For nearly six years, Respawn Entertainment’s Star Wars Jedi series has introduced Star Wars fans, new and old, to a new Dark Souls-like lightsaber combat system. Prior to the release of 2019’s Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, most Star Wars games based lightsaber combat on turn-based battles seen in Knights of the Old Republic games, God of War-like combo-based combat seen in The Force Unleashed games, or temporary hero-focused combat in Battlefront games. This changed in Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order and Star Wars Jedi: Survivor when Respawn allowed Cal Kestis to learn up to five different lightsaber stances. While these stances were welcome additions, Respawn may have trouble expanding upon them in Star Wars Jedi 3.
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Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order and Survivor Stances Explained
In Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, Order 66 survivor Cal Kestis is forced to relearn his Jedi training as he struggles to fend off Imperial Inquisitors and rebuild the Jedi Order alongside fellow Order 66 survivor Cere Junda. At first, players are able to utilize a single-bladed lightsaber, half of his Master Jaro Tapal’s double-bladed lightsaber, as Kestis slowly relearns his lightsaber skills and Force abilities. However, players can quickly gain access to a double-bladed lightsaber if they travel to Dathomir immediately after leaving Bogano. Towards the end of Fallen Order, Kestis is forced to travel to Ilum to find a new kyber crystal and repair his lightsaber. Here, Kestis is able to disconnect his double-bladed lightsaber to duel-wield two single-bladed lightsabers.
These lightsaber stances returned at the beginning of 2023’s Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, with Kestis having learned more skills for each lightsaber stance in the five years since Fallen Order’s events. After reuniting with Junda, Greez Dritus, Merrin, and his latest companion Bode Akuna on Jedha, Akuna gifts Kestis a blaster pistol, allowing Kestis to duel-wield the blaster with a single-bladed lightsaber in a new stance. Along their quest to gain access to the isolated world of Tanalorr from fallen Jedi Dagan Gera, Rayvis and their Bedlam Raiders, Kestis eventually crafts an ancient crossguard lightsaber for himself after recovering one from Raider lieutenant Drya Thornne.
Cal Kestis’ use of a crossguard lightsaber in Star Wars Jedi: Survivor marks the first time players could use the weapon beyond Kylo Ren in canon Star Wars games.
Potential New Lightsaber Stances in Star Wars Jedi 3
Despite having never formally completed his Jedi training, Kestis has quickly become one of the most skilled lightsaber combatants in modern Star Wars canon, having become an expert in nearly every known lightsaber form. While this may limit Respawn’s ability to let Kestis learn further skills for his five stances in Star Wars Jedi 3, there are still a few types of lightsabers Kestis could encounter and become proficient in for the inevitable sequel. One potential lightsaber stance is the Inquisitors’ double-bladed spinning lightsabers. Kestis has encountered this lightsaber numerous times but has never used one himself.
This lightsaber form is notably shorter than traditional double-bladed lightsabers but makes up for this decreased length by allowing its user to activate a mechanism that causes the two blades to rapidly spin in a volatile motion. This ability has been known to even help its user hover in the air for a brief period of time. Kestis could recover and modify an Inquisitor lightsaber in Star Wars Jedi 3 to allow him to briefly hover into difficult-to-reach places, similar to a jetpack or parachute. Respawn could additionally introduce the seldom-used lightsaber pike, first introduced in Star Wars: The Force Unleashed. Essentially lightsaber glaives, lightsaber pikes had the longest hilts of any known lightsaber type and were typically used to keep opponents at a distance.
The Potential of a Lightwhip Stance in Star Wars Jedi 3
The last major lightsaber form to be featured in the Star Wars Jedi series is the rare and difficult-to-master lightwhip. Having only recently been introduced to modern Star Wars canon through stories set in the High Republic, the lightwhip is similar to a standard single-bladed lightsaber with its hilt but has a flexible plasma blade instead of the common solid blade seen in all other lightsaber forms. Due to this flexible blade, the lightwhip is highly dangerous for both its user and opponents, with it being difficult to block and easy to potentially wound its wielder if not used correctly. While these are more exotic lightsaber forms, each of these new stances could introduce a new variety of fun gameplay opportunities in Star Wars 3.
7/10
- Released
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April 28, 2023
- ESRB
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T For Teen due to Mild Language, Violence
- Publisher(s)
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Electronic Arts
- Engine
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Unreal Engine 4