Star Wars Outlaws

Star Wars Outlaws offers a fresh take on the Star Wars universe by focusing on a gritty, criminal underworld rather than the usual Jedi-centric narrative. The game features an open-world design with diverse planets and environments, immersing players in a vibrant galaxy. Gameplay blends stealth, combat, and exploration, with a flexible approach supported by the companion Nix and a reputation system influencing faction relationships. Visually, the game impresses with detailed environments and authentic sound design, capturing the Star Wars atmosphere effectively.

However, the game faces significant technical issues, including frequent crashes, stuttering, and bugs that hamper the experience for many players. The story and character development receive mixed responses; while the protagonist Kay Vess is engaging, supporting characters and the overall narrative are often seen as bland or underdeveloped. Additionally, some gameplay mechanics like stealth and combat feel unpolished or repetitive, and the open world can feel empty or aimless to some. Despite these flaws, many players find the game enjoyable and immersive, especially if approached with patience and at a discounted price.

Highlights

Players praise the game's immersive Star Wars atmosphere, detailed and vibrant open worlds, and strong visual and audio presentation. The flexible gameplay mechanics allow for stealth, combat, and exploration, with the companion Nix adding strategic depth. The reputation system and varied mission design enrich the experience. Many appreciate the game's unique focus on a scoundrel's perspective, avoiding typical Jedi tropes, and find the story engaging enough to keep playing. The space and speeder vehicle controls, while occasionally buggy, add to the fun. Overall, the game is seen as a solid entry for Star Wars fans seeking a fresh narrative and immersive world.

Criticisms

Common criticisms include frequent technical issues such as crashes, stuttering, save corruption, and poor optimization even on high-end PCs. The open world is often described as empty or filled with repetitive, uninspired quests that lack meaningful engagement. The stealth and combat mechanics are viewed as clunky or shallow, with limited weapon variety and unpolished AI. The story and characters, aside from the protagonist, are considered bland or poorly developed, with some narrative choices feeling unrealistic or forced. Players also note frustrating UI, confusing interfaces, and the game's high resource demands. Some feel the game lacks depth and originality compared to other Ubisoft titles and Star Wars games.