Star Wars has seen a resurgence thanks to the success of the new Obi-Wan Kenobi Disney+ series and the announcement of Star Wars Jedi: Survivor. Coincidentally, both these entries in the Star Wars universe take place between Episodes 3 and 4 - a time when the Sith rose to power and the Jedi were forced into hiding. Star Wars media set during this time typically tries to bridge the gap between the prequels and the original trilogy by exploring galactic politics and the vast universe George Lucas created.
Star Wars games set between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope are nothing new. Jedi: Survivor's predecessor, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, takes place at an earlier point in the same era. But while much of the pre-release footage for Fallen Order showed Cal Kestis hiding from the Galactic Empire, the finished game had players breaking their cover to save the galaxy. This isn't a bad thing; in fact, it's what a lot of players expect a Jedi-centric game to be. But considering most of the surviving Jedi went into hiding, a Star Wars game based around stealth might not be such a bad idea.
The Importance of Stealth After Order 66
As seen in the Obi-Wan Kenobi series and the beginning of Jedi: Fallen Order, both Obi-Wan and Cal understand the importance of subtlety. The Galactic Empire is hot on the heels of the remaining Jedi, so they have to hide their connection to The Force to survive. The biggest threat to the Jedi during this time are the Inquisitors - Force-sensitive agents led by Darth Vader. Some Inquisitors are former Jedi who were seduced by the dark side or forced to hunt down their old allies, so they know exactly how Jedi think and act. Inquisitors use this knowledge to turn the Jedi's altruistic natures against them. Jedi: Fallen Order shows one such instance where Cal reaches out to The Force to save his friend Prauf - an act that is recorded by an Imperial Probe droid.
Instead of making a streamlined story like in Jedi: Fallen Order, a Star Wars stealth game could give players more freedom to choose whether they can help the citizens of the galaxy. The game could take cues from Jedi: Fallen Order and put players in the shoes of a surviving Jedi who is trying to let go of their past some 10 or so years after the events of Revenge of the Sith. Helping people and using Force powers risks their exposure, while hiding and keeping to oneself reduces their chance of being discovered.
Violence Is Not Always The Answer for Jedi
One reason the game should be set later in the timeline and not as Order 66 was issued is to make combat and general Force usage more difficult. Violence should serve as the last course of action in a Star Wars stealth game, and playing as a Jedi with rusty skills is a great way to de-emphasize combat. The playable character could be battered and beaten by past events, and they just want to move on with their life. While combat is an avenue to explore, engaging in fights should make players feel like they are constantly being overwhelmed and underpowered.
Rather than attempt to cut down an army of Stormtroopers on their lonesome, players should use their Force powers in stealthy ways. Hiding in crowds to reach their objectives, Force pushing objects to create distractions, using Jedi mind tricks to persuade NPCs to grant access into restricted areas - there are a lot of creative ways game developers can get Jedi to use their abilities beyond lightsaber duels. Using stealth effectively will allow players to keep their cover and reduces the risk of putting those the player character cares about in danger. Traditional, cover-based stealth is also an option players can use to hide from the Galactic Empire, but developers should come up with unique, Star Wars-inspired options to make full use of the intellectual property.
It would be important not to market this title as a Jedi game. There are a lot of preconceived notions about playing as a Jedi, and stealth isn't usually isn't one of them. Being a Jedi during the aftermath of Order 66 means something completely different from being a Jedi during the time of the Galactic Republic. It meant isolation, loneliness, and constantly living with the fear of being discovered - elements that few Star Wars games set during this period convey. It wouldn't be for everyone, but a stealth game set during the events of Order 66 makes more sense from a lore standpoint than a typical third-person action game.