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Is Pokémon Legends Z-A the best Pokémon game we’ve seen in ages?
by Domagoj Belancic
Star Wars Outlaws: lively roguish adventure instead of Jedi drama
26.8.2024
Translation: Patrik Stainbrook
Star Wars Outlaws manages to avoid the biggest Ubisoft open-world clichés. However, this doesn’t mean you’ll find much innovation. The likeable heroine and atmospheric world nevertheless make this trip to the galaxy far, far away worthwhile.
Star Wars show here, Star Wars movie there, and yet another new game a year after Jedi Survivor. This world that once used to amaze me endlessly is now really starting to tire me. Nevertheless, I was cautiously optimistic when a review code for Star Wars Outlaws landed in my inbox. Not least because the open-world adventure comes from Massive Entertainment, the studio behind The Divison. After around ten hours with the PC version, I can draw a very positive conclusion.
The biggest difference to Han Solo is that her companion Nix is a much smaller pet than Chewbacca – and a little less independent. Kay is also less experienced and less conceited than Han Solo.
One of her first negotiations for a mission goes like this:
Kay: «I want half the payment in advance.»
Client: «Payment will follow after the job.»
Kay: «OK, that works too.»
Wonderful, that tells me everything I need to know about her.
Star Wars Outlaws manages not to clutter up the map with icons as is typical for Ubisoft. I usually let my eyes guide me to the next adventure. Sometimes, the landing approach of an Imperial transport catches my attention, other times an abandoned radio station has me make an unscheduled stopover.
The excursions reward me with credits, materials to improve my equipment or information on new loot. Star Wars Outlaws doesn’t provide experience points. It’s one of the few aspects in which Massive demonstrates courage. Instead, I unlock new skills from my growing crew by completing certain tasks for them or collecting resources. Otherwise, the game relies on tried-and-tested open-world fare.
Plenty of freedom, lots of sneaking, but sometimes too old-fashioned
As in all Ubisoft games, my quest log is full to bursting after just a few hours. I can follow the main story and recruit new members for my crew. This is the fastest way to discover new planets such as Kijimi, home to a snow-covered temple city, or the legendary Cantina on Tatooine.
I can decide whether I want to spend hours exploring the landscape with my speeder or hunt space pirates in my spaceship. Unlike in most open-world games, there’s no urgency – aside from the fact I’m on the hit list of an influential syndicate. It makes sense that a mercenary like Kay would be constantly distracted by some new task. Spontaneously following the next lucrative opportunity is in her nature.
The actual missions are surprisingly focused on sneaking. I’ve already seen this in the trailers, but I didn’t realise how essential it would be. Especially in the bigger main missions, I can’t get very far with my blaster. Often, enemies simply overrun me. After all, Kay isn’t a Jedi. She also doesn’t wear armour and takes quite a bit of damage. Other times, an alarm goes off and the mission starts all over again.
Where I feel free, however, is in how I approach missions. Kay can climb, crawl through ventilation shafts, swing across chasms and hack terminals. An essential part of this is Nix. The little alien can distract enemies for me, attack them, open doors for me and even blow up explosive objects. I can control him directly, allowing me to react spontaneously to situations. Together we’re an almost unbeatable team.
Now that I’ve come to terms with the big stealth focus in missions, I’m having more and more fun sneaking around and infiltrating bases unnoticed. If I do get caught, I have the option of chatting to opponents and distracting them for a short time to send Nix off or attack. It’s something I’ve never seen in a game before, and it works perfectly with a character inspired by Han Solo.
I receive plenty of quests from the various factions. The more I work for a faction, the higher my reputation rises within it. In return, my reputation among the other parties can suffer – often because they sabotage each other. Without the necessary reputation, I can only safely pass through their respective dominions unnoticed. If I’m caught sneaking around or even stealing, they’ll throw me out and my reputation plummets.
Visually, the game tries its best. It usually impresses with great lighting, high visibility and detailed locations. Then again, other places look pale and grainy. Especially in cutscenes, which aren’t pre-rendered, the quality fluctuates. Sometimes, Kay looks detailed and I can easily read her emotions. But then there are also scenes that look as if I’ve set the detail level too low.
The game also uses the 21:9 aspect ratio, meaning that anyone with a 16:9 screen or TV will see black bars familiar from many films. I can force full screen, but the picture just looks too zoomed in. I quickly got used to the bars. It feels like I’m watching a movie – which is probably the intention behind it.
Verdict: pure Star Wars – no drama, no Jedis
The world is gigantic and invites you to discover. Its focus on sneaking irritated me at first, but Kay’s pet Nix makes the whole thing surprisingly fast and flexible. The small number of checkpoints sometimes frustrates me, as do bases that are populated again as soon as I return. I’d also have liked a little more flexibility in the mission design. It’s game over if I trigger an alarm. This simply isn’t up to date.
Apart from that, Massive has delivered a (hehe) massive open world that largely manages without the infamous Ubisoft clichés. I can’t wait to see what else awaits me in the next few hours.
Star Wars Outlaws was provided by Ubisoft. I tested the PC version. The game will also be available for PS5 and Xbox Series S/X from 30 August.
Philipp Rüegg
Senior Editor
Philipp.Rueegg@digitecgalaxus.chAs a child, I wasn't allowed to have any consoles. It was only with the arrival of the family's 486 PC that the magical world of gaming opened up to me. Today, I'm overcompensating accordingly. Only a lack of time and money prevents me from trying out every game there is and decorating my shelf with rare retro consoles.
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