The Soulslike subgenre is quickly becoming one of the most popular forms of the action-RPG, inspiring countless studios over the last decade or so. But while indie games have been using theDark Soulsgameplay formula for some time, it’s taken a little while for AAA developers to catch on, andStar Wars Jedi: Fallen Orderwas one of the first and most successful. With an emphasis on slow and methodical melee combat, parries, and interweaving level design,Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Orderis undeniably a Soulslike, but it also brings its own fair share of mechanics to the table, and its sequel,Star Wars Jedi: Survivoris set to do the same.
Releasing in March 2023,Star Wars Jedi: Survivorlooks like it’s improving on its predecessor in a few key ways. Two new lightsaber stances have been hinted at, along with the ability to mount animals, and the addition of an ascension cable that’ll aid in platforming. And along with all of this,Star Wars Jedi: Survivoralso looks like it may be introducing a blaster mechanic, though its functionality hasn’t been detailed just yet.
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How Star Wars Jedi: Survivor’s Blaster Gameplay Might Work
ThelatestStar Wars Jedi: Survivortrailershowcased quite a few new mechanics that’ll be present in the sequel. What wasn’t explicitly shown in the trailer was any form of blaster gameplay. Though it hasn’t appeared in game footage, fans are sure that Cal Kestis will wield a blaster in the sequel, since it appears throughout the game’s marketing, including its front cover. On top of that, one of the incentives for pre-ordering the game is a handful of cosmetics, one of which is a blaster skin. Some form of blaster gameplay seems all but locked-in forStar Wars Jedi: Survivor, but its lack of confirmation has fans unsure on how it’ll work in-game.
One of the most likely scenarios is thatStar Wars Jedi: Survivor’s blaster functions in a similar way toBloodborne’s guns, being used primarily for parries. This would essentially work by letting the player counter an opponent’s attack with a quick blast of their pistol, opening them up for a riposte attack. InBloodborne, using a firearm to parry is a pretty high-risk, high-reward situation, since it’s the only way to achieve a guaranteed, high-damaging counter-attack on an enemy. InStar Wars Jedi: Survivor, this could feel a little redundant.
InStar Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, and presumably inJedi: Survivoras well, players can already parry their opponents quite easily with their lightsaber, breaking their enemy’s posture quickly and opening them up for a brutal counter-attack. The inclusion of a blaster that offers the same window of opportunity seems a little pointless. One easy way to makea blaster parry mechanic inJedi Survivorfeel more worthwhile is by introducing enemies that can only be parried with a precise shot, forcing players to master all different forms of combat.
Alternatively,Star Wars Jedi: Survivor’s blastercould simply be used as a ranged weapon, allowing players to pick off one or two targets at long range to thin the herd before moving in to engage the rest of the group in melee combat. During a fight, the blaster could also be used to get in a quick hit or two, allowing players to juggle enemies with more ease. To keep this balanced, and to stop players from overusing it, the blaster’s ammunition could be very limited, overheating after just a few shots.
Star Wars Jedi: Survivorreleases on Jul 12, 2025, for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.
