The curse has been lifted! EA’s exclusivity over Star Wars games has finally ended. This isn’t to say that EA hasn’t produced some well-made games, and we’ll forever love Cal Kestis, but we needed a change of scenery. We’ve finally gotten that with Star Wars Outlaws, a game that moves away from the usual storyline of a Jedi surviving Order 66, which has become quite tiresome. At last, we get to explore a different side of the galaxy, glimpsed in Solo: A Star Wars Story and comics like Star Wars: Crimson Reign. Originally pitched in 2020 by Ubisoft’s Massive Entertainment, this scoundrel fantasy has come to life as the first fully open-world Star Wars game.
Star Wars Outlaws is developed by Massive Entertainment, the team behind Tom Clancy’s The Division and Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora. Set between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, the game follows Humberly González as Kay Vess, a quick-witted scoundrel who ends up on the run after a botched mission. With her loyal companion Nix (voiced by Dee Bradley Baker), she sets out to build a crew and pull off one of the biggest heists the galaxy has ever seen.
Is ‘Star Wars Outlaws’ Worth The Hype?
As someone who holds Solo: A Star Wars Story in high regard, I was thrilled to see a story not centred around the Jedi. This game gives us that world to live in. It starts with Kay trying to escape from Canto Blight. She ends up in the middle of a rescue mission disguised as a robbery, gets captured, then escapes and steals a ship called the Trailblazer. From there, the story expands to the open-world planet Toshara, where the goal becomes clear. With the help of ND-5 (played by Jay Rincon) and Jaylen (Eric Johnson), Kay begins gathering a team for a grand heist.
The open-world structure takes you to different planets to find crew members. At first, this setup feels engaging, but over time it becomes repetitive. If missions don’t offer something distinct or exciting, it begins to feel like the only payoff will be the final heist. Fortunately, the final two missions are among the game’s strongest.
Despite some mechanical repetition, the story, characters, Easter eggs, and plot twists kept me engaged. Kay Vess quickly became one of my favourite additions to the Star Wars universe. She’s sharp and resourceful, but also has a playful side. She reminded me of Doctor Aphra, a comic character with a similar energy. Hopefully, she makes an appearance in future content.
Strong (And Weak) With Gameplay You Are
Outlaws feels like a spiritual successor to the cancelled Star Wars 1313. There’s no Force, no lightsabers, just gadgets and guns. The game spans five planets: Cantonica, Toshara, Kijimi, Tatooine, and Akiva. While Cantonica and Kijimi are smaller, limited to their city areas, the others are large, explorable maps with unique terrains and weather systems. Getting around on a speeder is often more fun than using fast travel.
The game impressively integrates elements from the sequel trilogy. Cantonica, first seen in The Last Jedi, and Kijimi, introduced in The Rise of Skywalker, are reimagined here during the original trilogy. A familiar character from the sequels also plays a role in Kay’s story, making the galaxy feel more connected than ever.
Syndicates, Space, And Stealth (Oh My)
One of the game’s best features is the syndicate reputation system. You can align yourself with four major syndicates: the Pyke Syndicate, Crimson Dawn, Ashiga Clan, and Hutt Cartel. Side missions often let you choose which group to support, which affects your standing with them. High reputation unlocks special areas and rewards, while low reputation limits access and makes missions more difficult.
Space gameplay via the Trailblazer is another standout. From being chased by Imperials to leaping into hyperspace, the visuals and feel of spaceflight are impressive. That said, dogfights can be frustrating due to clunky controls. Thankfully, space combat is mostly optional unless you provoke it. The weakest part of Outlaws is its stealth. Missions regularly demand it, but the game doesn’t advertise itself as a stealth game. The AI is inconsistent, often spotting you through walls or across impossible distances. Nix can help distract enemies, operate consoles, and grab items, but Kay herself feels underpowered. There’s no disguise system either, which seems like a missed opportunity in a Star Wars game.
Final Thoughts
It goes without saying, Star Wars Outlaws is one of the most enjoyable Star Wars games I’ve played. It offers an expansive, well-crafted universe full of underworld drama, memorable characters, and engaging choices. But it’s held back by overused stealth mechanics, repetitive mission design, and some technical bugs. Still, this marks an exciting new chapter for Star Wars games now that EA’s monopoly has ended. If Massive Entertainment takes the feedback onboard, the next chapter could be even better.
