Summary
- Star Wars Outlaws impresses with intense space battles, ground fights, and speeder bike chases.
- The Expert system adds depth with unique skills and abilities tied to allied NPCs found across the galaxy.
- Embracing classic heist movie tropes, players will recruit specialists for a galaxy-spanning criminal enterprise.
The more fans see from Star Wars Outlaws, the more impressive the game looks. Originally introduced as the first truly open-world Star Wars game, Star Wars Outlaws looks to be living up to that lofty premise and then some, with its most recent trailers showcasing intense space dogfights, explosive ground firefights, and daring speeder bike chases, along with plenty of quieter moments that see the player engage in social mechanics and stealth. Star Wars Outlaws is spinning a lot of plates, and while it's too early to determine whether Ubisoft can handle that pressure, it's an exciting thought.
One of Star Wars Outlaws' most intriguing features is its Expert system. Detailed in the recent Star Wars Outlaws Ubisoft Forward gameplay trailer, Experts are a group of allied NPCs that the player can find strewn across the galaxy. Recruiting these Experts will unlock a new set of skills and abilities that players can access, all themed around the Expert's unique profession or specialty. Star Wars Outlaws' Expert system is a great way to put a fresh spin on Ubisoft's usual skill trees, and it could go a long way in cementing some of the game's core narrative themes.
Why Star Wars Outlaws Getting Compared To Uncharted Is Great
When Star Wars Outlaws was revealed, gamers expected a typical Ubisoft game, but now it is being compared to Naughty Dog's excellent Uncharted series.
Star Wars Outlaws' Experts Reinforce The Game's Identity
Star Wars Outlaws Experts Encapsulate a Classic Heist Archetype
Though much of its plot details are still being kept closely under wraps, Star Wars Outlaws' main story will see players take control of protagonist Kay Vess as she attempts to pull off the greatest heist the galaxy has ever seen. To do so, she'll need to put together a team of specialists, all of whom belong to the galaxy's seedy criminal underworld. For fans of classic heist movies like Ocean's 11 and The Italian Job, this premise is going to sound pretty familiar, and Star Wars Outlaws' Expert system embraces those influences clearly.
Star Wars Outlaws' Expert system will see players track down scoundrels across the galaxy, each of which has their own unique set of skills. This is a firm embrace of the classic heist movie trope of 'knowing a guy,' where the heist organizer needs to put together a crack crew of criminals, each with a specialty, such as being a hacker, escape artist, lockpicker, or getaway driver. Star Wars Outlaws' Expert system is a pretty clever way to not just reference a classic heist movie trope, but integrate it into the gameplay.
Star Wars Outlaws' Experts Should Pave the Way for Some Classic Scoundrel Shenanigans
Based on the trailers released so far, it seems as though each of Star Wars Outlaws' Experts will have a unique mission associated with their recruitment, where players will need to find their whereabouts, track them down, and complete at least one mission to bring them on side. While the details of these missions aren't yet known, it seems fairly likely that they'll be a major source of classic scoundrel hijinks.
The most recent Star Wars Outlaws gameplay trailer showcased the perfect example of this. On the hunt for a gunslinger Expert, protagonist Kay Vess ventures to Tatooine, where she needs to sneak into a pirate camp and recover a datapad. Naturally, things don't go smoothly for the scoundrel hero, who's forced to blast her way out of the camp after being discovered by a guard, making it out by the skin of her teeth. It's likely that most of Star Wars Outlaws' Expert missions will see players getting into similarly cinematic moments, effectively cementing the game's identity as a Star Wars scoundrel simulator.
Star Wars Outlaws
- Released
- August 30, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
Experience the first-ever open world Star Wars game and explore distinct planets across the galaxy, both iconic and new. Risk it all as Kay Vess, an emerging scoundrel seeking freedom and the means to start a new life. Fight, steal, & outwit your way through the galaxy’s crime syndicates as you join the galaxy’s most wanted. If you’re willing to take the risk, the galaxy is full of opportunity.
DISCOVER A GALAXY OF OPPORTUNITY
Explore distinct planets with bustling cities and cantinas before racing across sprawling outdoor landscapes on your speeder. Each planet brings new adventures, unique challenges, and enticing rewards if you’re willing to take the risk.
EXPERIENCE AN ORIGINAL SCOUNDREL STORY
Live the high-stakes lifestyle of an outlaw. With Nix by your side, turn any situation to your advantage: fight with your blaster, overcome enemies with stealth and gadgets, or find the right moments to distract enemies and gain the upper hand.
EMBARK ON HIGH-STAKES MISSIONS
Take on high-risk, high-reward missions from the galaxy’s crime syndicates. Steal valuable goods, infiltrate secret locations, and outwit enemies as one of the galaxy’s most wanted. Every choice you make influences your ever-changing reputation.
JUMP INTO THE PILOT SEAT
Pilot your ship, The Trailblazer, as you engage in thrilling dogfights with The Empire and other foes, finding the right opportunities to chase, evade, and attack to get the upper hand.
- Developer(s)
- Massive Entertainment
- Publisher(s)
- Ubisoft, Lucasfilm Games
- Franchise
- Star Wars
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- Genre(s)
- Open-World, Action-Adventure
