Summary
Ubisoft and Massive Entertainment’sStar Wars Outlawssets out to be a different kind ofStar Warsgaming adventure, focusing on the criminal underworld for the vast majority of its story through the eyes of the scoundrel Kay Vess. Kay is an entirely new character inStar Warscanon who is a native of the gambling city Canto Bight on the planet Cantonica, and the main focus of the game is to navigate the different syndicates of the Outer Rim, building her reputation while being hunted by the Zerek Besh.
The story takes place between the events ofThe Empire Strikes BackandReturn of the Jedi, as the Galactic Civil War is well underway. As a result, the criminal underworld is thriving as the Empire is focused on the growing Rebel forces, and the main syndicates seize this opportunity, offering players the chance to dive into a different part of this world during akey time inStar Warshistory.
Star Wars Outlaws
Star Wars Outlaws is a refreshing and enjoyable look at the seedier side of the galaxy.
Star Wars Outlaws' Story Has References To Other Star Wars Lore
But Its Focus Is Primarily On Kay Vess' Scoundrel Journey
There areplenty ofStar Warsreferencesto wider goings-on in the universe for fans to appreciate inOutlaws. For example, Jabba has the Carbonite entombed Han Solo in his palace already, there are references to Qi’ra and the Crimson Dawn’s part in the Syndicate Wars from theCrimson Reigncomics, and there are somemajor reveals later in the game that further tie into the comics. However, this is still primarily Kay Vess' story.
The main premise ofOutlawsis that the leader of the Zerek Besh, Sliro, puts a Death Mark on Kay following a failed heist, and she gets offered a job by the mysterious Jaylen to steal 157 million credits in unmarked beskar ingots and get a clean slate. For the most part,it is a relatively straightforward heist movie set-up full of plot twists and shifting allegiances, and the saying about “honor among thieves” is very present here.
Following this job offer, most of the main story consists of flying between planets, upgrading Kay’s gear, and recruiting a crew of different skilled individuals, from explosive experts to droidmasters. Unfortunately, while the opening on Canto Bight was action-packed, I felt the game’s story slowed down somewhat in this section. While the missions were fun and engaging,there were a lot of moments in between that involved needing to travel somewhere for unlocks or upgrades that broke up this pacing. Then, after the “Point of No Return” notice, the story really picks back up, with a barrage of major character reveals, twists, and turns all coming in quick succession in the game’s final moments.
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With the reveal of Star Wars Outlaws' new story trailer, a better look has been provided at some of the characters Kay Vess will be interacting with.
Star Wars Outlaws' Gameplay Draws From Ubisoft’s Back Catalog
With Elements From Splinter Cell To The Division
One thing I did feel when playingStar Wars Outlawswas thatthe “Ubisoft DNA” was very present throughout. While most would have assumed this would be from other massive open-world titles, it actually pulls from far more franchises in Ubisoft’s back catalog.
Somewhat unsurprisingly,one thing that’s immediately noticeable is the gunplay, which has the snappiness of Massive Entertainment’s previous series,The Division, albeit mixed in with that of the non-UbisoftUnchartedseries as players dive in and out of cover as they take out their enemies. While it is possible to play most of the game just using Kay’s blaster, there is the option to pick up a variety of other weapons from fallen enemies, although these can’t be kept afterward.
Elements fromAssassin’s Creed’s stealth appear, as Kay can hide in tall plants, with clouds of steam from vents filling the same purpose inside more industrial areas.
However, Kay may be good with a blaster - her “Adrenaline ability” resemblesSplinter Cell ConvictionandBlacklist’s “Mark & Execute” ability - but she and Nix are mostly on their own, and as a thief,stealth-based gameplay is often highly encouraged or compulsorythrough many key missions. Using Kay’s Electrobinoculars - which work similarly toFar Cry’s binoculars - to plan ahead is a great way to navigate these situations.
Elements fromAssassin’s Creed’s stealth appear, as Kay can hide in tall plants, with clouds of steam from vents filling the same purpose inside more industrial areas.Kay’s adorable Merqaal companion, Nix, is also invaluable, as he can take on a similar role toWatch Dogs' hacking, being able to open doors or deactivate alarms from afar while also serving other functions such as pick-pocketing, fetching out-of-reach items, or aiding in stunning or distracting enemies so Kay can deliver a takedown.
Kay is a skilled Slicer, and this is depicted through a rhythm-based lockpicking minigame with her data spike and aWordle-esque mini-game for Slicing computers. While these can be fun, there can also be times when they can be infuriating, particularly the former for those who aren’t accustomed to rhythm-based games, and both can be toggled off in the menu.
In a particularly notable sequence in which Nix is not present, it truly does feel like Kay is missing a huge part of herwith how many gameplay features aren’t available. Stealth and smarts combine to make perfect sense for Kay’s character and her story.
