Star Wars: Outlaws has a few things working against it. For starters, it’s a Star Wars game, and as such comes with extraordinary pressures to deliver. Additionally, there is already a lot of Star Wars content out there—including critically acclaimed video games. And last but certainly not least, Star Wars: Outlaws is an ambitious, open-world adventure, in which “open-world” extends beyond the confines of planets, and it’s no secret Ubisoft has been criticized for how bloated or repetitive its open-world games can be. However, after getting my first look at Outlaws’ gameplay, I find myself echoing Han Solo’s most famous sentiment: Never tell me the odds.
While the time I spent with Star Wars: Outlaws was brief—I saw about 15 minutes of gameplay—and hands-off, I left feeling like I understood the direction the game was going in and excited for what’s to come. With strategic stealth sections, speeder shoot-outs, seamless surface-to-space travel, an emphasis on making quick decisions (and facing their consequences), and an incredibly charismatic leading lady, Star Wars: Outlaws shows a lot of promise.
Following the demo, I had the opportunity to sit down with game director Mathias Karlson and narrative director Navid Khavari to learn a bit more about Kay Vess, the game’s setting, and how Star Wars: Outlaws is changing not only what a Star Wars game can be, but the shape of the galaxy as a whole. While the team couldn’t answer a few of my more burning questions, such as if the game will have co-op at launch, the insight they provided has me excited for what’s to come, and to truly get to know Kay Vess.