Playable mounts are being introduced in Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, and the Star Wars galaxy is filled with iconic creatures that Cal Kestis can ride into battle against the Empire. Respawn Entertainment announced the sequel to its successful Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order last summer, and viewers got a closer look at Jedi: Survivor during December’s Game Awards 2022 livestream event. After a delay, Jedi: Survivor is expected to launch on April 28, leaving fans just a few months to speculate on how it will build on the gameplay of its predecessor.
The action-packed Star Wars Jedi: Survivor Game Awards trailer has already given those fans a taste of the new Force powers and lightsaber styles Cal will wield in Jedi: Survivor - such as Darth Maul’s iconic double-bladed saber and Kylo Ren’s heavy-style crossguard sword. Players will be able to unleash these lightsabers against various Imperial forces and hostile droids, the latter of which will finally solve Jedi: Fallen Order’s most annoying problem by allowing Cal to slice up his mechanical foes as only a lightsaber-wielding Jedi Knight can.
Cal Will Ride Creatures In Jedi: Survivor
The Star Wars Jedi: Survivor Game Awards 2022 trailer also featured brief images of Cal riding on the backs of various creatures, and Respawn Game Director Stig Asmussen recently confirmed via GamesRadar that Jedi: Survivor will have mounts and fast travel. Star Wars has no shortage of memorable and unique creatures, and the more domesticated of them have indeed served as mounts for heroes like Han Solo or Fin. While the explosive Jedi: Survivor trailer only showed Cal taming a couple of beasts, many more could be waiting for players to ride when the game launches.
Tauntauns Are A Natural Choice For Jedi: Survivor's Mounts
Immediately recognizalbe is the furry and bipedal Tauntauns, featured as mounts for the Rebel Alliance on the icy planet Hoth in Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back. More specifically, Han Solo rode one to search for Luke Skywalker after the latter was attacked by a monstrous Wompa - which will be one of Jedi: Survivor’s enemy types.
While Cal hasn’t been shown on any kind of ice planet in Jedi: Survivor so far, a Tauntaun would be an ideal choice of ride should he find himself braving such a frozen wasteland.
Jedi: Survivor Could Feature Banthas
Banthas are another staple of the Star Wars franchise, as these buffalo-like beasts are the mount of choice for the tribal Tusken Raiders on the desert world of Tatooine. They have been featured in several of Star Wars' most essential video games, and players could even ride them in the later LEGO Star Wars titles. The Jedi: Survivor trailer contains multiple scenes of Cal on some sort of desert planet, and if players do return to the iconic Tatooine then there’s a chance that Cal could tame a mighty Bantha for his own travels.
Cal Could Ride A Varactyl In Jedi: Survivor
The nimble and reptilian Varactyl is native to the planet of Utapau, which just so happens to be the native homeworld of Jedi: Survivor’s Imperial Senator villain. Obi-Wan Kenobi once rode a loyal Varactyl named Boga to chase down General Grievous in Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith - a scene that was recently recreated in LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga's adapted plot. History could repeat itself in Jedi: Survivor, and the Varactyl’s ability to climb the walls of Utapau’s underground caverns might be useful for Cal in his travels.
The Shyyyo Bird Might Return In Jedi: Survivor
A relatively new addition to the sprawling Star Wars lore, the high-flying Shyyyo Bird is a rare and mystical creature of the Wookie homeworld Kashyyyk. Cal actually traveled to Kashyyyk in Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, and even rode on the back of a Shyyyo Bird to reach the top of the sacred Origin Tree. While the bird itself proved to be a valuable ally to Cal during his time on Kashyyyk, players only got to ride on its back briefly. Star Wars Jedi: Survivor can give players full control of this ancient avian as a means to explore the forest world should it make another appearance.
Sources: GamesRadar, EA Star Wars/YouTube