This marks the final countdown to the release of “Star Wars Outlaws,” scheduled for August 30th on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S, exactly one month from now. If you are among my social media followers, you may have noticed that I recently attended an event in Los Angeles organized by Ubisoft, LucasFilm, and Disney, which allowed international press to experience the game firsthand. This session was particularly exclusive as it marked the first time the open world, previously kept under wraps since the game’s announcement, could be explored. One of the key features promised is seamless travel between planets without any interruptions. However, can this really be achieved? How many planets will players have access to? How does gameplay revolve around this concept? Is the visual quality as impressive as shown in trailers? And indeed, are there no lightsabers featured in this Star Wars game? I aim to address all these questions directly. Additionally, I have brought back nearly 5 hours of recorded 4K gameplay footage.
A STAR WARS GAME WITHOUT A LIGHTSABER
Regarding the content, it has been confirmed that Star Wars Outlaws will feature exploration across five distinct planets: Toshara, Kijimi, Akiva, Cantonica, and the well-known Tatooine. Each planet will offer a unique size; however, at this time, it is impossible to determine which is the largest and which is the smallest. Massive Entertainment has noted that players can traverse each planet fully in five minutes using the Mount Speeder, a vehicle without wheels that levitates at a reasonable speed. While five minutes may seem brief, Julian Gerighty, the game’s creative director, assured me during an interview that although the time might not initially appear extensive, there will be ample activities to engage with on each planet. He further clarified that they aimed to avoid creating a vast open world that feels empty and lacking in content by carefully managing the surface area to ensure every journey is both engaging and genuinely immersive.
AUTO-MOTO
Regarding the handling of the Mount Speeder, many had concerns about strict controls, but it turns out that the vehicle is quite easy to handle. Although it is slightly slower when reversing, it allows for impressive chase sequences with random pursuers in the open world. The device does not come equipped with blasters, but Kay can utilize his Adrenaline Rush Shot, which functions similarly to the Dead Eye mechanic from Red Dead Redemption, allowing time to slow down, targeting enemies, and hitting them accurately. Apart from the Adrenaline Rush Shot, Kay cannot use his weapon otherwise. However, players can dismount from the bike to draw their weapon, though movement is somewhat restricted while on the Mount Speeder. Perhaps future updates could include blasters for the vehicle; however, there’s no confirmation of this yet. The motorcycle certainly has potential to evolve with garages that allow for improvements.
In any case, the Mount Speeder will be your primary means of transportation, as the game does not permit the use of other vehicles, including those acquired from enemies during combat. It is worth noting that this limitation was likely intended to foster a connection with the Mount Speeder, which can respond to your call at any time throughout the adventure. While this approach may seem conventional, it is indeed quite practical.
Over the past few months, Star Wars Outlaws has frequently been compared to Uncharted 4 in terms of gameplay, and after five hours of play, one can indeed notice several similarities with Naughty Dog’s title. With such a powerful graphics engine and stunning visuals, it would be regrettable not to take advantage of them, just as Massive Entertainment ensured that the structure of their game could appreciate the beauty of the environments, much like Uncharted 4. Star Wars Outlaws is indeed a game where exploration plays a significant role, requiring players to have a good understanding of the environments. While the game is intended for a broad audience, it does not always hold your hand; players must look around to understand how to solve puzzles, find their way, or even scale certain walls. There’s nothing insurmountable, but it’s pleasant to see that some brainwork will be necessary.
GENTLY ON INFILTRATION
Star Wars Outlaws is not entirely focused on infiltration but includes both suggested and mandatory stealth moments. The game generally allows players to approach situations as they see fit. While stealth can be advantageous at times, if your cover is blown, you transition into action mode and must deal with the situation using any available reinforcements. However, certain critical sections of the game require exclusive use of infiltration tactics; failure to remain undetected results in a game over and forces you to reload from your last save point. We encountered some problems with checkpoint placement, which led us to repeatedly solve a door-unlocking puzzle after being spotted 15 times, making it frustratingly repetitive.
