Star Wars Outlaws is an upcoming action-adventure game from Ubisoft and Massive Entertainment where you play as a roguish outlaw trying to make her way through the Star Wars galaxy.
The game is set between Star Wars: Episode 4 – A New Hope and Star Wars: Episode 5 – The Empire Strikes Back – one of the most dramatic periods in Star Wars history. Stepping into the shoes of Kay Vess, you’ll be flying, talking, and shooting your way through the ongoing civil war between the nefarious Galactic Empire and the plucky Rebellion. As Kay, you’ll need to stay one step ahead of the law as you fight to survive on the fringes of civilized space.
Contrary to the majority of Star Wars fare, Star Wars Outlaws looks to be distancing itself from everyone’s favorite order of laser sword-toting space wizards, opting for a grittier tale centered around quick-thinking and quick-shooting. As much as we loved Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, this upcoming game is a breath of fresh air and is likely to offer a new perspective on the Star Wars universe. Read on to find out more.
Star Wars Outlaws: Cut to the chase
- What is it? The first open-world Star Wars game
- When can I play it? “late” 2024
- What can I play it on? Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC
- Who is making it? Massive Entertainment and Ubisoft
Star Wars Outlaws release window and platforms
Star Wars Outlaws is yet to receive a specific release date, but a post on the Disney Parks blog quietly earmarked a “late” 2024 release window. Though we don’t yet know how late, it’s reassuring to have a more concrete idea of when we might be able to experience Kay’s adventure for ourselves. That said, Ubisoft has yet to formally confirm the content of this post. We’ll let you know if this changes.
The game is destined to arrive on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC, so any previous generation console players will need to make the upgrade before jumping into this exciting new adventure.
Star Wars Outlaws trailers
The latest trailer for Star Wars Outlaws was shown as part of Ubisoft Forward 2023 and captured ten minutes of the game in action, showing off fighting, stealth, and even some of the title’s story elements. It’s a great watch, and you can check it out below.
More trailers
If you want to stay on top of any new Star Wars Outlaws previews as they drop, it may be worth keeping an eye on the Ubisoft YouTube channel. In addition to future trailers, you’ll also be able to find special behind-the-scenes looks at the game’s development process as well as the world premiere video, which you can see below, too.
Star Wars Outlaws story and setting
Star Wars Outlaws takes place between the events of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back and Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, meaning the Galactic Empire will play a pretty significant part in the narrative.
The story itself takes place at a time when the Empire was hot on the heels of the Rebel Alliance. As the rebellion turns into an all-out war, criminal elements can thrive, creating opportunities for scoundrels like Kay Vess, the game’s protagonist. Though the specifics are as yet unclear, the official walkthrough preview shows off backroom deals involving Imperial officers and crime bosses set between dramatic shootouts and daring chases.
Rather than playing a more goody-two-shoes Jedi character, you’ll be thrust into the role of an outlaw. Fighting and stealing your way through missions and environments, you’ll need to outwit the many dubious forces you’ll come up against without relying on space magic
But, Kay isn’t alone in this endeavor, either. The first trailer introduced us to her loyal companion, Nix, a four-legged furry alien who embodies Star Wars creature design at its finest. You’ll also be adventuring alongside a trenchcoat-wearing commando droid called ND-5. We don’t know much about your robot companion yet, but his Bladerunner aesthetic certainly draws the eye.
Star Wars how will it play?
We received a ten-minute walkthrough at Ubisoft Forward which shed more light on what we can expect from in-game. The trailer begins with what looks like a stealth-based scenario, where Kay is seen navigating an opposition-infested location with Nix. We also get to see several potential actions you can use to help carry out your objectives, like using Nix to distract potential threats while you move.
Swiftly following this, we are taken through Kay getting seen which triggers a high-speed chase and some intense combat. As we come into contact with a few of her pursuers, time appears to slow down, allowing Kay and Nix some time to plan their moves. After a quick shootout, we are taken to the smuggler town of Jaunta’s Hope.
Instead of being rewarded for our work, Jae finds herself threatened by a sinister Imperial officer. As ‘wanted’ posters begin to appear on screens across town, our hero frantically makes for her spaceship, getting the heck out of there. A thrilling dogfight ensues with Kay matching wits with Imperial fighters. Next, we’re treated to cinematic cutscenes and dialogue between ND-5 and Kay, and the occasional chirp from Nix, after which we jump to hyperspace in a dramatic finale to the setpiece.
The control the player is implied to have during the dogfight section of the trailer suggests that might have full control of Kay’s ship when it comes to space battles and plotting courses through the stars. This sense is especially encouraged by the trailer’s conclusion, which has an inquisitive ND-5 asking “Where do we go next?” and Kay responding: “Anywhere we want.”
Frantic gunplay, difficult dialogue options, and the distinctive Star Wars style are commonplace in the preview. Though tightly choreographed, the ten-minute trailer shows off a wide spectrum of experiences, giving us a solid look at what we can expect from the game once it launches.
Star Wars Outlaws news
Star Wars Outlaws gets release window
According to a Disney Parks blog post, Star Wars Outlaws is slated for release in “late” 2024. We don’t yet know exactly how late this will be, but we’re excited to see more concrete information emerge. It’s worth noting, however, that Ubisoft has yet to confirm this itself. We’ll let you know as soon as this changes.
Star Wars Outlaws gets behind the scenes featurette
Massive Entertainment gave us a glimpse into the design process behind Star Wars Outlaws, showing off everything from motion capture techniques to concept art. Featuring observations from director Steve Blank, art and world director Benedikt Podlesnigg, and senior creative executive Matt Martin, the preview has plenty to offer for those looking for an insight into exactly the sort of game Star Wars Outlaws will be.
Star Wars Outlaws promises an experience players and fans haven’t seen before
In an interview with Game Informer, Star Wars Outlaws’ narrative director Navid Khavari stated that the game intends to offer an experience that “players and fans alike haven’t seen before“. He went on to describe the setting as a “writer’s dream” and a “really strong anchor for the rest of the narrative.”
Official walkthrough for Star Wars Outlaws shown at Ubisoft Forward
The first look of Star Wars Outlaws’ gameplay following its initial announcement at the Xbox Games Showcase was shown as part of Ubisoft Forward. This ten-minute trailer showed off combat, stealth, cutscenes, and space travel, giving us a tantalizing taste of what to expect from the game proper.
Looking for a narrative-focused title to tide you over until the release of Star Wars Outlaws? Our lists of the best RPGs and best story games have you covered.
Source: techradar.com
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