As a seasoned gamer with a soft spot for both Star Wars and open-world adventures, I found myself drawn to the alluring world of Outlaws. The visual spectacle was undeniably impressive, and the cinematics were nothing short of breathtaking. However, as much as I enjoyed cruising around on my speeder, the exploration outside of populated areas felt a bit lackluster.
Admittedly, my Star Wars fandom isn’t as extensive as some others. I’ve missed out on several of the latest films, every series, and most video games before finishing them. However, upon watching the trailers for Star Wars Outlaws, there was an unusual allure that caught my interest. It had a distinct feel to it that intrigued me. After playing through the entire game, I’m pleased to share that Outlaws is a blast from beginning to end.
Kay Vess, huh?
In the opening, “Outlaws” is reminiscent of contemporary games like Assassin’s Creed or Far Cry. You control Kay Vess, stranded on the planet Cantonica alongside your Merqaal ally Nix, who is both endearing and resourceful. The duo embarks on a journey to depart from Cantonica and traverse the cosmos. Initially, they aim to plunder from the malevolent syndicate boss residing in a neighboring palace. As expected, things go awry, but Kay Vess manages to abscond with the syndicate leader’s vessel, the Trailblazer, eventually crashing on Toshara.
At this stage, there’s a bit more freedom, but you’re not yet allowed unrestricted access to traverse different worlds. First, you need to accomplish various tasks that will enable you to repair the Trailblazer with a hyperdrive, allowing travel to other planets. Meanwhile, Toshara is open for exploration and offers numerous quests and activities for you to engage in.
Uncharted territory
During the initial stages of play, I truly began to grasp the style that Outlaws would offer in terms of gameplay. It offers a blend of stealth and intense combat using Blasters, and there’s generally a lot of freedom in deciding how to tackle most missions. While there are some mandatory stealth sections, you’re largely free to play according to your preferences. Initially, I employed stealth strategies, but found myself growing weary of the constant sneaking and the extended time needed to complete objectives. Before long, I became more comfortable with Kay’s Blaster and Nix’s abilities, and whenever the game provided an opportunity for gunfights, that was my preferred approach. On occasion, Outlaws reminded me of an Uncharted-like experience, with plenty of parkour challenges, environmental puzzles, and discoveries of interesting locations to fill in between battles.
Despite its unique feel reminiscent of Uncharted, Outlaws is undeniably a Star Wars game at heart. It delivers all the classic elements such as space combat against TIE fighters, intense skirmishes with Stormtroopers, encounters with characters like Jabba, and unexpected surprises for eager fans. What truly stands out, however, is its versatility – Outlaws offers an enjoyable experience whether you’re a die-hard fan or simply seeking entertainment. It masterfully captures the essence of being an underworld outlaw, providing you with the opportunity to build an unforgettable crew for your adventure, all while maintaining that essential blend of fun and excitement.
A lot to take in
It’s easy to be overwhelmed with all that’s going on when things start to open up and you can explore different planets with the Trailblazer. You’ve got a faction reputation system that lets you pick and choose whose good graces you’ll be in, and who will hunt you down for working against them. I loved this system, and most of the quests that involved factions gave me a choice in how to navigate those relationships the way I wanted. Depending on how a faction feels about you, they will either let you walk right into their base, or consider you a trespasser. Their vendors will also give you better deals if they like you, and even give you access to their restricted stocks.
Each planet also consists of a large city that will usually be home to one of the factions and filled with things to do. You have gambling opportunities, arcade games to play, treasures to find, and more side quests than you can hold in a duffle bag. You can even play a little food minigame with Nix to earn buffs for use during gameplay. These cities are where Outlaws feels most alive, and each has a different yet equally gorgeous vibe. For years now, Ubisoft has been showing off with the graphical prowess of its games, and this is no exception. The cinematics are particularly gorgeous.
The dark side
Discussing “Outlaws” as an open-world game is a tricky topic. While I appreciate the freedom to roam at will, I found that exploring areas outside of major population centers lacked depth for me. There are a few towns on each planet beyond the main city, or some Imperial bases to interact with, but the overall sense of discovery and awe that usually compels me to explore every corner was lacking. I’m curious about what hardcore Star Wars fans think, but personally, I believe this open world falls far short of the best in its category. However, I did enjoy zipping around on my speeder; it’s just not the open world that makes “Outlaws” stand out.
In my playthrough, I mainly focused on completing the main tasks and optional missions. However, I found that the game became somewhat monotonous as I repeatedly had to sneak through air ducts or stick to objectives that prevented me from triggering alarms. There were instances where I failed these objectives multiple times, which made me tired of having to restart at the beginning of large rooms where I needed to be stealthy again. But what kept me going during these slow moments was Nix. Not only is Nix cute, but his abilities can significantly aid you in both stealth and combat situations. This little guy can disable alarms, explode barrels, steal items from enemies, fetch objects, and much more. He’s a vital part of Kay’s adventure, and I grew quite attached to their relationship.
Ultimately, I didn’t find myself enjoying the spaceship fights in Outlaws, despite my initial enthusiasm. I hoped to adore them, yet they never quite lived up to my expectations. There were only a handful of space battles throughout the main storyline, and it seemed like Massive Entertainment had saved the most exciting ones for last. However, in general, dogfighting against TIE fighters didn’t provide the thrill I was seeking. I can’t quite put my finger on why, whether it was the lack of a first-person view or the controls, but something just felt amiss. The sound effects of those space battles were phenomenal, yet I found these confrontations to be awkward and frustrating instead.
Worth the trip
The game, Outlaws, shines most when it immerses you in its narrative. From the get-go, I found myself hooked on characters Kay and Nix, enjoying every step of their adventure alongside them. I didn’t rush through any scenes or skip cinematic moments, and even as a casual Star Wars fan, I must commend Massive Entertainment for their work. While there were instances where the gameplay felt repetitive, engaging in combat with my Blaster, scaling walls, grappling across gaps, and taking down enemies was consistently enjoyable. Solving puzzles with Nix or sneaking past areas was a delight. Having completed the story, I’m unsure if I’ll spend much time exploring the open world, but Outlaws has been so well-crafted that it has sparked my interest in checking out related movies and TV shows I had previously overlooked. In essence, I can’t think of a higher compliment for the game’s story.
As a gaming enthusiast, I’m thrilled to share that I’ll be diving into Star Wars Outlaws on August 30, 2024! This epic adventure will be accessible across PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S. In preparation for my review, a digital download code was generously provided by the publisher. Can’t wait to explore the galaxy far, far away!
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2024-08-26 15:28