Summary
ManyStar Warsfans have been eagerly awaiting the day they can traverse the galaxy in a truly open-world game. After a decade of exclusive development under EA, the franchise is now branching out to other major studios, and it didn’t take long for one of them to deliver on that dream. Ubisoft’sStar Wars Outlaws, promises to be a lot of things, but chief among them is an open-world experience unlike anything fans have played before. After months of patiently waiting to see exactly how Ubisoft would accomplish such a feat, new gameplay footage shows just how openStar Wars Outlawsreally is.
As is tradition in the industry, June has been rife with showcases from several big-name publishers and developers. The2024 Ubisoft Forwardevent is just one of a few that have recently demanded gamers' attention, and it featured one of the best looks atStar Wars Outlawsto date. From exploration to gunplay, Ubisoft showed off how it will be handling the galaxy far, far away, and one important feature that stood out was space travel. In anyStar Warsgame claiming to be open-world, nailing space travel is a must, andOutlawsseems to find a compromise between other sci-fi titles and their answer to the same mechanic.
Star Wars Outlaws Takes the Best of No Man’s Sky, Avoids The Worst of Starfield
In much ofStar Wars Outlaws' promotion up to this point, Ubisoft has touted the ability to travel from space directly to a planet’s surface, and vice versa.Outlaws' newest gameplay trailershowed off how this will work, with a sort of cinematic sequence taking over once players initiate their landing. This does take a bit of control out of players' hands, but it keeps the process semi-seamless by avoiding an outright loading screen. After the last few years of space exploration games, it feels like the best-case scenario for a title of this scope.
Star Wars Outlawsis bound to draw comparisons, and when it comes to space exploration, the two most relevant contemporaries would beNo Man’s SkyandStarfield. Both are games that presented lofty ambitions for traversing the stars, but their execution of said game mechanics has made all the difference.
Ubisoft’sStar Wars Outlaws, promises to be a lot of things, but chief among them is an open-world experience unlike anything fans have played before.
No Man’s Sky, despite its troubles at launch, provides a seamless space-to-land transition, creating a sense of immersion few have been able to replicate.Starfield’s space travel, on the other hand, is infamously broken up by loading screens that take players out of the action. Even ifStarfieldplayers attempt to travel from planet to planet, the game isn’t built to handle that kind of smooth transition, making the game as a whole feel less expansive.
Star WarsOutlawsmay not give players as much control asNo Man’s Sky, but the fact that it still makes a show out of the space travel process sets it aboveStarfieldin that regard. With how detailedOutlaws' planetsappear to be, a seamless transition likely wouldn’t be feasible from a game development perspective. That said, the transition from space to planet and planet to space doesn’t appear to take long, which makes the fact that it is functionally a loading screen much easier to stomach.
BetweenStar Wars Outlaws' crime syndicate reputation mechanic,GTA-like wanted system, and the lush environments Kay Vess can explore, the game already has a lot going on. Ubisoft has shown withAssassin’s CreedandFar Crythat it’s more than capable of crafting open worlds that can be explored from end to end, so when it comes to nailing space flight, it seems to have found a strong middle ground. It remains to be seen howOutlawswill work as a total package, but how it presents space exploration is thankfully clear leading up to release.
Star Wars Outlaws
WHERE TO PLAY
Experience the first-ever open world Star Wars game and explore distinct planets across the galaxy, both iconic and new. Risk it all as Kay Vess, an emerging scoundrel seeking freedom and the means to start a new life. Fight, steal, & outwit your way through the galaxy’s crime syndicates as you join the galaxy’s most wanted. If you’re willing to take the risk, the galaxy is full of opportunity.DISCOVER A GALAXY OF OPPORTUNITYExplore distinct planets with bustling cities and cantinas before racing across sprawling outdoor landscapes on your speeder. Each planet brings new adventures, unique challenges, and enticing rewards if you’re willing to take the risk.EXPERIENCE AN ORIGINAL SCOUNDREL STORYLive the high-stakes lifestyle of an outlaw. With Nix by your side, turn any situation to your advantage: fight with your blaster, overcome enemies with stealth and gadgets, or find the right moments to distract enemies and gain the upper hand.EMBARK ON HIGH-STAKES MISSIONSTake on high-risk, high-reward missions from the galaxy’s crime syndicates. Steal valuable goods, infiltrate secret locations, and outwit enemies as one of the galaxy’s most wanted. Every choice you make influences your ever-changing reputation.JUMP INTO THE PILOT SEATPilot your ship, The Trailblazer, as you engage in thrilling dogfights with The Empire and other foes, finding the right opportunities to chase, evade, and attack to get the upper hand.
