What Parents Need to Know About Star Wars Jedi: Survivor

It may interest you to know that I am not only a Pokémon Master, but a Jedi Master as well. What can I say, I’m an overachiever. After decades of training, I’m ready to relive some of my less experienced Jedi days with the release of Star Wars Jedi: Survivor. Your kids may be clamoring to play Survivor, too. But what if they’re mere Padawans; inexperienced in the ways of the Force? Fear not, because we have everything you need to decide if Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is appropriate for your family.

What is Star Wars Jedi: Survivor?

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is the newest game in the Star Wars franchise and a direct sequel to 2019’s Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order (Teen 13+). Developed by Respawn Entertainment and published by Electronic Arts, Survivor is set five years after the events of Fallen Order. Players will once again step into the weathered boots of Cal Kestis as he and his droid buddy, BD-1, fight against the evil Galactic Empire. Of course, with the benefit of five years of Jedi-ing, Cal will call upon new and powerful Force abilities to best opponents, be they frail droids, sly bounty hunters, or powerful Inquisitors.

Survivor is a single player action/adventure game where players will experience a combination of combat, exploration, and puzzle solving, with the player earning various rewards depending upon the activity. Combat in and of itself is somewhat of a puzzle, revolving around blocking, parrying, and striking opponents. The key is understanding and “reading” an opponent’s movements, while strategizing what cocktail of abilities you must use to best an enemy. Of course, much of this is done via lightsaber-wielding, and Survivor includes new and refined lightsaber stances. These include single blade, double blade, dual-wield, crossguard, and a lightsaber-blaster combo. Each stance has strengths and weaknesses, with some being a more strategic fit for specific combat scenarios.

Players can also mix in new and familiar Force powers to augment their abilities, gain the edge in combat, and solve puzzles. All of Cal’s abilities from Fallen Order return, with new abilities unlockable through story progression and leveling up.

Your family will also join Cal as he explores planets, meets new allies, and solves ancient mysteries to gain an upper hand against seemingly insurmountable enemies. While optional in many cases, exploration is a significant part of Survivor. Each planet has a dedicated play area – which vary in size. Some planets may be more linear, asking Cal to complete a specific objective with fewer opportunities to explore, while others may be vast open areas with dozens of secrets to discover. For example, the “hub” planet Koboh is a huge, multilayered environment that unfolds as Cal gains new abilities and the story progresses. Regardless of the planet, players can stray from the beaten path to find optional challenges, dungeons, and more to flesh out the game’s story and earn Cal experience, skill points, cosmetics, and more.

Is Star Wars Jedi: Survivor Appropriate for Children?

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is rated T (Teen 13+), with Content Descriptors including Mild Language and Violence. ESRB’s Rating Summary provides some additional details that may be important as you decide if  Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is appropriate for your family, such as:

Players use lightsabers to slash and break apart alien creatures, droids, and humanoid enemies. Combat is fast paced, with cries of pain, impact sounds, and large explosions. Some sequences depict characters getting impaled through the chest. The words “a*s” and “bastard” are heard in the game.

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor does not have any assigned Interactive Elements.  In other words, it’s single player (doesn’t enable user interactions) nor does it offer in-game purchases.

Where can I Play Star Wars Jedi: Survivor?

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is available on Windows PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. If you’re playing on PC make sure you check the PC requirements before you decide to get the game.

How Much Does Star Wars Jedi: Survivor Cost?

The Standard Edition of Star Wars Jedi: Survivor costs $69.99 on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. Meanwhile, there is also a Deluxe Edition available on all platforms for $89.99, which includes cosmetics items to customize Cal’s and BD-1’s appearances.

Players use lightsabers to slash and break apart alien creatures, droids, and humanoid enemies. 

Staying Involved with Your Kids’ Jedi Training

Whether your kids are playing games themselves or joining you for a family video game session, the best way to make sure those experiences are appropriate is to stay involved!

You can do this by checking the ratings, researching online, chatting with other parents, or even taking some time to watch your kids play and ask some questions. In fact, many parents are taking more time to play games themselves to determine if it’s appropriate for their family!

Virtually every video game device – from consoles to computers – offers parental controls that allow you to manage what your kids play, when and for how long, with whom, and whether they can spend money. ESRB has step-by-step parental control guides available for many devices at ParentalTools.org.

You can also visit ESRB’s Family Gaming Guide for more tips about how you can establish household rules around video games and help make sure your kids have positive video game experiences.