Star Wars Outlaws, the most recent game to be released in the Star Wars world, looks to be an exciting galactic robbery adventure, but it falls short more frequently than it succeeds. The game is set in the expansive Star Wars universe and features a diverse array of planets, criminal organisations, and well-known characters from the cherished film series. Outlaws, nevertheless, falls short of becoming a truly engaging game, frequently falling short in terms of both story and gameplay.
A New Setting, Familiar Faces
In Star Wars Outlaws, players takes control of Kay Vess, a young and aspirational mercenary who, following a botched job, is thrown into the perilous realm of galactic outlaws. Kay travels the Outer Rim to clear her name because there is a reward on her head. Along the way, she runs into the Ashiga Clan, the Pyke Syndicate, Crimson Dawn, and the Hutt Cartel, among other criminal groups. Kay must make her way through this dangerous underground with the help of her devoted friend Nix in order to put together a team that can pull off a theft that could alter her destiny.
But one of the biggest issues with the game is how Kay’s character is developed. Kay is the main character, yet she is presented as being unmotivated and aimless. By the end of the story, she has not grown personally at all, thus her journey feels empty. Players are left wondering why she is on this expedition due to this narrative gap, and her interactions with other characters frequently come across as forced or unwarranted.
Unrealised Storytelling Potential
Star Wars Outlaws’ failure to build on its intriguing premise is one of its most obvious problems. A exciting heist with gang forming and audacious plan execution is hinted at in the novel. But the execution is a disaster. The game offers a linear and rather obvious plot in place of the complex preparation and high-stakes excitement one might anticipate from a robbery narrative.
Although interesting at first, the relationships with the various criminal syndicates are shallow. Although Kay’s choices about her relationships with various groups appear to have a big impact on the story, in reality, they don’t really affect the plot as a whole. The ties between the syndicates, symbolised by a tracker, are not so much gameplay components as they are checklists. Regardless of your stance on Crimson Dawn, the Pykes, or any other faction, the plot essentially stays the same, making decisions that ought to be crucial seem insignificant.
Lackluster Character Arcs
Poor protagonists have frequently been made up for in a lot of Star Wars video games by their supporting casts. Sadly, Outlaws does not gain anything from using this crutch. The BX-series droid commando ND-5 and the other supporting cast members fall flat in terms of bringing the story to life. The arc of ND-5 is hurried and unconvincing, which may have introduced an intriguing dynamic with Kay. The emotional centre of the game is the relationship between Kay and ND-5, but it feels underdeveloped, cutting players apart from what could have been an engaging storyline.
Additionally, the lack of a strong antagonist detracts even more from the plot. The Galactic Empire is always there, although it acts more as a setting than a main character in the story, and the criminal ruler who puts the reward on Kay’s head is an anonymous character. The tale lacks the intensity and stakes necessary to keep gamers interested in the protagonist and antagonist.
Moments of Immersion in a Disjointed World
Star Wars Outlaws does well in one area—sound design—despite its narrative flaws. The game’s soundtrack does a fantastic job of transporting players to the Star Wars world. The sound design of Star Wars perfectly encapsulates everything from the recognisable buzz of a lightsabre to the symphonic swells that accompany space travel. The audio and musical cues perfectly synchronise to recreate the excitement of space flight in a galaxy far, far away when Kay initially engages her ship’s hyperdrive.
Here is where Outlaws really shines—these audio components along with sporadic peeks into the daily life of Star Wars residents. A unique and real glimpse into the Star Wars universe outside of the grand battles and heroism may be found in moments like watching Kay and Nix savour Tosharan street food or the creepy but interesting scene on Akiva where Kay bites on fruit swarming with insects. A feeling of place and culture that has frequently been missed in the series, these brief accounts of life on the outside of the galaxy are a welcome addition to the Star Wars canon.
Gameplay That Falls Short
Star Wars Outlaws aims to incorporate a variety of gameplay elements, including combat, stealth, and space warfare. But just like its story, the gameplay is frequently unsatisfactory. Kay is a skilled fighter, equipped with a blaster that may be used in multiple shooting modes. However, the fighting isn’t as deep or difficult as it could be to make these exchanges stand out. Combat feels less like an exciting experience and more like a chore due to the opposing AI’s painfully simple routines.
Despite Kay’s job as a non-Force mercenary, stealth missions, which ought to be a feature, fall flat as well. The basic mechanics don’t present much of a challenge or variation. There are limited options for innovative problem-solving due to the linear level design and the ease with which enemies might become sidetracked. The game’s last hours include more difficult stealth situations and tougher foes, but these additions arrive too late to have a big effect on the entire experience.
Another area in which Outlaws falters are space battles, a recurring feature in Star Wars games. Kay’s spacecraft, the Trailblazer, has a striking appearance but is unhandling. Dogfights are boring or frustrating, and the space settings don’t have the grandiose visuals one would anticipate from a Star Wars game. It is a mistake to have space combat serve as the story’s climax since it exposes the game’s least engaging gameplay mechanic at a pivotal juncture.
A Disjointed Open World
Star Wars Outlaws’ open-world layout provides players with a variety of hub areas and more expansive planetary settings to explore. From the frigid glaciers of Kijimi to the lush rainforests of Akiva, every planet is exquisitely depicted and full of possibilities. However, the game finds it difficult to strike a balance between the urgency of its main plot and the open-world components. The wide world invites exploration and side tasks, despite the tale’s constant indications that Kay is running out of time. This contradiction weakens the tension in the story.
Compared to the major story missions, some of the side tasks offer more engrossing gameplay and encourage more creative and open-ended problem-solving. The pace of the main story suggests that Kay doesn’t have much time, so the game’s design prevents players from taking advantage of these opportunities.
Verdict: A Missed Opportunity
Although Star Wars Outlaws has a lot of potential, it doesn’t quite live up to the hype. With a shallow protagonist and a scenario that falls flat of its heist-themed idea, the narrative is uninspired. The enemies and supporting actors are likewise unimpressive, depriving the narrative of the emotional impact and suspense that characterise the best Star Wars stories.
Even though the music design and sporadic immersive moments offer hints as to what Outlaws might have been, they are insufficient to make up for the game’s numerous flaws. Although the gameplay is good in many areas, it suffers from simplicity and a lack of challenge, which leaves the experience feeling empty and unsatisfying.
Ultimately, Star Wars Outlaws is a stunning yet unsatisfactory expansion of the Star Wars game universe. While it does a good job of capturing the sights and sounds of a far-off galaxy, it falls short of providing a satisfying and engaging experience that lives up to the heritage of Star Wars.
