Star Wars Outlaws is an open-world adventure that takes gamers on a trip through the galaxy's criminal underworld. Set between the Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, it’s a time of corruption and villainy, where factions wage war against one another to own a piece of the spoils. And you are right in the thick of it.
You play as space scoundrel Kay Vess, a brand-new character in the franchise. From the offset, it’s clear that she won’t be joining a rebellion anytime soon. She’s just focused on surviving. And really, who can blame her?
Early on, Kay is that classic down-on-her-luck kind of person, taking menial jobs in exchange for credits. Her circumstance is made all the worse by her obvious charm and skill. But a series of events catapult her from a mundane life to receiving a death mark, putting her at the top of every bounty hunter’s list. Great.
As a fugitive trying to buy back her freedom, knowing who to trust (and for how long) becomes second nature to her. But make no mistake, Kay isn’t some damsel in distress. She’ll steal, sabotage, and even kidnap people with just one question asked: how much does the job pay?
Exploring a lawless galaxy is as fun as it sounds
With no obligation to fight the Empire and no Jedi in sight, Outlaws puts a new focus on the lawless worlds of the galaxy. The game has a robust reputation system that underpins much of the storyline. It's well executed and will keep you second–guessing decisions and pivoting the story in new directions. Players are both pawns and kingmakers in a game of criminal chess.
There are four key factions to know. You’ve got the Pyke Syndicate, one of the game’s early muscle groups, who are black market experts. You have the brutal and powerful Hutt cartel and the re-emergence of the secretive Crimson Dawn, who have spies at every corner of the galaxy. And then there’s the Ashiga clan, a brand new faction of insectoids who not only follow a 'Queen’ but also manufacture and smuggle weapons in their spare time.
While you’re free to align yourself with whichever delightful group you want, your choices will always have consequences. Siding with one particular group can isolate you from others. Do you complete a contract exactly as you’re told? Or do you improvise at the last second? Do you stroll into an ally HQ to pilfer technology? Or steal from a rival and complicate your relationship even further?
Each faction has unique benefits to being in their good books, including equipment, cosmetics, and access to merchants. Poor relations, however, make exploring certain regions of space dangerous. If your reputation falls too low, factions can and will order kill squads to hunt you in the open world. I found this out the hard way.
Just when you think there’s no going back from a decision, the game will throw you a last-minute decision to double-cross someone or withhold information. In this way, the world of Outlaw feels reactive. What you do feels purposeful. Kay may be doing the grunt work, but she’s also manipulating the underworld however she sees fit. Is a faction no longer benefiting you? Time to turn on them for another. Don’t worry about being judged – they’re probably planning the exact same thing.
Spying, solving & shooting – the gameplay of Star Wars Outlaws
While politics (or lack thereof) holds the story of Outlaws together, gameplay is what drives it home. It is a mixed bag of experiences, drawing on everything from action and adventure to stealth, with some light puzzles for good measure.
While the temptation to go in all-blasters blazing always presents itself, the game makes stealth the most sensible approach. Quests often require you to sneak past enemies toward objectives. You can choose to dispatch them one by one or manipulate your surroundings to move unnoticed.
While sneaking around is the most 'scoundrel'-like thing to do, it’s not always the most fun. At some point, you’ll want to raise your blaster and just go on a rampage. This is a Star Wars game, after all.
Shooting in the game is quick, easy, and carefree. With no ammo to collect on Kay’s gun, your only focus is to aim, fire, duck, and fire some more. Certain enemies, like droids, may require Kay to upgrade her blaster to damage them. Fallen enemies can drop weapons that Kay can use (albeit temporarily), giving combat some spice throughout.
When fighting, you must keep an eagle eye out for whichever brave soul runs toward the alarm box. If triggered, enemies will gather in army-like numbers to shoot you into smithereens. At several moments throughout the game, my screen was wall-to-wall explosions, as shots ricocheted from every direction in a tremendous fireworks display. Needless to say, Kay rarely survives such events.
The first-open world Star Wars experience
Star Wars is famous for its captivating worlds. It is what any good sci-fi creation aspires to be. Across film and TV, you're brought into a living, breathing, and believable world in seconds. And this is something Outlaws manages to pull off with gusto.
Cities are teeming with life. One of the first, Mirogana, sets the scene for the corrupt state the galaxy finds itself in. Gambling machines are scattered throughout bars, begging you to spend. Empire propaganda booms from speakers as stormtroopers patrol, doing spot checks on citizens. Linger anywhere in the game for long enough, and you’ll begin to hear gossip that introduces new quests for Kay to pursue.
The open-world experience feels enormous, too. From the scorching dunes of Tatooine to the frigid lands of Kijima to the lush jungles of Akiva and beyond, each world you venture to brings new adventures, discoveries, and volatility to an already crooked universe.
Whether breaking every speed limit on your speedster or darting through space on your spaceship, planets beg you to explore them. The game allows you to undertake so many quests in a variety of orders, affording you total control.
A colourful crew can make all the difference
There is no 'I' in team, and no team quite like Kay’s. Throughout the story, you’ll recruit new members to your zany ship, each of whom fits a specific role for the upcoming heists. Think Ocean’s Eleven but with more chaos.
At the helm of this rag band team are Nix, an axolotl-like creature and Kay’s best friend. He plays an integral part in Outlaw’s gameplay, helping solve problems, retrieving items, and keeping Kay alive.
Arguably, the most useful ability of his is playing dead. Nix can distract enemies and security cameras with his antics, giving you just enough time to sneak by key chokeholds of a level.
Nix can also steal items, including credits, keycards, or grenades. He can slither through vents into rooms protected by energy beams, can detonate bombs, and trap alarm systems to give Kay a fighting chance if things go south. He can even help you cheat at a game of Sabacc, proving he’s just as much a scoundrel as Kay can be. And if you’ve ever hit a wall and don’t know where to go or what to do next, Nix is probably waiting patiently for a command to help.
A galactic game in many regards
Star Wars Outlaws is the quintessential Star Wars epic. While strangely nostalgic, it still manages to bring something fresh to the table. There's no Jedi in sight, no overload of recognisable characters, and yet its tone is oddly familiar.
The game gives you enough space and opportunity to craft your own version of events. And it pays off. While the fight with the Empire is as big or as small as you want it to be, the time you’ll spend with the different factions and their power plays is quite memorable.
Kay’s own backstory will also rise to the surface, giving depth to a scoundrel that you might not have expected. In Outlaws, you’ll realise some of the most epic stories from the galaxy can come from the most unlikely places.
Star Wars Outlaws launches on August 30th. It will be available to play on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.
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