Summary
Star Wars Outlawswas heavily featured at therecent Ubisoft Forward event, and in the gameplay/overview trailers that followed, the title hinted at not only the journey of Kay Vess but how people could alter their fates within the game between both story and gameplay choices. This could potentially lead to new ideas and innovations within theStar Warsgaming franchise.
A vast majority of games within theStar Warsgaming space are focused on Jedi. Look no further than games likeObi-Wan, KOTOR, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order & Survivor, and more for examples. Even when games did branch out into other genres, like theBattlefrontseries, Bounty Hunter, orRepublic Commando,they were known to be rather linear in their gameplay elements, and the protagonists, if there was one, weren’t always the deepest. With the arrival of Kay Vess and her journey, things could finally turn around and allow people to truly explore the galaxy far, far away.
Wait, Was That Captain Phasma In The New Star Wars Outlaws Trailer?
Star Wars Outlaws will feature some characters from the Star Wars movies, with Jabba the Hutt and Lando Calrissian confirmed.
Growing Kay Vess Into Something More Than A Scoundrel
Not Everything Needs To Be About Force Powers And Lightsaber Techniques
One of the new gameplay elements revealed inStar Wars Outlawsduring the Ubisoft Forward was that protagonist Kay Vesswon’t simply gain new abilities and skills by defeating enemies and getting XP.Instead, she’ll have to seek out people who can teach her new skills that she’ll use in the field and beyond. A couple of examples given were finding a legendary gunslinger who can teach her the ropes or an expert in sleight of hand to help Kay become a better thief. Exploration is key, as seeking these characters out is required.
The reason this matters for bothStar Wars Outlawsand future series games is that this potentially leads to not just a true customization of the protagonist but can lead to numerous natural storylines that can branch off from the main campaign via these experts. WhileStar Warshas often said that it’s a galaxy full of life, people don’t often get to see it thanks to the narrow focus of its story and characters, especially when dealing with Jedi or Sith characters. Bringing in someone like Kay, a scoundrel, breathes fresh life into things.
Star Wars Outlaws: Release Date, Preorder Bonuses, Setting, & Characters
Ubisoft announced the release date for its upcoming Star Wars Outlaws game with a new trailer that gave a better look at its setting and characters.
It’s true that in some games, like the ones with Kal Cestis, you can augment his abilities over time,including giving him numerous Force and lightsaber abilitiesalongside a set of different stances that can heavily affect gameplay through combat. The question is whether this adds true variety versus just giving people new ways to beat up people. It’s not punished if you don’t switch from your basic lightsaber style, and it’s arguably more important to boost health and expand the Force gauge than it is to gain new lightsaber techniques.
It also should be noted that Cal’s journey only ends one way in both his titles, while Kay’s could potentially have multiple endings.
Seeing & Interacting With The Star Wars Galaxy In A New Way
Taking Notes From Past Games & Building Them Up Meaningfully
If things go as expected with Kay Vess, her journey and its results could heavily tie into what the player decides to give her skill-wise and the choices she makes along the way. One such example was provided in the overview trailer. The narrator noted that as Kay’s skills get more versatile, she’ll get access to not just abilities but bigger contracts that she can take part in, expanding her reach in the galaxy and what she can do to earn more reputation.
Some of the gameplay perks include not only learning better fighting skills but also being able to improve Kay’s ship, the Trailblazer, andgiving her access to new areas that she couldn’t get to on her own. This will give people more reasons to do things like space battles while also giving them more incentive to explore the various worlds,such as Tatooine. Just as important, it’ll allow people to shape Kay Vess into something more than just a fighting machine like in otherStar Warsgames.
It could be argued that games likeJedi Survivorhad elements like this via their side quests, but they were, at times, rather narrowly focused and didn’t affect the overall game. For example, Cal Kestiscould recruit people to be a part of Pyloon’s Saloon. Some added things to the mix, while others were just cosmetic or even auditory improvements. AlthoughKOTOR 2did have decisions that affected the narrative, that game was released in 2004, with most recentStar Warsgames having a more linear story.
Getting In With The Gangs and Syndicates
Loyalty Will Provide Rewards As Well As Dangers
All of this doesn’t even touch upon another key element of gameplay withinStar Wars Outlaws: the reputation system. Kay Vess will have to interact with numerous cartels, syndicates, and even the Empire over the course of the game. Her actions affect how they feel about her andwhether they’ll help her or intentionally try and kill her. One example showed her saving a ship during a space battle and gaining a reputation with the Pykes, then heading to Tatooine, where she wasn’t in good standing with the Hutts, and eventually had to prepare to fight them.
Kay’s loyalties can shift based on her decisions, including betraying one crime group to earn credit with another.While it’s unclear how this will affect things in the game’s main campaign, it could potentially provide numerous options on how to play the game differently, see other angles to cutscenes, and so on. It also makes every random encounter in space, side hustle that Kay takes on, and quest she completes important in a way that many other games only lightly did or could’ve gone further with.
While there are still many unknowns aboutStar Wars Outlaws,even with having gotten a hands-on preview, it’s clear that Ubisoft is trying to show a different side of the galaxy through a much different protagonist than other titles before it. If this can pulled off with a high quality, it might inspire other developers to try these types of adventures and further explore theStar Warsuniverse through different perspectives. There was a canceled game aboutThe Mandalorianthat could get another attempt if things go well, or perhaps a title in the sequel films period could get made. Thepossibilities are there for the taking.
