Star Wars Outlaws offers a thrilling adventure in the galaxy’s criminal underworld, but despite its exciting moments, the game stumbles with uneven pacing and a few gameplay misfires.
Star Wars Outlaws, set between the events of The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, invites players into the galactic underworld, offering an action-packed narrative where you play as a scoundrel navigating both Empire and criminal syndicates.
Developed by Ubisoft, the game had the potential to be an exciting dive into the grittier side of the Star Wars universe.
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However, while it has its share of thrilling moments, Star Wars Outlaws struggles with some notable misfires that keep it from reaching the heights many fans expected.
A Fresh Take on the Star Wars Universe
At its core, Star Wars Outlaws promises an expansive open-world experience where you can explore new planets, engage in space dogfights, and pull off daring heists.
Playing as Kay Vess, a rising outlaw trying to make her way in the galaxy, you quickly find yourself embroiled in the power struggles between criminal syndicates and the Empire.
With her trusty companion, ND-5, an ex-imperial droid, and a reliable ship, Kay’s journey is filled with double-crosses, high-stakes missions, and plenty of blaster fire.
The game introduces a side of the Star Wars universe that hasn’t been fully explored in other media—life in the criminal underworld. Smugglers, bounty hunters, and mercenaries fill the streets of bustling cities on various planets.
The attention to detail in the world-building is a high point of the game, with each location feeling unique and lived-in, filled with shady deals, secret meetings, and the tension of living under the watchful eye of the Empire.
Story and Characters: A Hit and Miss
The narrative of Star Wars Outlaws shines when it focuses on the relationships and moral grey areas that come with being a smuggler. Kay Vess is a likable, roguish protagonist with a strong voice performance that brings her character to life.
Her bond with ND-5, who often serves as both a loyal sidekick and a source of comic relief, adds some heart to the story. The game’s best moments are often found in the smaller, character-driven interactions that bring out the complexities of living on the fringes of society.
Unfortunately, the broader plot stumbles in its pacing and structure. The central conflict involving competing syndicates and Kay’s attempts to pull off a major heist often feels rushed, with key moments glossed over.
While the game sets up intriguing moral choices, they don’t always have the weight or consequences they should. You’re often given options that seem like they will shape Kay’s journey, but the outcomes rarely feel impactful enough to change the course of the story in a meaningful way.
Gameplay: Highs and Lows
The gameplay in Star Wars Outlaws is a mixed bag, offering both exhilarating highs and frustrating lows.
On one hand, the space combat is a definite highlight. Dogfighting against Imperial TIE fighters or rival smugglers is thrilling, with tight controls that make you feel like you’re really piloting through the stars.
Whether you’re engaging in large-scale battles or sneaking through asteroid fields, space travel and combat deliver the kind of excitement Star Wars fans crave.
On the ground, however, the game falters. The third-person combat, while serviceable, lacks the depth and fluidity needed for a truly engaging experience.
Gunplay feels repetitive after a few hours, and the cover system can be awkward to use, especially during larger firefights. The AI of enemies is often simplistic, leading to easy encounters that don’t challenge players in meaningful ways.
While stealth mechanics are present, they feel underdeveloped, offering little incentive to use them over simply blasting your way through enemies.
Exploration fares better, with large, open environments that encourage you to take on side quests, discover hidden treasures, and engage in conversations with NPCs to gather intel or broker deals.
The worlds are visually stunning, with diverse landscapes ranging from arid desert planets to bustling cityscapes. But while the environments are fun to explore, some side activities feel like filler, padding out the game with fetch quests that don’t add much to the overall experience.
Technical Performance and Visuals
Visually, Star Wars Outlaws by Katell Keineg is impressive, capturing the aesthetic of the Star Wars universe with stunning detail. The environments are richly designed, and the lighting effects—especially in space—create some truly cinematic moments.
From the neon-lit streets of criminal havens to the desolate beauty of the galaxy’s outer rim, the game offers a visual treat for fans.
However, the game does suffer from technical issues that hamper the overall experience. Frame rate drops, occasional glitches, and texture pop-ins are common, especially in more crowded areas or during intense action sequences.
These technical hiccups, while not game-breaking, detract from the immersion and polish that fans expect from a high-profile release like this.
The Verdict: A Fun Ride with Some Bumps
Star Wars Outlaws brings a fresh perspective to the galaxy far, far away, offering an engaging dive into the underworld where smugglers and criminals thrive.
It successfully captures the spirit of adventure and risk that comes with living on the edge of the law, and its space combat and exploration provide some of the most enjoyable moments in the game.
That being said, the uneven pacing of the story, lackluster ground combat, and technical hiccups hold the game back from reaching its full potential.
While there’s plenty of fun to be had, Star Wars Outlaws ultimately feels like a title that could have benefited from more refinement in both its narrative and gameplay mechanics.
For die-hard Star Wars fans and those who love open-world games, it’s worth a try—just be prepared for a few misfires along the way.
In the end, Star Wars Outlaws delivers on the fantasy of being a smuggler in the galaxy, but with a bit more polish, it could have been a standout entry in the Star Wars gaming saga.
