Star Wars Outlaws

For as long as I have been a fan, the mystical side of Star Wars has always been my anchor: I love the Jedi, the Sith, the Force, and the clash of lightsabers against its lived-in sci-fi backdrop. Star Wars Outlaws tackles the side of this universe I typically care less about: the gritty, Force-devoid underworld, and yet, it has somehow become my favorite Star Wars game ever.

Outlaws' scoundrel fantasy works because the characters are so damn good. Kay Vess isn't just a gender-swapped Han Solo; she is a fresh, relatable underdog supported by a fantastic crew. Her droid companion, ND-5, is a well-realized example of comining aspects of both the Prequel Trilogy and the Original Trilogy, keeping Kay on her toes with his cold humor, but ultimately a loyal friend. But the true star is Nix: he's not just a cute mascot, but an essential tactical extension of Kay. Whether fetching weapons in the heat of a firefight, distracting a guard, or helping you navigate puzzles and environments, the crew and gameplay loop feels incomplete without Nix. Because of this great cast and world, I didn't miss the Force at all.

Unlike the lightsaber-brandishing titles like Jedi Survivor which takes cues from Soulslikes, stealth is a core pillar of Outlaws; and while the stealth was pretty rocky at launch with its very strict failure state, it's now in a great place due to patches that allow for a much more organic flow. Now if you are spotted while infiltrating a base, you no longer receive a Mission Failed and forced to try again, the energy simply shifts from sneaky to shooty. This flexibility makes the stealth feel like a choice rather than a chore, and using Nix to sabotage alarms or pickpocket guards while you move through the shadows makes you feel scrappy and resourceful like a true scoundrel.

Platforming also plays a surprisingly large role in how you navigate this world, and one of its primary components is Kay’s grappling hook which you can use to swing across gaps and find hidden paths into restricted areas. Nix is once again vital even here, as he can trigger distant switches or hold doors open while you climb.

The compelling story and strong gameplay are gripping enough to drive you forward, but the Syndicate system adds a layer of genuine tension to your journey. Most missions are given to Kay from Syndicates, both in the open world and in the story, and completing said missions increases your affinity with that Syndicate while lowering your affinity with their rival. There are also situations where, right before you complete a mission or perform a critical task within it, you'll receive a transmission from another character offering you the chance to betray the Syndicate you're working for at the time and help their rival. I often found myself stopping to really think before I made one side angry just to please another, because each Syndicate has their own benefits and I didn't necessarily want to make my life more difficult in the process of making a few more credits.

The game was always mechanically sound and surprisingly polished for a Ubisoft title, but its true innovation is how lean the overall package feels. Between Outlaws and Assassin’s Creed Shadows, it seems Ubisoft has finally listened to their longest-standing feedback, cutting back on the fluff-littered maps, and in its place is a world that feels handcrafted and alive. The planet of Toshara is an excellent example; a large world dotted with outposts, a cople cities, and only a couple dozen collectibles. Riding Kay's speeder through its windswept plains feels and looks incredible, and locations like the cozy as heck outpost Jaunta’s Hope make the world feel truly inhabited. This sense of scale extends to space exploration as well; the transition from the ground to spaceflight feels seamless, making the galaxy feel like one connected, dangerous playground— though space exploration itself is regrettably minimal. The immersive world design ensures that you never feel bored even by the inevitable open-world repetition, because when you're not shooting, sneaking, or engaging in dogfights among the stars, there is a good chance that you are playing Sabacc, a top-tier minigame akin to Gwent or Queen’s Blood.

Star Wars Outlaws is greater than the sum of its parts, and its parts are damn good. It delivers an incredibly-realized world with strong writing and a much-needed evolution of the Ubisoft formula. If you have been holding off because of preconceived notions about open-world bloat, or worse, because Kay is female, I can only implore that you give it a real chance. It is a focused, engaging, and deeply authentic Star Wars adventure that we need more of.