Star Wars Outlaws

As someone who has enjoyed many titles in the Star Wars gaming universe-from the legendary Knights of the Old Republic to the thrilling Jedi: Fallen Order-my interest was piqued when Star Wars Outlaws was announced. After skipping the initial release due to a slew of bugs and complaints, I recently dove into the patched PS5 version, and I can confidently say that the game offers a solid experience, despite the distracting noise around its release.

Set between the events of The Empire Strikes Back and *Return of the Jedi, Outlaws introduces us to Kay Vess, a young scoundrel navigating the dangerous underbelly of the Star Wars galaxy. The sandbox nature of the game allows exploration across four distinct planets and a vast expanse of space, engaging players in side missions, faction quests, and the main storyline. While this variety should be thrilling, the game leans heavily into stealth mechanics that might not resonate with everyone. The stealth itself feels somewhat basic, lacking the depth found in other Ubisoft titles like Splinter Cell or Watch Dogs. Crouching behind cover is your main tactic, which can feel a bit underwhelming given the expectations for a character focused on thievery.

Combat is another area where Outlaws falters, particularly when compared to Ubisoft's usual standards. While the blasters are upgraded to reflect the series' iconic weaponry, they often fail to deliver that satisfying thrill associated with engaging shooting mechanics. Though several unique weapons add variety, many are easily discarded after missions, leaving players feeling as though they missed opportunities for meaningful upgrades and attachments.

One of the game's standout features is Kay's companion, Nix-a semi-sentient creature that provides both charm and functionality. The developers excelled in creating an engaging sidekick who adds heart to gameplay. Nix not only assists in stealth but also engages in delightful segments where the two share meals, deepening the personal narrative and enhancing player connection.

The mission structure comprises Intel missions that often seem like busywork, while faction missions boast better engagement, offering impactful choices that affect standing with various groups. Main missions feature high points reminiscent of Uncharted, but sadly do not reach that level of intricacy or excitement. While I was surprised by the brevity of the main story-clocking in at just 12-14 hours-my total playtime extended over 35 hours, thanks to side quests and the intriguing card game, Sabacc.

Speaking of Sabacc, this minigame serves as a delightful diversion from the main quest. A reverse blackjack, players aim to get as close to zero as possible with their card values. This engaging activity not only allows for a refreshing change of pace but also offers an opportunity to interact meaningfully with NPCs. I found myself so enamored with the game that I devoted considerable time to mastering Sabacc, which became a rewarding aspect of my overall experience in *Outlaws*.

On the topic of crafting immersive experiences, the game's score plays a significant role. The music is a masterful blend of familiar themes and fresh compositions, enhancing the mood across different planets and intense moments. With each discovery or confrontation, the score skillfully pulls you deeper into the adventure, reminding us of the epic narrative backdrop of the Star Wars universe.

While exploring the game, I encountered the lock-picking minigame, which initially intrigued me due to its relevance to Kay's scoundrel nature. Unfortunately, the rhythm-based system felt repetitive and cumbersome, detracting from the overall enjoyment. It lacked the finesse and engagement needed to truly enhance the anti-theft experience, making it feel more like a chore than a fun mechanic.

Despite its many strengths and charm, Outlaws has been dismissed by a vocal minority online, driven by an unfortunate "anti-woke" backlash. It's perplexing that a game should receive such disdain simply because it features a female protagonist, which should have no bearing on the quality of gameplay itself. If you set aside this ridiculous hate campaign, you'll uncover a title that, while flawed, offers plenty and deserves to be experienced.

In conclusion, Star Wars Outlaws is a solid addition to the franchise, appealing to die-hard fans and newcomers alike. While aspects such as combat and lock-picking could use refinement, the immersive music, engaging companion dynamics, and enjoyable diversions like Sabacc contribute to its unique charm. With a little more polish and a wider reception free from unfounded vitriol, I firmly believe this game has a brighter future ahead.

**Rating: 7.5/10**

What happens when you take Ubisofts formulaic garbage and mix it with one of the best franchises of all time? You get Star Wars: Outlaws. Another subpar gaming experience from the geniuses at Ubisoft and Massive Entertainment.

I have put in just a little over 70 hours in this title, and quite frankly, I'm exhausted from talking about this game, so I will try to make this short.

The story is uninspired and is the same tired heist plot you'd find in your average Fast & Furious film. The characters are basic and are just interesting enough to not be completely boring. The gameplay is fun enough but nothing we haven't seen from other far superior titles ie Uncharted and Tomb Raider. The graphics are passable but are incredibly inconsistent. At times, environments and characters look good, then in others, it's downright bad.

Which, by the way, inconsistent is the perfect word to describe this game. In some aspects, this game can immerse you as you enjoy mini-games like Sabacc or work different jobs to increase your reputation with the four different syndicates or fly around the galaxy in your ship as you engage in aerial combat. But then, for all the moments of enjoyment, there's an equal amount of immersion-breaking, painfully dull ones.

Then this game, which was advertised as an action/adventure title, is, in fact, a horrendous stealth game. There are more stealth sections and instant fail states that any "action/adventure" game has any business having. Now this wouldn't be a complete disaster if the stealth was good. Unfortunately, the stealth in this game is half-baked and almost felt like it was tacked in and forced to be a major mechanic.

Finally the bugs and glitches. This game, on multiple occasions, either crashed or caused multiple progression-halting bugs. By the way, do not play this on PC. I had more issues playing this on my PC than I did on my Series X. Granted, my computer isn't the best thing on planet Earth, but it is a good one, and in most games, I can achieve 60 to 100 fps (Frames Per Second) consistently not with Outlaws however. Though at the end of the day, console or PC, this game is not optimized properly in any way.

