encouraging more discovery and freedom for players.
  • The next Jedi game could also benefit from a more organic portrayal of NPCs, mirroring the depth found in Elden Ring's world-building.

FromSoftware is the codifier of the Soulslike genre, with the label derived from its Dark Souls franchise. Since then, numerous games using Soulslike elements have put their own spin on the conventions the developer popularized. Respawn Entertainment's Star WarsJedi series is one of these, wearing its Soulslike inspirations clearly on its sleeve. In 2019, the first entry, Fallen Order, took several cues from the genre and integrated them into a Star Wars adventure, creating a compelling and fun title that appealed to fans of both.

In 2022, FromSoft produced what is considered by many fans to be its best and most refined Soulslike to date. Elden Ring blended elements from the studio's history of titles while evolving and introducing others. Released in April of this year, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor continued its iteration, smoothing out some of the rougher spots in Fallen Order and further streamlining its Soulslike components.

One new inclusion from Elden Ring that appeared in Jedi: Survivor was a mount for players to navigate their respective worlds. This worked well in Jedi: Survivor by adding a satisfying layer to exploration as well as mechanical utility, but there are still many ways Respawn can take further inspiration from Elden Ring for a hypothetical sequel.

Elden Ring 's Shadow of the Erdtree DLC is likely to expand on its features, which a Jedi: Survivor sequel might look to borrow from as well.

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Star Wars Jedi: Survivor's Sequel Can Find More Inspiration in Elden Ring

Jedi: Survivor and Elden Ring's Mounts

Elden Ring's mount, Torrent, was one of the biggest additions to a FromSoftware title. Previously, players had to hoof it themselves through the vast maps of its worlds. Though fast travel was eventually an option, movement was still usually limited to traveling on foot. Elden Ring gave players the use of Torrent quite early on, letting them ride across The Lands Between at their leisure almost from the start, adding a convenient and novel dimension to the journey.

Meanwhile, obtaining a Nekko mount in Jedi: Survivor requires players to complete a handful of main quests before being able to call and ride one. The game teases this beforehand, showing Nekkos being herded and ridden by NPCs, but it's not until a few hours in that protagonist Cal Kestis gains the ability. Once unlocked, though, the Nekko provides both a faster navigational speed and allows access to previously inaccessible areas.

How a Jedi: Survivor Sequel Can Incorporate Other Elden Ring Elements

While unmistakably rooted in the genre, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor differs from traditional Soulslikes. Jedi: Survivor largely adheres to a familiar open-world design structure, with a UI/HUD containing many well-worn features seen in myriad other games. FromSoft's titles, including Elden Ring, are much looser in this area, with minimal hand-holding and objective markers, instead beckoning players to explore its sandbox via their own curiosity and pace based on what grabs their attention.

Elden Ring's map holds many secrets, and while Jedi: Survivor has its own hidden areas, they are often more straightforward in a Metroidvania style. A sequel could relax its rigid structure, emulating Elden Ring's sense of discovery and wonder by not signposting as much, giving players more freedom to poke into its nooks and crannies without leading them as obviously as it often does.

A Jedi: Survivor sequel could also integrate NPCs into its world building more in line with Elden Ring's portrayal. Jedi: Survivor's NPCs, while generally well-realized, often feel bland rather than intimately connected to anything else going on. A sequel that takes a page from Elden Ring's playbook in this aspect could help keep them linked more organically. These are only a few possible paths a third entry might follow to evolve its Soulslike formula. For now, fans will need to wait to see if, and what, the next Jedi game will look like.