Star Wars Outlaws Review

I remember when the Star Wars franchise was quite limited in its output. We had the films of course, but then it all changed with the announcement of a new trilogy, nearly bringing the internet to a halt. 

Game-wise it has been quite staggered as well; a few good games here and there, nothing more, nothing less. But that switched when Disney acquired the franchise and now we have more Star Wars than we could ever have dreamed of. Maybe too much? I’m not sure. 

What is sure is that Ubisoft feel like a perfect fit for an open-world Star Wars adventure. Let us see if the force is strong with Star Wars Outlaws. 

I guess that most fans of the Star Wars saga will have loved the character of Han Solo; the rogue with a smile, someone who was always looking for an angle but came with a heart of gold to match. Ubisoft uses that as a loose template with a tale of a thief and chancer in the character of Kay Vess. We meet her at the start of the game as a heist goes wrong, and she’s left stealing a starship and landing on the moon of Toshara. 

Kay’s partner in crime is her little alien dog. Nix. He is adorable and the relationship between the two of them, both whilst in danger and sharing food in an alien street market, is a real winner for Star Wars Outlaws. From there though is a main narrative about rival gangs and warring factions,. all as a real sense of adventure and the Star Wars lore comes into play. That means there are plenty of familiar locations and some characters you will recognise along the way. 

The writing and characters you meet are well thought out, intriguing even, adding more to the ever-increasing Star Wars universe. I would say, however, that very much like all open-world games, the main thrust of the story, which is the rise of a thief, gets lost sometimes, what with all the distractions and side quests. 

The gameplay of Star Wars Outlaws favours stealth in its missions and that is in some parts good, but fairly soon becomes quite repetitive and annoying, especially in the more side quest elements of the game. A lot of the time you have to creep into clan encampments or take in sections in which you’ll need to get something without causing a scene. This requires watching the enemy routes, trying not to be seen behind obstacles. You can use Nix to steal important things too, like pass keys, and he can also cause a distraction where you can creep past the guards while he is doing his best-dying creature act. This is fun and works well. 

When combat kicks in your blaster comes to the fore, upgraded and boosted as the time calls, working neatly alongside grenades. You can steal more weapons from downed enemies which is handy at times, but whilst I liked the firefights, it does feel pretty easy to get overwhelmed – something which is the game’s way of saying stealth is the master here. 

There are vehicles you get access to in Star Wars Outlaws, helping you on your travels. There is a speeder where you can travel across the planets on offer, and this is a great piece of kit that shoots along and up and over the environments. As you progress you get upgrades for it too, like boosts and decoratives as well. Sometimes you are getting chased, left to escape at high speed. Other times, you’ll want to make the most of it in order to access secret areas.  

Your ship is the other vehicle on offer, taking you from planets into orbit, as you go exploring places of interest. There are space battles to partake in too, that also can benefit from upgrading your ship. And when you get access to the hyperdrive you can zip in and out of different systems. 

The other gameplay mechanic worth mentioning is that of the traversal side of things, focusing on platforming and swinging across ravines. It’s a robust system, one that Ubisoft have a lot of experience with. And with this being an open world you can engage in a host of various activities from betting on racing, playing arcade games, eating food, and taking in a very addictive card game called Sabacc, which Star Wars fans will appreciate. Personally, I found these elements to be hugely enjoyable, complementing the missions themselves; even the more repetitive ones. 

In terms of visuals and Outlaws hits all the right beats in terms of what is required from a Star Wars game. There are cantinas, different alien races, and droids. There are new locations that are full of lush grasslands and others that are snowy mountain regions. There is also Tatooine which allows for a whole lot of adventuring and some familiar faces to behold. And those character models are great, even if a few visual bugs do occasionally pop. 

The soundtrack is very much as you would expect too, with a brilliant score that homages to John Williams but still manages to do its own things. The effects are great, as are the voice cast who do a great job, including the lead actress who plays Kay Vess. 

If you are looking for a completely different Star Wars experience, one that plays with a very good open-world, then Star Wars Outlaws should be taken in. I’ve liked playing as a thief and scoundrel, taking in and exploring the different worlds and enjoying the sheer amount of different things on offer. Perhaps it is focused a bit too much on stealth, and there are certainly a few bugs, but Star Wars Outlaws certainly makes a run for being the best of all the Star Wars games, helped by the visuals, story, and sheer fun it allows.