Since its public reveal nearly a year ago, Star Wars Outlaws has become one of the most anticipated titles of 2024. Ubisoft has indeed spared no expense on their first Star Wars game, following their acquisition of rights from Disney and Lucasfilm in 2021. Consequently, the French publisher enlisted one of its most prestigious studios, Massive Entertainment, to work on it. These developers are behind the first two Division games and the recent Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, titles that may have imperfections but each possess a strong personality and intriguing game design ideas. However, Massive is not alone on this project; they are joined by seven other Ubisoft studios as the ambitions for Star Wars Outlaws are enormous, with it being internally viewed as an AAAA title.
When the 10 minutes of gameplay were released, many were impressed by the quality of graphics, animations, and the promised gameplay features. However, Ubisoft has a history of reducing the visual fidelity or performance of games post-release, often referred to as “downgrading.” Recently, just months before the game’s launch, a new trailer was published. I suggest we watch it together and discuss our expectations for this upcoming Star Wars game that does not include lightsabers. This absence alone is indicative of a refined approach.
Since its public reveal almost a year ago, Star Wars Outlaws has become one of the most anticipated games of 2024. Ubisoft has indeed invested heavily in their first Star Wars game following their acquisition from Disney and Lucasfilm in 2021. The French publisher enlisted one of its most prestigious studios, Massive Entertainment, known for developing the initial two Division games and the recent Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora. While these titles may not be perfect, they each possess a strong personality and intriguing game design ideas. However, Massive is not alone on this project; it is supported by nine other Ubisoft studios due to its ambitious scope, internally considered an AAAA title.
The Story Trailer for Star Wars Outlaws provides a glimpse into its history in 24 minutes and 45 seconds. This open-world game is heavily inspired by the artistic direction of the original trilogy and was subtly hinted at through its soundtrack in June 2023. The trailer confirms that protagonist Kay Vess will encounter significant characters from the first trilogy, such as Jabba the Hutt and Han Solo, who appears in his carbonite coffin. Whether Ubisoft plans to involve other key characters from the original trilogy remains a question on everyone’s minds, suggesting potential surprises for maximum impact. In the meantime, it is clear that Massive Entertainment has taken a different approach compared to typical Star Wars projects, which often center around Jedi, the Empire, and rebels, but rarely focus on outlaws.
This direction has been taken by Star Wars Outlaws, where players will embody Kay Vess, a young woman whose full name is also Kay Vess and who is portrayed by actress Humberly González. She is a smuggler with characteristics reminiscent of a female Han Solo. Her reckless and daredevil nature, fearless in the face of danger, and readiness to undertake any risk to recover money or rare artifacts across the galaxy sets her apart. What distinguishes her further is that she relies on sharpshooting skills rather than a lightsaber for defense; Kay prefers large blaster guns. This novel approach to Star Wars, moving away from its traditional comfort zone, offers a refreshing perspective.
NOT SO NICE?
We know that Kay will be accompanied by a small creature named Nix, voiced by actor Dee Bradley Baker, who will follow Kay everywhere. In addition to providing companionship and serving as a means to sell plushies and toys later, Nix also has a role in the game. The creature can distract enemies during stealth phases, allowing Kay to bypass guards’ vigilance. Additionally, Nix can squeeze through inaccessible ducts for a human and even activate levers at Kay’s request, as she can give Nix orders.
This Story Trailer introduces the main antagonist of the game, Sliro, who appears to lead all crime syndicates across the galaxy. It is fair to say that he lacks charisma; in fact, he seems quite ordinary. While his large cloak reminiscent of Jon Snow does give him a certain presence, physically, his face is rather unremarkable. He does not possess any distinctive features and it is hoped that his character development will be strong enough to make him a compelling villain.
The Most Ambitious Ubisoft Open World?
As Kay will undoubtedly interact with other main characters, forming alliances with them becomes crucial. One such character is Zerek Besh, who may prove to be either a trustworthy ally or a disloyal traitor driven by greed to secure greater rewards. It remains unclear which path he will take for now. The narrative of Star Wars Outlaws unfolds between the events of “The Empire Strikes Back” and “Return of the Jedi.” Both the Rebel Alliance and the Galactic Empire are engaged in a full-scale civil war, creating opportunities for various criminal organizations to exploit the chaos for maximum profit with minimal risk.
Meanwhile, the Story Trailer does not advance further but reminds us at the end that the game promises a significant amount of action. Fortunately, it is Star Wars, so we can anticipate exploring multiple planets since Kay will have her own ship. In several interviews, Julian Gerighty, the creative director of the game, confirmed that players will be able to travel from one planet to another within a single session. What does “single session” mean? Seamless? We will need to see this before getting excited. Regarding gameplay, we do not have more information, but for those who are interested and missed the 10 minutes of gameplay footage, Star Wars Outlaws aims to offer players extensive capabilities. This includes exploration, infiltration, conversations with NPCs, driving various vehicles including the famous speeder that looks very cool to pilot, blaster gunfights, melee combat, climbing phases using grappling hooks, puzzles to solve, and more.
Ubisoft has outlined that the structure of Star Wars Outlaws is centered around three primary elements: dense and expansive urban areas, vast natural environments filled with secrets, and space where battles can take place from a spaceship. This game is ambitious, offering an original concept that diverges from the conventional themes seen in typical Star Wars titles. If Ubisoft fulfills its promises, this could be a resonant experience for players. However, Ubisoft has a history of making bold claims and occasionally facing execution challenges, as evidenced by their recent work on Avatar. Given Massive Entertainment’s visual achievements in “Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora,” one area where Star Wars Outlaws may meet expectations is in graphical fidelity. Here’s hoping for the best.
