Star Wars Outlaws’ Narrative and Gameplay Shortcomings Are Baffling, But Ultimately Explain Its Lacklustre Performance

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Star Wars Outlaws’ Narrative and Gameplay Shortcomings Are Baffling, But Ultimately Explain Its Lacklustre Performance

Star Wars Outlaws was supposed to be a game that stood out, given its immense hype, and the fact that it’s set in the world of one of the biggest and most beloved franchises of all time. Unfortunately, it didn’t quite live up to expectations and became a bit of a disappointment, with most fans and critics agreeing that the game is good, but not great.

There are just too many things in the game that feel dated and lackluster, like the combat and stealth mechanics. With so many advancements in gaming over the years, it’s baffling that this game doesn’t take full advantage of them. Instead, it feels like a missed opportunity, with a lot of things that just don’t make sense or work as well as they should.

Star Wars Outlaws’ Combat and Stealth is Outdated and Lacking

One of the biggest letdowns in Star Wars Outlaws is the combat. It’s incredibly simple and outdated, especially when you consider the potential of the Star Wars universe, and the last two Star Wars: Jedi games, which were both amazing.

The melee system, for example, is so basic that it’s hard to believe it was the best they could come up with. There’s no depth, no variety, and it quickly becomes boring with the same two animations over and over again. 

Kay Vess, the main character, takes down enemies by punching them, even stormtroopers and bounty hunters in full armor. This just feels wrong, considering she could have used something more believable like a taser or a melee *******, rather than her punches somehow penetrating through thick armor.

The clunky animations only make things worse, and allow the combat to feel like something out of a game from 20 years ago.

Stealth isn’t much better. It’s basic to the point of being a hindrance. When you think of stealth games, you expect a variety of tools and gadgets to help you be sneaky and outsmart your enemies. 

But in Outlaws, these tools are limited and uninspired. You don’t feel like a titular outlaw who is smart and cunning and has plenty of gadgets and tricks up their sleeves in terms of how they stealthily approach enemies.

The lack of variety in how you can approach these situations makes the stealth feel like a chore, rather than something fun or exciting. Even games like the original Splinter Cell and early *********’s Creed titles from two decades and two console generations ago did stealth better than this. 

It’s both disappointing and baffling that Ubisoft didn’t take notes from not only their past successes but the current games industry in general. Metal Gear Solid V came out nine years ago, and games have learned from or innovated upon the stealth mechanics very little since.

The Game Has a Universe That Lacks Life and Ingenuity

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An outlaw without many tricks up their sleeves. Image via Ubisoft Massive

Another major issue with Star Wars Outlaws is how lifeless the game world feels at times. Wildlife can barely be interacted with and is very static and artificial.

NPCs are supposed to make the world feel alive and immersive, but in this game, most of them just stand around doing nothing. They don’t have routines or move around much, making the world feel boring. 

It’s hard to get invested in a world that doesn’t feel real or lived in. When you walk through a town or city, you expect to see people going about their day, interacting with each other, and making the world feel alive. But in Outlaws, everything feels staged and artificial. Most of them don’t even talk to each other, despite being in groups of three or four.

The game also limits what you can do with vehicles, which is another letdown. In a game where you explore different planets, you’d expect to be able to hop into many vehicles and feel like you’re part of the Star Wars universe. 

Instead, you’re stuck driving Kay’s speeder, and can’t even borrow or use someone else’s. This limitation just adds to the feeling that the game isn’t as innovative as it should be. It’s almost like the developers played it extremely safe, not wanting to take any risks or try something new. Even what is here, is often lacking behind games from two decades ago.

In the end, Star Wars Outlaws feels like a game that does a lot of things well enough but nothing great. With all the resources and talent Ubisoft has with thousands of employees across a dozen studios, it’s disappointing that they didn’t push the boundaries more. 

This was their chance to prove themselves after years of mediocre games, but instead, they delivered a game that was just okay. It’s functional, and it might satisfy some players, but it never reaches the level of greatness that it could have.

How do you feel about Star Wars Outlaws? Have you enjoyed the game or is it a letdown? Let us know in the comments below!

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