Star Wars Outlaws is the new Star Wars game but this time things are different since it is a UBI Soft game, not EA. The game is developed by the developers of The Division which is also my favorite looter shooter. Even though it has been developed by Massive, it is still a single-player open-world experience and not a live service game. It is a new adventure that explores a different side of the Star Wars universe. It is a side that goes beyond Jedi Knights, family drama, and lightsabers. The game is all about living a life of the Outlaws with adventure and crime.
If you are expecting over-the-top Star Wars then it might not be it. The game is ok in my opinion. I am not a Star Wars fan but I don’t hate it either so it might be my biases at play. It’s not that it is bad, it is good but there are things that it could have done better. I do like Star Wars games and the last were bangers. It does not reach the level of some previous games but it is good.
If you don’t like Star Wars games or have a negative perception regarding the game then you won’t like this one. If you go in and looking for adventure then it can be good. Knowing that it is a UBI Soft game and expecting a decent adventure is the type of mindset that will set the vibe. The game has a beautifully built world but it has repetitive stealth and combat. It brings us to the question Is Star Wars Outlaws worth It? Let’s find out.
Story
Players will play as Kay Vess, a messy young woman who is scamming people all around until she takes a big heist job. That sequence of the game has an uncharted kind of feeling. It goes wrong and then she steals a ship to escape to another planet. She ends up on the run and getting in trouble with different criminal gangs.
You start from the open world of the planet Toshara. After a few hours, Star Wars Outlaws gives you multiple quests and side quests on other planets. You are then given the freedom to get into your ships and go to orbit. There is the option to explore the orbit or go to other planets and do more missions. On the planets, you explore different towns, cities, hubs, and interiors while also talking to people to take jobs. Deal with brokers, explore, and things like that.
The Details
The level of detail in cities, areas, and interiors the game offers is the best part of the game. It feels good to run around in this environment and the game nails that Star Wars feeling. It is fun finding the criminal layer, betting on races, or cheating. That is when the game is at its best. It shows how much effort the developer Massive has put into Star Wars Outlaws. Seeing R3 units passing by, stormtroopers harassing someone. It is rare to see this level of fidelity.
The thing is that this fidelity is not too interactive. It is visually varied but players rarely get a chance to interact with it. It feels good when you are going through crowded marketplaces or taverns. You can’t interact with them while going through a crowd. You can’t bump into them, harass or do any type of interaction.
In the open areas outside, you do a lot of stuff and create chaos. There are races, speeder bike chases, heists, battles that pop up, and shootouts among other things. Star Wars Outlaws does a good job of not making it feel overwhelming from the get-go. Unlike other UBI Soft titles, it’s not a game filled with bases and towers to take over. There is stuff like that but it is not that extensive. There are wide spaces that make the world seem bigger even if a lot of them are big hallways. It works with what the Star Wars Outlaws is trying to portray.
Kay Vess’s face is pretty lifeless even if her voice acting is good. Her stiff facial animation just doesn’t support that good voice acting.
Exploration
Going around on your speeder is fun. You can drift around at speed and it has a speedy feeling to it. The speeder is upgradeable and upgrades can have a major impact on its performance. Upgrades can increase acceleration, add a small jump, a boost, and more in Star Wars Outlaws.
The big open-world maps are divided into territories that are controlled by different factions such as the Empire and other criminal groups. That’s when the faction meter comes into play. There is a meter for all criminal factions that shows favorability on different levels. They might hate you, like you, or be neutral, and things like that. These meters constantly change based on the decisions you make. Every time you trespass, side missions, every main mission, and every time you even hit someone. Basically, you will be doing something that makes someone happy and someone else angry.
Some enemies will shoot you on sight while others will welcome you and you can go right into their base and district. You will get better rates from vendors there and even get cool rewards as you rank in the faction in Star Wars Outlaws. It is more than choosing one or the other in a cut scene since many decision leads up to a result. The integration of these factions in the city is good from a level design perspective.
