The legendary movie franchise, Star Wars, has a long history in video games spanning more than 40 years. Electronic Arts has published most of the Star Wars games, but now, it is Ubisoft’s turn, and with the help of developer, Massive Entertainment, they bring us the first ever open-world Star Wars game, Star Wars Outlaws, available on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5 and PC.

Set between the events of The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, Star Wars Outlaws follows the adventures of Kay Vess, an emerging scoundrel seeking freedom and the means to start a new life, as she tries to pull off one of the greatest heists ever seen in a galaxy far far away. With her trusty pet and partner in crime, Nix, by her side, they must work together to fight, steal, and outwit their way through the galaxy’s crime syndicates as Kay becomes a wanted criminal.

Star Wars games would usually involve wielding a lightsaber or piloting an X-wing, but Star Wars Outlaws puts players in the shoes of a regular person, Kay Vess. Even without possessing the power of the force, Kay still has some tricks up her sleeve, useful in helping to infiltrate various places filled with guards and Stormtroopers, eliminate them if necessary, and achieve her goals. Between missions, players will also be able to explore cities and towns on foot, traverse vast open lands on her speeder, and pilot the starship, the Trailblazer, through space.

Kay comes equipped with her single-handed blaster and various gadgets to help unlock doors, shut off security systems, replenish health, and more. Her little companion, Nix, can perform various tasks, such as grabbing items from hard-to-reach areas, stealing items from guards, and causing distractions.

Ubisoft are no strangers when it comes to stealth games, and during these missions, players have to make their way to the goal by staying out of sight, neutralising enemies from the shadows, and resorting to the blaster if they’re caught. Or maybe they would prefer a gunfight, and Kay’s blaster can get the job done, but she’ll need something bigger if she gets outnumbered.

There are various familiar weapons that fans will recognise, and these can be picked and used against enemies, but unfortunately, they won’t get to keep them, even if they still have enough charge in them. Kay will automatically drop them when they move on, but as fun as the gunfights can be, the game isn’t completely focused on this, which some players may not like.

There is also more than one way to reach the goal, and players can find alternate routes by entering air vents and hidden pathways to prevent getting caught. In some missions, players won’t have the option to use their blaster at all, even though Kay still has it, so players must stay out of sight and be patient, otherwise, they’ll have to restart from the last checkpoint. Players will either enjoy the added challenge or feel it’s inconvenient and repetitive.

You can still eliminate enemies using melee attacks during these segments, but you still need to remain hidden. Kay is just a regular human who can get rough if she needs to, but I find it odd that she can knock out a Stormtrooper covered in armour.

There are five different planets to explore, some that fans will remember from the movies, and others created for the game. They each have different places to explore and different characters to interact with, all having their own stories. While on foot, players can wander around the streets, complete side quests, try their luck gambling, or play some retro-looking arcade games.

To get across long distances on each planet, players can ride the speeder. Cruising the vast landscapes on a hoverbike will no doubt please any Star Wars fan. It’s fast, smooth, and a lot of fun, but you will still need to stay alert as enemies may appear and try to take you down. Outrunning them and forcing them to crash is always fun, but players can also shoot them down, though this isn’t done the way you might expect. Kay can only shoot while using adrenaline, and this works just like the Dead Eye in Red Dead Redemption. It slows the gameplay and allows you to select each target for Kay to shoot at automatically. It definitely works, but some players might wish they could also shoot the normal way, especially since the enemies can do that to you.

There’s also a variety of side quests you can complete while on the speeder, and Kay can even enter races. While these may not be on the same level as Star Wars Episode I: Racer, they’re still fun to do on the side, offering a nice break from the main game.

Piloting the Trailblazer to travel from planet to planet, and occasionally getting into dogfights, is also a lot of fun, but there isn’t enough of it. There is a lot to enjoy in this game, but with the films maintaining a nice balance of space combat, story, and ground-based battles, it would have been nice to spend a little extra time behind the controls of the Trailblazer.

RPG plays a big part in Star Wars Outlaws, and players have a wide variety of choices to make that will affect what happens later in the game. They can build Kay’s reputation with each of the four factions, gaining allies, or deceiving them to make a few credits quickly if they wish. Based on their choices, they can get different perks that can aid them in their missions, and with so many characters to meet and interact with, it feels like you’re living in the Star Wars universe.

The graphics are incredible to look at, whether wandering around town, cruising across the lands, or travelling through space. There is so much to see no matter where you are. You’ll explore dirty streets, rough bars, beautiful gardens, worn-down buildings, and of course, the shiny and sleek hallways seen in the films. The open areas are photo-realistic, populated by exotic animals, and travelling through space is just as impressive as any of the scenes from the movies. You’ll also discover plenty of Easter eggs throughout the game, something that Star Wars will really appreciate.

Cutscenes have fantastic cinematography with engaging characters thanks to the talented voice cast. Humberly Gonzalez voices Kay Vess, Dee Bradley Baker voices Nix, and various other actors lend their voices to the wide variety of characters Kay will meet along the way. The soundtrack has that iconic Star Wars feel, taking inspiration from the work made famous by John Williams, and Star Wars fans will feel right at home in this game.

We finally have the opportunity to freely explore an open-world game set in the Star Wars universe, and there is so much to see and do. Whether exploring the cities, cruising across wide open plains, or soaring through outer space, playing from the perspective of a regular person instead of a Jedi creates an interesting dynamic. Instead of wielding a lightsaber and harnessing the force, players will have to rely on their wits, stealth, the tools at their disposal, and of course, their best pal, Nix.

It’s an original story that even non-Star Wars fans can enjoy, and while fans may be left wanting more by the end, it offers so much to see and do. It’s also laid the groundwork and set high expectations for a possible sequel, as well as other open-world games set in this universe. Star Wars Outlaws is a Star Wars game like no other.

Written by: Sammy Hanson