As for the Syndicate alliances, I found this felt similar toSplinter Cell Double Agent, where you’re constantly juggling a sliding scale of trust and reputation, and favoring one side will negatively impact another. In my playthrough, I was curious to learn more about the Crimson Dawn during this time, having read the comics, soI got an “Excellent” reputation with them. Unfortunately, some of my other actions meant I mostly neglected the Pykes, and I had the lowest possible rank with them, with them sending out death squads.
I don’t think it’s possible to find a perfect balance between all four syndicates, so it’s best to plan ahead and figure out which new areas and fast travel points may prove to be beneficial or which cosmetics for Kay and her blaster are more desirable.
Something that satisfied me was how Kay’s progression wasn’t locked behind skill trees, as it often is in many past Ubisoft titles. Instead, Kay becomes more skilled by pulling off feats such as defeating enemies in a certain way or using Nix to complete certain actions as she goes about her adventure, which feels like a more organic way to tailor the game to a play style.
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Kay’s Vehicles Are Satisfying To Control
With Plenty Of Upgrades Available To Tinker With
On-foot traversal is very similar toUncharted. Kay isn’t usingAssassin’s Creed-esque parkour to get around, but she can climb ledges and specific surfaces, which are marked by the classic game trope of yellow paint, although this can be toggled off. However, the main way Kay gets around the open world is by using her two vehicles.
Kay can’t drive any vehicle in the open world, but she can summon her Speeder at any time and can fly between planets using her starship, The Trailblazer. While I did previously mention thatfinding compulsory upgrades for these did slow down the story at times, being able to upgrade them through mechanics and vendors using parts gathered can make for an extremely satisfying experience as the vehicles get better steering, more power, or become more durable.
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The first time Kay uses her speeder, you can feel the mechanisms behind it. It is great fun to pull off stunt jumps and other feats when traversing the different planets' terrain, and players will spend a lot of time with this vehicle. However,the main star of the show is The Trailblazer, which handles so smoothly in space combat. It features intuitive lock-on systems for shooting and smooth maneuverability. It’s extremely easy to get to grips with, and before you know it, you’ll be taking out whole groups of TIE fighters with ease.
Star Wars Outlaws' Open Worlds Are Rich With Detail
From New Creations To Franchise Classics
If there’s one thing Ubisoft has become known for over the years, it’s large open-worlds. While some titles such asAssassin’s Creed Odysseyhave been criticized for being too big, this never felt like the case inStar Wars Outlaws, which is broken down into different planets, each with their own unique biomes.Massive Entertainment has also faithfully recreatediconic locations such as Tatooine, providing perhaps the most detailed version of the Backwater planet seen in gaming to datethrough its collaboration with Lucasfilm. However, the savannah moon of Toshara is the star, as players will be spending a lot of time in this location throughout the story.
Traveling into space and between planets does feel like a more pared-back version of Starfield’s “points of interest” system - there arefive hand-crafted planetsinStar Wars Outlawscompared to the hundreds of procedurally generated ones inStarfield -but without that title’s infuriating static loading screens.The whole traversal process is a far more fluid and seamless experience, and even though it’s clear that these moments are masking loading screens, it feels far more satisfying aesthetically.
My main issue, however, was that during the main campaign, the’open-world' doesn’t feel so open.
There’s plenty to see and do while just exploring the open world, from visiting vendors, to gambling on Fathier racing, to sharing a meal with Nix. My main issue, however, was that during the main campaign, the “open-world” doesn’t feel so open, as Kay is often restricted to a particular planet due to needing to add components to her ship on Toshara or a lockdown being enforced by Jabba on Tatooine.It’s only once the main story has ended that the game fully opens up with the pure freedom many were likely expecting going in.
Final Thoughts & Review Score
4/5 - “Excellent” By Screen Rant’s Scoring Metric
Star Wars Outlawsfeels like a new perspective on theStar Warsuniverse, feeling far grimier as it depicts a world full of scum and villainy. I noticed this from the opening moments in Canto Bight, where Kay goes through dive bars and gambling parlors. While this side had been shown in other media, this was the first time it really felt like we were truly immersed in it.
WhileStar Wars Outlawsdoes have its pacing issues and there are moments where it feels restrictive, for the most part, it is still an enjoyable open-world experience to dive into. It’s definitely one of the more in-depth insights into and excellent explorations of the scoundrel side. How Kay Vess' story plays into the wider franchise is yet to be seen, but with some major revelations in the final part of the game, there are bound to be some exciting consequences going forward from this excellent first adventure.
Screen Rantwas provided with a PlayStation 5 code ofStar Wars Outlaws' Ultimate Edition for the purpose of this review.
Set between the events of The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, Star Wars Outlaws is an open-world action-adventure game where players hop into the scoundrel boots of Kay Vess, a woman who travels the galaxy Looking for a better life. Together with her furry partner Nix and new allies she meets along the way, Kay will navigate the various landscapes, towns, and planets across the galaxy while outsmarting both Crime Syndicates and the Empire.