Some districts are unique to a faction. Such places can be inside the city or on the outskirts of the city. If the faction meter is positive then you can just walk right in. If not then you have to find another way which usually results in stealth and shootouts. It is creative and good.
Combat and Stealth
Encounters start with scanning location with binoculars sneaking in, and taking a bad guy out, you will get spotted and then the shootout will start. It is straightforward shooting running, gunning, crouching, taking cover, sliding, and using your weapon. The shooting is good with decent feedback and sound effects.
More firing modes for your blaster will unlock with upgrades. So it becomes better as you progress. You can also pick up weapons in the field. These weapons are highly disposable. You just pick it up use it and drop it. There is no concept of carrying the weapon with you in Star Wars Outlaws. Blaster is your main weapon and that’s it. Blaster is good but the weapons you pick up are better. Even a Stormtropper’s normal weapon feels good to shoot.
Stealth is not complicated but it is effective. Enemies will investigate the kills, there are multiple ways to distract enemies with your little buddy. It is simple and good enough stealth at least for an open-world game. After 8 or 10 hours into the game, it starts to feel repetitive and simple. As you progress you get more stealth abilities like smoke bombs, and multiple ways to use stealth to take down enemies.
The tools you start with feel limited after a while. Relying on the same trick over and over can be frustrating. There are some stealth sections that are forced. You have no choice but to use stealth and avoid detection. If you are spotted the mission instantly fails. If you are a player like me then you won’t like it.
It is Good Enough
You can climb, run, swim, jump, and swing on the rope just like Nathan Drake from Uncharted it’s not as fluid as those games. Even the areas where you fight don’t offer such fluidity. It all comes to the simple conclusion that the combat and stealth of Star Wars Outlaws are ok. It is satisfying enough yet simple.
Ship Fights
Space travel is done well, it is simple and all you have to do is get in orbit. There will be a lot of things for you to do in the orbit. Attacking enemies or fighting neutral factions. Scan, discover, and do side missions. The ship can be fully upgraded to make, it fast, make it resilient, or make your weapons more powerful. It does not exactly change your ship in any way other than providing a buff. It’s not like many were expecting it to have Starfield-like customization. Space fights are not boring so there is that.
Progression
The progression system of the game is interesting. The upgrade and abilities of your character rely on other people. People you meet throughout the game will unlock abilities acting as a skill tree. There is one upgrade in the game that lets you get upgrades for your speeder bike quickly. Collect some items and then use them to upgrade a specific part of the speeder or do a big jump to unlock another upgrade and things like that.
There is a variety to the skill tree like carrying capacity, and some abilities to use in stealth and in combat in Star Wars Outlaws. It gives you options, like having the option to talk your way out of a situation or a smoke bomb.
The gear system is simple and there are no complications to it. There is a small blaster upgrade but there are not enough good updates because updates are mostly cosmetics but sometimes they do give a boost. The outfits especially some of the faction outfits look cool. A little more customization and collecting stuff would have been better. Most of the time it’s about looting random things and then getting out. The game can take you up to 40 hours and depending on how much side content you do you can spend way more time.
Verdict (Is Star Wars Outlaws Worth It)
The world, graphics, and art design of the game look cool. The graphics of the game are good and can be quite a looker if you ask me. It does satisfy the dream of living in a Star Wars world. Star Wars Outlaws has a Star Wars factor. How much you like a story will depend on the type of person you are. It has moments especially the relation of Kay Vess with her companions. It is a good adventure but it might not stay in the memory for long. Little stuff like finding things and figuring out stuff while exploring is when the game is at its best.
Star Wars Outlaws has beautifully built worlds to explore. At the same time, it has repeatable stealth and combat. It is not a bad game by any means but it just depends on how you are approaching the game. There is some fun to be had in both the game’s combat and overall experience. From exploring the wilderness to exploring the city all offer some fun. It is good for players looking for a Star Wars open-world game and embrace the game even if it has flaws. It is recommended for players who are fans of Star Wars. So what are your thoughts on Is Star Wars Outlaws Worth It? Let us know in the comments.
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