Star Wars Outlaws – 10 Potential Concerns With It

As a lifelong Star Wars fan who has played more than my fair share of Ubisoft open-world games, I find myself both excited and cautious about “Star Wars Outlaws“. The idea of stealth mechanics and space exploration in the Star Wars universe is undeniably appealing, but the concern of familiarity creeping in is valid. However, if Massive Entertainment manages to elevate these elements with their signature flair for world-building, we might just have a winner on our hands.

As an avid Star Wars fan, I must admit that the sneak peeks of Star Wars Outlaws have left me quite excited. The idea of immersing myself in an authentic open-world Star Wars experience is tantalizing, and the Reputation system’s potential to shape dynamic gameplay sounds intriguing. However, there are areas where I share some concerns among the gaming community about this upcoming space odyssey by Ubisoft and Massive Entertainment. Let’s delve into a few of these potential pitfalls that have sparked skepticism in some Star Wars Outlaws fans like myself.

TECHNICAL ISSUES

We’ll start off with the concern that we’ve seen brought up most often in discussions about Star Wars Outlaws. By and large, what Ubisoft has shown of the game has looked suitably impressive from a visual perspective, but in the weeks leading up to release, more than a few people have noticed a visual downgrade- or at least a perceived visual downgrade. Either way, there’s no denying that noticeable bugs and technical rough edges have been spotted in gameplay footage leading up to Star Wars Outlaws’ launch, raising concerns for many about what condition the game is going to be in when it does come out. Thankfully, with Star Wars Outlaws having gone gold in early July, by the time it releases, developer Massive Entertainment will have had roughly two months to prepare patches that could alleviate at least some of those issues right out the gate.

PLAYING IT SAFE?

One point of discussion among some about the upcoming game ‘Star Wars Outlaws’ is whether it might lean too conservatively in terms of design and mechanics, based on the footage we’ve seen so far. It appears to feature cover-based shooting, stealth tactics akin to those in other games, and climbing reminiscent of ‘Uncharted’. This could make ‘Star Wars Outlaws’ seem like a slightly modified version of a familiar AAA game that we’ve experienced multiple times. However, it’s possible that the game manages to seamlessly integrate these elements into an exciting and unique experience, which is our hope.

COMBAT

It’s not unexpected that the game Star Wars Outlaws, produced by the studio known for The Division, will mainly focus on cover-based third-person shooter combat. However, whether this sci-fi title can emulate the mechanical complexity and enjoyable gameplay of its predecessor’s combat is a question currently on many people’s minds. The main character, Kay, will carry only one blaster, although it will have various modules for different uses in diverse situations. This could lead to simpler and more straightforward combat. However, given the swashbuckling essence of traditional Star Wars rogue adventures, there’s much more at play than just combat. Nevertheless, combat will be an integral part of the experience, so here’s hoping that Massive Entertainment can avoid making it feel sparse.

STEALTH

In the upcoming game “Star Wars Outlaws,” stealth will undoubtedly play a significant part in gameplay, yet there’s a worry it might be too straightforward. The character Nix, Kay’s companion, will significantly contribute to stealth, by distracting enemies, creating diversions, and even stealing or retrieving items among other things. However, the actions performed during stealth could seem quite familiar if you’ve played any recent open-world games with stealth features, as there have been plenty of those from Ubisoft. It’s possible that “Outlaws” manages to make these familiar elements engaging or that its Star Wars theme helps enhance some repetitive aspects. Indeed, both scenarios are plausible, but only time will tell which one becomes a reality.

PROGRESSION

As a Star Wars gamer, I’m excited for Star Wars Outlaws, but I’ve noticed it seems to be moving away from the intricate progression and build systems that I’m accustomed to in the Division games. While I appreciate the potential for more streamlined gameplay, I can’t help but worry if they’re going a bit overboard with this simplification. There will definitely be progression and customization options, from Kay’s blaster to her ship, and various cosmetic choices – it’s just that I hope these systems feel meaningful and impactful on the gameplay, which is something I haven’t seen convincingly demonstrated in what’s been revealed of the game so far.

SIDE CONTENT

This, to be fair, is a much more general concern that can be applied to the overwhelming of open world games that get released- how good is the side content going to be? No one doubts Massive Entertainment’s ability to craft excellent open world maps, but how compelling will the optional content populating that map going to be? Are we going to be in for rote, copy-paste side activities, or is Outlaws going to offer a much more compelling and dynamic experience? We obviously always hope for the latter, but very rarely do we get open world games that actually live up to those expectations.

SPACE CONTENT

In the exciting world of Star Wars Outlaws, space travel plays a significant role. While Ubisoft has hinted at this extensively, specifics about this aspect of the game are still scarce. Ubisoft has confirmed that players venturing into space will encounter numerous dynamic events, side missions, and intriguing space stations to explore. However, as with additional content in open-world games, we’ll have to experience it ourselves to truly appreciate its quality.

LOCKED JABBA MISSION

Earlier in the year, Ubisoft faced criticism when it was discovered that certain missions in Star Wars Outlaws, including one focused on Jabba the Hutt, were only accessible if players purchased the Ultimate Edition, priced at $130. This move by Ubisoft to lock content behind a paywall has not been well-received by many players, given Jabba’s popularity and the fact that he will be present in the game regardless of which edition is chosen. The backlash is, therefore, not entirely unexpected.

OPEN WORLD FATIGUE

Have you noticed discussions among gamers expressing frustration about being tired of open-world games? Despite the fact that these types of games continue to achieve massive sales numbers, it’s clear that a significant number of players are growing weary of the common tropes prevalent in this genre. With Star Wars Outlaws being an open-world game from Ubisoft, there’s some skepticism about whether it will be able to steer clear of these issues. However, we are hopeful that it will offer a unique and refreshing open-world experience compared to what this publisher is known for, which isn’t necessarily negative but may not align with the expectations fans have for this Star Wars game.

STAR WARS FATIGUE

In recent times, there’s been a noticeable sense of exhaustion towards the Star Wars franchise in various media, due to an overwhelming number of movies and TV shows on platforms like Disney+, many of which have fallen short of expectations. One might wonder if this fatigue has extended to video games as well. Despite this, the release of genuinely impressive Star Wars games, such as Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, within the past year offers a glimmer of hope. Fingers are crossed that Outlaws will buck the trend and become another title worthy of being on that list.

2024-08-02 17:41

Read More