Star Wars Outlaws is poised to deliver a fresh and engaging experience for Star Wars fans and newcomers alike. Its focus on the criminal underworld offers a unique perspective within the franchise, and the open-world design promises a lot of exploration and freedom. The challenge of maintaining narrative momentum in such a vast open world is crucial to its overall success. In regards to whether or not Massive Entertainment was able to strike that balance, I can happily report that they have taken this journey to heart and made it one of the most immersive journeys in the universe of Star Wars.
Gameplay-wise, Star Wars Outlaws offers a compelling mix of action, stealth, and exploration. The game’s open-world design is expansive, featuring multiple planets with diverse environments, from bustling marketplaces to desolate frozen wastelands. The sense of freedom is richer than ever, with the ability to explore these worlds and interact with their inhabitants, adding depth to the experience in ways that past games in the franchise have not been able to achieve.
The moment-to-moment gameplay in Star Wars Outlaws is where the game shines. Between blaster fights and utilizing Nix to aid in sneaking around or using his abilities in tandem with specific blaster upgrades, it keeps exploration interesting by allowing the player to uncover different uses for both Nix and Kays’ blaster.
In the open world of Star Wars Outlaws, using your Speeder bike to traverse the vast landscapes of Star Wars Outlaws is essential. However, this brings me to my first point of contention: I was incredibly excited to finally go hands-on with the bike and experience the thrill of speeding around the world. Unfortunately, the Speeder bike handles very poorly, which is quite immersion-breaking. Additionally, it’s frustrating that you can only shoot from the bike when your adrenaline is full. The number of times I had factions sending agents after me, only to be forced to wait for my adrenaline to fill before I could take them down, was nothing short of disheartening.
“Star Wars Outlaws is poised to deliver a fresh and engaging experience for Star Wars fans and newcomers alike.”
Piloting the Trailblazer, on the other hand, after the initial tutorial and after getting some more time in, eventually felt good to control. The biggest downside to space exploration is a lot of emptiness in space. At times, it felt like I would fly for minutes without anything happening; with so much space between points of interest, it felt prolonged. But it was incredibly fun once I got into the thick of it and was attacked by other pirates searching for specific cargo.
In my earlier previews of Star Wars Outlaws, I noted that the parkour and gunplay felt somewhat lacking. I’m pleased to report that the gunplay has significantly improved, making it much more satisfying. As you upgrade your equipment, the progression might not always be immediately noticeable, but over time, you’ll see how your enhanced arsenal boosts your capabilities. Picking up weapons dropped by enemies and using them against them adds an enjoyable and strategic element, especially when you acquire heavier weapons like the Gatling gun with a shield attachment, which fits perfectly with the scoundrel-themed story at the heart of Star Wars Outlaws.
“Star Wars Outlaws offers a wealth of side content, ranging from side missions and item gathering to tracking down targets.”
However, the parkour mechanics in Star Wars Outlaws still leave something to be desired. There are specific sections where swinging feels particularly awkward. You might sometimes find yourself unpredictably jumping off mid-swing, with the character either leaping backward or veering off to the side. This inconsistency led to multiple instances where I was sent back to a checkpoint—thankfully not too far back—forcing me to try again.
Star Wars Outlaws offers a wealth of side content, ranging from side missions and item gathering to tracking down targets. You can even intimidate civilians to improve your standing with certain factions, such as the Hutt Cartel. This abundance of activities led me to lose myself and become deeply immersed in the game world.
I spent about 15 hours on the first planet alone in Star Wars Outlaws, exploring every corner, collecting optional treasures, completing quests, and engaging in numerous Sabacc games. Let me tell you, Sabacc is incredibly addictive; I often lost track of time playing it. By the end of the game, I found myself seeking out Sabacc tables as soon as I landed on new planets, refusing to leave until I had won all the available rewards, like new Prime cards and trinkets.
Star Wars Outlaws centers on Kay Vess and her partner, Nix, as they attempt to pull off a high-stakes heist against a formidable crime lord. Beginning with a backstab of the highest level. The overarching narrative revolves around clearing Kay’s name and securing a massive bounty, culminating in what is billed as the grandest vault heist in Star Wars history. Throughout the journey, players gain deep insights into Kay and Nix’s personal dynamics and their interactions with various NPCs, with Nix serving as Kay’s loyal and invaluable companion and, at times, being the only one she can truly trust.
The game features an intriguing reputation system that affects how players interact with different factions, such as the Hutt Cartel, the Crimson Dawn, and the Ashiga. Your choices and missions influence your standing with these factions, which in turn impacts what you can access and how the story unfolds. Although I primarily aligned with the Hutts, my experience might differ from others, as the reputation system allows for a wide range of choices and outcomes. This variability ensures that each playthrough can offer a unique experience, depending on how you navigate conversations and decisions.
By the time I reached the end of Kay Vess’s story, I found myself more invested in the game world than I initially expected. A pivotal moment occurred after visiting the second planet, solidifying my anticipation to see how the story would evolve. As you progress to different planets, you assemble key members for your heist team—such as a gunsmith, a vault cracker, and a heavy weapons expert. The game unfolds like an exhilarating action heist movie, making the experience both engaging and memorable.
“Despite its issues, I still had a great time with the game.”
That said, Star Wars Outlaws has its fair share of bugs. I encountered several issues, such as quests not activating, essential NPCs not appearing, and certain objects not being collectible, all of which frequently disrupted my experience. At one point during my review, I had to completely uninstall and reinstall the game to resolve a bug, which fortunately allowed a crucial quest-specific NPC to appear. Additionally, I noticed problems with lighting; environments would sometimes pop in and out, or lighting would flicker, making visibility challenging. Often, a slight adjustment of the camera would restore clarity, but these graphical inconsistencies were frequent.
Despite these issues, I still had a great time with the game. It’s disappointing because I would have loved to declare Star Wars Outlaws the be-all and end-all Star Wars game, as it genuinely immerses players in the scoundrel lifestyle we’ve all dreamed about in the Star Wars universe. But, in its current state, there are just too many issues with it. Even though the game is plagued by bugs, I thoroughly enjoyed my experience.
Star Wars Outlaws offers an incredible journey with highly addictive gameplay and engaging mini-games, allowing players to immerse themselves in a Star Wars world that feels both unique and familiar. For instance, landing on Tatooine felt like coming home in a way I hadn’t experienced in a video game for a long time.
Visiting the Mos Eisley Cantina and seeing where Han and Greedo once sat, complete with NPCs commenting on the “cursed seat,” was a memorable moment. The game is rich with such details, and the music enhances the immersion beautifully. While the graphical and quest-related issues do detract from the experience, they don’t overshadow the fun I had. I’m excited to dive back in and explore this fascinating world more.