I wanted to like Star Wars: Outlaws, being the massive Star Wars fan that I am, but this game not only has a serious amount of unmet potential but has too much bad for the good there is. This makes this all the more disappointing because the good that's here is fun and can be expanded upon; unfortunately, it's just not being utilized.

Anyway, if you're a massive Star Wars fan like me, then maybe... maybe you can squeeze every bit of Star Wars fun out of this average game to get your money's worth. If not, then I highly recommend waiting for this game to hit the bargain bin or, like me, getting a month of Ubisoft Plus and then immediately canceling for the best value.

Here's hoping Ubisoft's next title will bring some originality or at least be good. Either way, I'm not holding my breath.

Final Score: 5/10

Played on Xbox Series X and PC with Ubisoft+

I've been playing for a few weeks now and I'm thoroughly enjoying it. I am biased, I've been a huge Star Wars fan since early childhood so I'm already pre-disposed to enjoy this, but, it's a great game. I think it's mainly highs but there's a few lows: Its huge, there's at least three very big planets to explore and they are packed with well-hidden secrets, easter eggs and treasure to sniff out. Sometimes the worlds feel small, because you are on a speeder going very very fast you can cross the map very quickly. The speeder is sometimes too fast, I've crashed and died on a rock too small to notice. Thats not a bug, that's working as intended, but frustrating. I wish the speeder would auto-follow roads.

Combat for the most part, is fairly fluid and fast paced, its not perfect, there's flaws - but Kay isn't really supposed to be an action hero, adrenaline rush is your friend! You're really meant to be stealthy.

Stealth needs one or two tweaks. I'd prefer a ranged stealth take down and I'd like a way to mark targets while in stealth and an improvement on detecting enemies whilst sneaking around. It's frustrating when you're sneaking around and someone you had no-way to detect or notice spots you, and that's the mission finished. Enemies have zero peripheral vision. But they can see past the curvature of the earth directly in front of them. Their pathing can also be frustrating. A technician can be working at a console for ages but only moves when you're sneaking around the room. They've not noticed you; they just happen to be randomly moving. Some of these things could be argued as being more realistic - but it's a computer game so it can feel frustrating - especially when some missions are auto-fail if you're spotted. Save game is disabled in certain areas and missions for some bizarre reason.

I think a lot of things in the game aren't explained or taught to the player (marking enemies with the electro-binoculars, the contract terminal on your ship etc, there's probably more.) there needs to be a much bigger tutorial.

The expert system instead of skills or levelling up is a plus. The reputation system is good but can be a bit grindy - the contracts can be a bit repetitive, standard computer game fair. Nix or BD-1? I can't decide. But there's been a few instances where I've stealthed and/or battled through huge crowds of storm troopers just to realise Nix could have pick-pocketed a security card, at range, from safety.

Theres a few mini-games, the eating mini-game is... bizarre? Can I turn it off? Lock picking is tedious. I tuned that off. Slicing computers is pretty easy - once it's been explained in a YouTube video. There are actual arcade consoles all over where you can play 80's style arcade games, including the swoop racing from KOTOR. But most importantly- Sabacc. I Love it, its surpassed Pazaak and its up there with Gwent. Here's a hint, something it took me a while to realise - CHEAT. You are supposed to cheat. Its part of the game. Gimme more Sabacc.

Overall, yes, there's flaws, but its still a great and enjoyable game.

Why does Kay's face look like play dough on PS5? An ambitious project to be sure but there are countless bugs, especially graphics wise. Space needs a serious fix as it's super tedious to pick things up with your ship. Toshara is a great bloody blur in the wilderness. Clouds are pixelated when you take off in the ship. It's 2024 people! A lot of side missions are super tedious. Furthermore, if I put something in easy I shouldn't die like I'm playing Tomb Raider on "normal." I suspect this was not finished for PS5 at launch time. Get moving on the fixes. Far to expensive for the mess you made with the graphics.

Star Wars as a franchise started with a shockwave of a debut in 1977, and since then there have been all sorts of sequels, spinoffs, and different forms of media released with the label. If it involves Lucasfilm, or the old school Lucasarts, then you are virtually guaranteed a Star Wars story that will take you to that galaxy far, far away. That doesn't, however, mean you are guaranteed the best time in your life. There have been plenty of Star Wars games released over the years that are lackluster. Hell... even some of the movies that have been released could bear that badge of dishonor. It seems like a gamble to throw the label on and try to engage a fickle fanbase, but that's what some of these entertainment companies end up doing anyway.

Star Wars: Outlaws takes place just after the events of The Empire Strikes Back. The rebels are on the back foot after a crushing defeat on the ice planet of Hoth, and the imperials are spread thin around the Outer Rim desperate to find and eliminate them. Meanwhile, crime syndicates are on the rise. The ongoing war the empire is hosting against the rebels leaves certain avenues open for criminals to make their moves, find their marks, and establish empires of their own in the underworld.

Enter Kay Vess.

Kay is a confident young woman with a chip on her shoulder due to her mother having abandoned her years before. As an adult, she's an expert slicer always looking for her next mark. Unfortunately for her, she's already made a list of enemies on Canto Bight and needs to make the next one count. She decides to hook up with a gang about to hit a big score on a new crime lord named Sliro. He's in possession of tens of millions of credits in the form of unmarked beskar, that wondrous metal we heard so much about in The Mandalorian, but he has excellent security to keep it safe. As this is all within the first hour, it's not much of a spoiler to let you know that the mission fails. However, Kay is able to hijack her own sweet ride in the process and begin to make her way in the galaxy by dealing with rebels, imperials, syndicates, and freelancers. And this is all utilized to pave the way for her return to that illustrious vault with a new crew so she can try it again.

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