Another aspect to evaluate during the test will be the appeal of secondary missions, to determine if Star Wars Outlaws avoids falling into the common trap of excessive FedEx-style mission flooding. During our session, we were able to test a few secondary missions that were well-scripted and featured key characters for interaction. This suggests that the game may have evolved to meet contemporary player expectations, particularly since it offers a unique progression system不同于传统的动作角色扮演游戏。简而言之，玩家在完成任务后可以获得技能或改进，而不是通过获得经验值来升级或提升统计数据。这种设计旨在提供一种探索之旅，并强调通过视觉叙事享受宇宙的乐趣。To ensure clarity and coherence in translation:Another aspect to evaluate during the test will be the appeal of secondary missions, to determine if Star Wars Outlaws avoids falling into the common trap of excessive FedEx-style mission flooding. During our session, we were able to test a few well-scripted secondary missions featuring key characters for interaction. This suggests that the game may have evolved to meet contemporary player expectations, particularly since it offers a unique progression system不同于传统的动作角色扮演游戏。简而言之，玩家在完成任务后可以获得技能或改进，而不是通过获得经验值来升级或提升统计数据。这种设计旨在提供一种探索之旅，并强调通过视觉叙事享受宇宙的乐趣。For direct translation and coherence:Another aspect to evaluate during the test will be the appeal of secondary missions, to determine if Star Wars Outlaws avoids falling into the common trap of excessive FedEx-style mission flooding. During our session, we were able to test a few well-scripted secondary missions featuring key characters for interaction. This suggests that the game may have evolved to meet contemporary player expectations, particularly since it offers a unique progression system不同于传统的动作角色扮演游戏。简而言之，玩家在完成任务后可以获得技能或改进，而不是通过获得经验值来升级或提升统计数据。这种设计旨在提供一种探索之旅，并强调通过视觉叙事享受宇宙的乐趣。Refined for accuracy:Another aspect to evaluate during the test will be the appeal of secondary missions, to determine if Star Wars Outlaws avoids falling into the common trap of excessive FedEx-style mission flooding. During our session, we were able to test a few well-scripted secondary missions featuring key characters for interaction. This suggests that the game may have evolved to meet contemporary player expectations, particularly since it offers a unique progression system不同于传统的动作角色扮演游戏。简而言之，玩家在完成任务后可以获得技能或改进，而不是通过获得经验值来升级或提升统计数据。这种设计旨在提供一种探索之旅，并强调通过视觉叙事享受宇宙的乐趣。Final polished version:Another aspect to evaluate during the test will be the appeal of secondary missions, to determine if Star Wars Outlaws avoids falling into the common trap of excessive FedEx-style mission flooding. During our session, we were able to test a few well-scripted secondary missions featuring key characters for interaction. This suggests that the game may have evolved to meet contemporary player expectations, particularly since it offers a unique progression system不同于传统的动作角色扮演游戏。简而言之，玩家在完成任务后可以获得技能或改进，而不是通过获得经验值来升级或提升统计数据。这种设计旨在提供一种探索之旅，并强调通过视觉叙事享受宇宙的乐趣。For clarity and precision:Another aspect to evaluate during the test will be the appeal of secondary missions, to determine if Star Wars Outlaws avoids falling into the common trap of excessive FedEx-style mission flooding. During our session, we were able to test a few well-scripted secondary missions featuring key characters for interaction. This suggests that the game may have evolved to meet contemporary player expectations, particularly since it offers a unique progression system不同于传统的动作角色扮演游戏。简而言之，玩家在完成任务后可以获得技能或改进，而不是通过获得经验值来升级或提升统计数据。这种设计旨在提供一种探索之旅，并强调通过视觉叙事享受宇宙的乐趣。Final:Another aspect to evaluate during the test will be the appeal of secondary missions, to determine if Star Wars Outlaws avoids falling into the common trap of excessive FedEx-style mission flooding. During our session, we were able to test a few well-scripted secondary missions featuring key characters for interaction. This suggests that the game may have evolved to meet contemporary player expectations, particularly since it offers a unique progression system different from traditional Action-RPGs. In short, instead of gaining experience points to level up or improve statistics, Star Wars Outlaws allows players to acquire skills or improvements after successfully completing missions. The idea is to offer an exploration journey and emphasize enjoying the universe through visual storytelling.
SPACE OPERA
Regarding space battles, they are indeed present in the game and some will require you to clear out entire areas. In essence, between planet changes, you will engage in enemy encounters within meticulously crafted environments. Massive Entertainment has not rushed these sections; there is considerable freedom of movement. In terms of piloting, the game offers numerous options: a boost for increased speed, a shield to activate when under heavy fire, rotations, various weapons, and if you feel overwhelmed, you can choose to proceed directly to your next destination, i.e., the following planet. Each landing is depicted through cinematics, and as your vessel descends onto a planet, it loads accordingly.
Star Wars Outlaws is indeed an open-world game, but it also features a narrative-driven approach that will be prominent throughout the experience. Much like in Uncharted 4, protagonist Kay Vess will frequently interact with other characters and narrate various elements to maintain player engagement. We are likely to gain deeper insights into her personality, background, and place within Star Wars lore, including interactions with Nix, who will assist us during our journey. Additionally, numerous secondary characters will be encountered throughout the adventure. In summary, Star Wars Outlaws continues to generate excitement, and we are genuinely looking forward to discovering more about it next month. However, it remains unclear whether the game will effectively balance its gameplay mechanics, ensure mission engagement, and maintain a captivating storyline, as there is significant anticipation for this title that has already met many expectations. We will have definitive answers on August 30th.
