As the first open-world Stars Wars game in the franchise, Star Wars Outlaws offers not just a diversity of environment but also a diversity of playstyle. As explained in our hands-off preview, this original scoundrel story is diving into a part of the Galaxy Far Far Away that players have wanted since Star Wars 1313 fell into the ether. Announced at the Xbox Games Showcase and with a gameplay walkthrough proudly displayed at the Ubisoft Forward, we learned even more when we got the chance to attend a hands-off preview of the game with Navid Khavari, the game’s Narrative Director—made by Massive Entertainment, a Ubisoft Studio, in collaboration with Lucasfilm Games, Star Wars Outlaws, the first-ever open world Star Wars game.
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The game is set against the backdrop of the Galactic Empire relentlessly pursuing the final defeat of the Rebel Alliance, the criminal underworld thrives. Fans will play as cunning scoundrel Kay Vess, brought to life by Humberly González, who continues to add to the list of Latino talent in the Galaxy Far Far Away. Additionally, we’ll play alongside her loyal companion Nix, played by Dee Bradley Baker (Star Wars: The Bad Batch), as they attempt one of the greatest heists the Outer Rim has ever seen. Seeking the means to start a new life, players will join Kay and Nix as they fight, steal, and outwit their way through the galaxy’s crime syndicates and join the galaxy’s most wanted.
While we’ve got the chance to explore single-player linear narrative with games like in the EA Star Wars Jedi series, we now get to explore a vast world in our own ways and do it from the moral complexity of someone on the outside, a scoundrel. Or better yet, an Outlaw. Here is everything we know after the gameplay trailer, walkthrough, and our hands-off preview.
Who is Kay Vess in Star Wars Outlaws?
Kay Vess, played by Humberly Gonzáles, is a cunning scoundrel. A young person trying to make it in the world with nothing and no one but her sidekick Nix. A little axolotl-esque creature, Nix, is important to Kay’s narrative and growth and central to making it through the world. After a job gone wrong, Kay finds herself on the run from the empire with Nix by her side and an ally droid ND-5, helping her. You’ll get to grow as a character and in the world. As Kay, you’ll make choices in combat and in relationships with other characters that impact your reputation. In fact, influence, reputation, and credits are the main way for Kay Vess to move through the world. But the central driving narrative force, per Navid Khavari’s presentation, is that, as Kay you will “live and die by your reputation.”
How large is the open world?
Star Wars Outlaws is the first multi-location open-world star wars game set in the franchise. While the Moon of Toshara will be one of the main planets that Kay comes back to, Massive Entertainment has assured gamers that Kay’s high-risk, high-stakes, and high-reward missions will take place across the three central settings. Each setting will have multiple locations, but the central pillars of the world-building were built around: Dense living cities, Vast Open Environments, and Space. In the dense living cities, you’ll understand just how wretched these hives of scum and villainy that are set up inside them, from secret locations to cantinas; there will be a lot to explore. In cities, Kay will be under the most scrutiny as she tries to accomplish her missions under the nose of the Empire.
As for the vast environments, distinct planets will offer wide and diverse environments that have never been seen in Star Wars before but are built on the foundational elements of locations in the franchise. Kay will explore and complete high-stakes missions as she explores the environment with her speeder. While a speeder makes sense given the IP, Khavari explained that the speeder is more than a tool to quickly get you from point A to point B. Instead, the speeder will allow you to unlock different elements within the world not just to traverse but to unlock paths only reachable on the speeder and to expand your immersive explorative experience.
Finally, Space will offer up dogfights that range from intimate to full-on battles. You’ll explore the open-world in your spaceship called the Trailblazer. You’ll start the game as an untrained pilot but get more accustomed as you spend time on your ship. Like the speeder, the Trailblazer is more than just a ship. Narratively, it serves as Kay’s way to hold on to her freedom.
What can I expect from combat?
In Star Wars Outlaws, Kay is a scoundrel, which means it’s a blaster fit with Han Solo quick-draw animations that is core to her as a fighter. Kay’s blaster is fit with a number of settings that will fit the different situations that Kay will wind up in. That said, the blaster is only one piece of combat, hand-to-hand is another, but most importantly, Kay’s background and skills make stealth a key as well.
Kay can infiltrate bases and succeed undetected, with Nix working as an extension of her and interacting with the environment that she can’t. Nix will also help Kay in combat by making distractions or even attacking foes. When things do go sideways, Nix can also pick-up heavy weaponry and give it to Kay for small and powerful bursts of using enemy weapons against them.
When does the game take place?
Star Wars Outlaws is set between the events of The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. This one year of time may be slim, but it offers a fruitful time period. While we’ve been able to play as a Jedi running from the Empire, Kay’s status as a scoundrel and smuggler offers up a different interaction with the Empire as she tries to live her life and thrive with their watchful eyes focused on her and oppressing the galaxy. This adds n immersive element to the world that allows the player to feel the Empire’s thumb as you execute missions. Additionally, as the Empire has grown in power, so have the Syndicates. While the game will bring in well-known Syndacites like the Hutts, Star Wars Outlaws will also offer new ones as well. You’ll rely on safe houses to remain out of sight of the empire.
When can I play Star Wars Outlaws?
Unlike Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, we don’t have a specific Star Wars Outlaws release date. That said, we do know that, as of right now, you can play Star Wars Outlaws sometime in 2024. Additionally, players can play the game on Xbox Series X|S consoles, PlayStation 5, and Windows PC through Ubisoft Connect in 2024.
