The video reviews Star Wars Outlaws and its A Pirates Fortune DLC, highlighting how recent updates and patches have significantly improved the game’s gameplay, AI, and visuals, making it more enjoyable than at launch. Despite a weak story and predictable ending, the engaging character Hondo Ohnaka and refined mechanics have helped elevate the overall experience, encouraging players to give the game a second chance.
The video discusses the recent developments and impressions of the game Star Wars Outlaws, focusing on its latest DLC, A Pirates Fortune. Initially, the game was considered average at launch, with a decent open world, an engaging story, and exploration elements, but it was marred by technical issues, inconsistent writing, and outdated design choices. A review from August 2024 gave it a 6 out of 10, noting that the game needed more refinement and that the story lacked impact. The DLC, however, appears to have brought significant improvements, especially after several patches, leading to a more positive outlook on the game’s current state.
A Pirates Fortune is a relatively short expansion, lasting around 3 to 4 hours, centered around characters KS Nyx and a well-known pirate, Hondo Ohnaka. The story involves exploring the Keeppy system in search of a mysterious treasure, with Hondo providing much of the DLC’s personality and charm. Despite an intriguing setup, the story’s ending is underwhelming and somewhat predictable, leaving players feeling that the journey lacked a satisfying payoff. Nonetheless, Hondo’s charismatic presence helps keep the DLC engaging, and his voice acting adds a lot of character to the experience.
Gameplay-wise, the DLC sticks to the core mechanics of the base game, with minor new additions like environmental traps. However, the improvements brought by recent patches are notable, especially in enemy AI, stealth, and combat. AI enemies are more aggressive and smarter, making encounters more challenging and enjoyable. The stealth mechanics feel tighter, and gunplay is more satisfying thanks to rebalanced damage. A highlight is the space battles, where players can pilot a new Roana Raider ship with different modes, offering fast-paced, visually impressive combat sequences that stand out as some of the best moments in the DLC.
Visually, Star Wars Outlaws remains impressive, particularly on high-end PCs. The game’s open-world environments are detailed and atmospheric, with A Pirates Fortune maintaining this standard, especially within the Keeppy Tomb. While the DLC does not feature large new open areas, the interior environments are beautifully crafted with dynamic lighting and atmospheric effects, continuing the game’s reputation for excellent art direction. Despite its visual strengths, the game still feels somewhat rushed and average in overall gameplay, but the recent patches have helped it mature into a more solid experience.
In conclusion, Star Wars Outlaws and its A Pirates Fortune DLC have undergone a significant transformation, becoming more enjoyable and refined over time. The game’s narrative remains somewhat weak, with underwhelming story endings, but gameplay improvements and Hondo Ohnaka’s memorable character help elevate the experience. The game’s commercial performance has been disappointing, likely due to its rushed launch, but it may still attain cult status in the future as more players discover its hidden strengths. Overall, the reviewer is glad they persisted with the game and encourages others to give it a try, especially now that it’s much improved.