As a fan of the Star Wars movie universe, I always dreamed of an open-world game that captures the magic of the films. Star Wars Outlaws brings this dream to life, offering a stunning open world where you can explore, uncover secrets, and live the adventure of your own story. It’s everything you love about the Star Wars universe in one game.

About the Game

Star Wars Outlaws is an open-world game published by Ubisoft and developed by Massive, the studio behind The Division. The game lets you live the life of a fugitive in the Star Wars universe, offering complete freedom. The story follows Kay Vess, a young thief and con artist assembling a team for a major heist to pay off a criminal syndicate. Played from a third-person perspective, the game allows players to freely explore the open world and engage in various activities.

Star Wars Outlaws is the first open-world game in the franchise, featuring an original story set in the criminal underworld during the original trilogy, specifically between Episodes V and VI. The game launches on August 30, 2024, for PlayStation 5, Windows, and Xbox Series X/S.

Story and Characters

The story centers on Kay Vess and her salamander-like companion, Nix, as they try to survive in a crime-ridden galaxy. Kay is a quick-witted but inexperienced thief who finds herself entangled in a massive heist on the Outer Rim. Alongside Kay, you’ll meet key characters like the combat droid ND-5, the scheming gang leader Qi’ra of the Crimson Dawn, and iconic Star Wars characters like Jabba the Hutt.

The story is set between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, a period where the criminal underworld thrives as the Empire focuses on the Rebel Alliance. This setting adds depth and intrigue, letting players influence factions and the balance of power in the galaxy. The main storyline is filled with surprises and conspiracies, keeping players engaged throughout.

Gameplay and Combat

Star Wars Outlaws is a third-person action-adventure game focusing on exploration, stealth, platforming, and combat. The gameplay feels similar to Uncharted, with a mix of puzzle-solving, lockpicking, and hacking. You’re equipped with a customizable Blaster and supported by Nix, who can assist in combat, distract enemies, and fetch items.

The game emphasizes stealth, encouraging players to eliminate enemies silently or bypass them altogether. Tools like the Blaster’s tranquilizer feature and Nix’s abilities, such as disabling alarms, help players remain undetected. However, the restrictive focus on the Blaster as your primary weapon limits your ability to fully enjoy Star Wars’ iconic arsenal.

Players can unlock unique skills for Kay, such as faking surrender to ambush enemies or performing cinematic slow-motion attacks. These abilities enhance gameplay but don’t drastically change the experience, maintaining Kay’s identity as a vulnerable thief.

Spaceship Navigation and Combat

Star Wars Outlaws offers seamless spaceship navigation and combat. While the game lacks the vast exploration of Starfield, it provides four detailed solar systems, each with a planet to explore. Space around each planet is fully navigable, featuring combat missions and hidden discoveries.

While spaceship battles lack depth and challenge, the developers cleverly integrate loading screens as part of the gameplay, maintaining immersion.

Mission Design and Progression

The game’s mission structure emphasizes stealth and exploration, with creative puzzles and a reputation system involving four factions. Your choices influence relationships, granting benefits like discounts or access to faction locations, while poor relations lead to retaliation.

Open World Design

The open world is the highlight of Star Wars Outlaws, featuring a lively and immersive environment. Side missions are organically discovered, adding variety and encouraging exploration. The speeder bike offers freedom to traverse and discover hidden treasures across the map.

Technical Performance

The game’s visuals are breathtaking, especially the landscapes and space environments. However, facial models are underwhelming, and some technical issues, like delayed inputs, hinder gameplay. These problems can likely be resolved with future updates.

Final Thoughts

Star Wars Outlaws is an exceptional open-world experience that immerses players in the Star Wars universe. Despite outdated gameplay mechanics and minor technical issues, it’s a must-play for fans of the franchise.

Final Score: 8/10