Star Wars: Outlaws takes you on an adventure through the galaxy’s seedy underbelly, featuring bounty hunters, smugglers, and the iconic Syndicates.
For die-hard Star Wars fans, prepare to crisscross paths with stormtroopers and even Jabba the Hutt. But if you’re just an average gamer, it’s essentially another open-world video game with familiar promises.
Ubisoft’s first foray into the Star Wars universe isn’t revolutionary, but it creatively incorporates the franchise’s classic elements without excessive fan service. It lifts quality mechanics from other games and melds them seamlessly, albeit with some faulty parts. It’s efficient, timely, but not entirely original.
Outlaws is set between the end of The Empire Strikes Back and the beginning of Return of the Jedi. Kay Vess, our protagonist, starts her journey on Canto Bight, the casino planet from The Last Jedi. It’s a novel setting that adds depth, though Kay’s character doesn’t evolve beyond being a typical down-on-her-luck smuggler with a cute pet.
That pet, Nix, does add some fun to the game, contributing to combat and stealth in valuable ways. Gameplay mechanics lean heavily on stealth and third-person shooting, reminiscent of Watch Dogs. Nix, our furry sidekick, can create distractions, steal from enemies, and interact with the environment, bringing fresh tactics to repetitive combat encounters.
As the game progresses, it offers a more open-world experience on the planet Toshara. There, players engage in mini-games like sabaac, visit cantinas, and take on missions for different factions like the Pykes, Hutts, and Crimson Dawn. This faction system adds layers to gameplay, requiring players to balance relationships meticulously over the course of the thirty-hour campaign.
Character depth, on the other hand, feels somewhat neglected. Compared to EA’s Jedi: Survivor, narrative takes a backseat to exploration and action. Expert NPCs you meet along the way shine brighter than the main characters and offer rewarding side missions that unlock new skills.
However, the game grapples with the repetitive crafting mechanic found in many games today. Still, it manages to keep the in-game economy balanced. Each planet you visit feels visually distinct but functionally similar, often repeating the same types of mini-games and vendor interactions.
Space combat and exploration act as extensions of the planet-based activities. Outlaws isn’t aiming for the scale of Starfield or No Man’s Sky but offers entertaining, albeit predictable, galactic dogfights and space exploration.
Overall, Star Wars: Outlaws conveys the essence of the Star Wars universe without crutches like Skywalker cameos or lightsabers. Though it doesn’t reinvent the wheel and has its share of open-world design issues, it’s hard to overlook its appeal for Star Wars enthusiasts.