The reviewer finds “Star Wars Outlaws” to be a solid but ultimately repetitive open-world game that suffers from shallow gameplay mechanics and a disconnected narrative. While they appreciate the game’s visuals and story, they feel it lacks depth and meaningful consequences for player choices, leaving it in the “good, not great” category.
In the video, the reviewer discusses their experience with “Star Wars Outlaws,” an open-world game set in the Star Wars universe. They admit to being a casual Star Wars fan, having enjoyed the prequel movies and some video games, but not being deeply invested in the franchise. After spending around 20 hours with “Outlaws,” they conclude that the game is solid but falls into the “good, not great” category, a sentiment they find applicable to many Ubisoft titles in recent years. While the game offers fun moments, it becomes repetitive and lacks depth as players progress.
One of the standout features of “Star Wars Outlaws” is its open-world design, which the reviewer appreciates for being appropriately sized compared to other Ubisoft games that often feel bloated. The game encourages exploration, especially after unlocking upgrades for the speeder, which adds excitement to traversal. The visuals are also praised, with stunning environments and impressive day-night cycles that enhance immersion. The reviewer enjoyed the vibrant atmosphere and intricate details in the game’s locales, which made wandering around a pleasurable experience.
However, the gameplay mechanics, particularly combat and stealth, are criticized for being shallow and restrictive. The reviewer feels that the combat system lacks variety, as players are limited to using a single blaster with minimal options for weaponry. This limitation is compounded by the game’s frequent reliance on stealth mechanics, which the reviewer finds frustrating due to a lack of engaging tools and options. The forced stealth sequences detract from the open-world experience, making it feel linear and constricted.
The reviewer also expresses disappointment with the game’s reputation system involving criminal syndicates, which they hoped would play a more significant role in the main story. Instead, the syndicate missions feel disconnected from the overall narrative, with choices made in side missions having minimal impact on the main plot. While the reviewer acknowledges that Star Wars fans may enjoy the interactions with these factions, they were left wanting more meaningful consequences for their decisions throughout the game.
Despite its flaws, the story of “Star Wars Outlaws” is noted as a positive aspect, featuring intriguing twists and character relationships that resonated with the reviewer. However, the inconsistent quality of facial animations and character design detracts from the overall experience. Ultimately, the reviewer finds the game enjoyable but flawed, feeling it struggles to balance its open-world aspirations with a more linear design approach. They conclude that while the game has its merits, it could have benefited from deeper mechanics and better execution in various areas.