Since the announcement of Star Wars Outlaws, I’ve been cautiously optimistic. As a fan of the original trilogy and select sequels, tie-in series, and games, anything set in the Galaxy far, far away catches my attention. But after disappointments like the cobbled-together Rise of Skywalker, poorly optimised Jedi: Survivor, and that brain rot of a show Ahsoka, I’ve learned to be wary. But show me a Star Wars game that plays like a mix of Uncharted and Days Gone, with space travel that doesn’t feel like endless loading screens… then I’d say that I have a good feeling about this.
Set between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, you play as Kay Vess, a scrappy outlaw trying to make credits and escape her home world of Cantonica. Alongside her loyal companion Nix (a cute alien-cat-lizard), Kay joins a group of thieves for a massive heist. Things quickly go sideways, landing her in the crosshairs of Sliro Barsha, leader of the Zerek Besh crime syndicate. After stealing one of his ships, Kay earns a Death Mark, meaning she’ll always be hunted across the galaxy.
Landing on the planet Toshara, the game immediately shows its strengths. You can explore its large, open map on your Speeder, encountering settlements, Imperial bases, crime syndicate outposts, and hidden side activities. While fast travel is available, I loved riding around, hunting for secrets, and uncovering Easter eggs between missions.
The city of Mirogana is where Outlaws truly comes alive. Here, the story progresses alongside side quests, store visits, NPC interactions, Fathier race betting, and even games of Sabacc (which may have become my favourite in-game time sink). This bustling environment kept me hooked long after the main story drew me in.
Outlaws’ central mechanic revolves around the galaxy’s seedy underworld. You’ll meet the Pyke Syndicate, Crimson Dawn, and the Hutt Cartel, running missions to increase your standing. Progress unlocks perks and boosts, but betray a syndicate, fail a bounty, or double-cross a contact, and your ranking drops. It’s a clever system that makes your choices feel meaningful.
Missions mix run-and-gun and stealth gameplay, reminiscent of Uncharted, which is exactly what longtime fans have been waiting for since the cancellation of LucasArts’ 1313 and Visceral’s Project Ragtag. Combat is cover-based, with modifiable Blaster Pistols and temporary weapons like E-11 rifles scavenged from enemies. Environmental hazards—exploding barrels, smoke canisters, electrified batteries—add tactical depth, while Kay’s adrenaline ability allows for a Dead Eye-style slow-motion shootout.
Nix isn’t just cute – they’re integral to stealth and combat, highlighting enemies, fetching items, activating switches, and even detonating traps to distract foes. Their presence turns sneaking from a chore into a satisfying challenge.
Space travel is another highlight. Unlike Destiny’s static ship loading screens, Outlaws lets you fly freely between planets, scavenge downed ships, and engage in dogfights, hiding loading screens behind take-off and landing sequences. It’s reminiscent of Starfield, but with higher console frame rates, and makes galaxy-hopping genuinely enjoyable.
On PlayStation 5, I encountered some performance hiccups early on. Framerate dips and minor stutter reminiscent of Jedi: Survivor and Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. Adjusting settings (switching off motion blur and film grain) smoothed things out. Performance mode keeps things fluid, while Quality mode dips too much for my comfort.
After over fifty hours, completing the main campaign while getting distracted by countless side quests (and Sabacc), I can confidently say Star Wars Outlaws is one of the best games I’ve played this year. It’s ambitious, entertaining, and packed with exploration, even if the hardware occasionally struggles to keep up.
