Star Wars Outlaws hands-on review: Can Assassin's Creed work in a galaxy far, far away?

By ditching the lightsabre and embracing stealth, Ubisoft's entry into the Star Wars universe plays to the strengths of their most popular series, for better or for worse

Kay Vess takes on Stormtroopers in Star Wars Outlaws. Photo: Ubisoft

Following on the success of last year’s Jedi: Survivor, the much-anticipated release of Star Wars Outlaws, produced by French studio Ubisoft, has gamers up to experience the world of Star Wars as they never have before.

This time, there is no lightsabre-weilding Jedi at the fore. Instead, the star of the game is Kay Vess, a smuggler reminiscent of Han Solo who is accompanied by her pet Nix, a small alien animal who is a cross between a dog and a monkey.

Taking place between the fifth and sixth films in the series, the story follows Vess as she navigates a universe controlled by The Empire and its leader Darth Vader.

With the game set for release on August 30, The National was invited to play it for three hours and explore two different levels. Here are our impressions of the experience.

Stealth is key

Ubisoft’s most popular series of games is Assassin’s Creed, in which players are tasked with assassination missions of historical figures. The games are known for leaning into stealth gameplay, with hiding in the shadows and quietly taking down enemies a constant element.

It’s no surprise, then, that Ubisoft would utilise similar mechanics to make its Star Wars game, as that is what they do best. But it feels different in a world where other beings essentially have magic powers, with only resourcefulness and cunning to defend oneself.

Kay Vess has a weapon, of course, as she would be quite helpless in this universe without one, but her strength lies in her cunning. She can bypass areas by traversing vents and unlocking secret pathways. With the help of her trusty pet Nix, she can also distract enemies or unleash it to attack an enemy before she knocks them out.

The different planets in Star Wars Outlaws are very detailed and offer varied locales. Photo: Ubisoft

There will be instances where a proper shoot-out with the enemies is necessary, but those are few and far between. Much of the gameplay is slower and more methodical. The core of the game is about creating relationships with local factions and sometimes pitting them against each other to gain an advantage.

It's a very different experience playing the game compared to the Jedi-led games. Those are more gung-ho, and require players to get better at duels and improve direct-attacking abilities in the process.

In Star Wars Outlaws, fans of stealth gameplay will find much to enjoy, though it remains to be seen if existing fans of the universe used to using blunt force at all times will click with a completely different paradigm.

Picturesque open worlds

Star Wars Outlaws is an open-world game much like the Assassin’s Creed games, and as such it makes use of that freedom by peppering the different locales with all manner of characters who could help or hinder the mission.

Right from the start, players will notice how much detail can be found in every location. From a busy market planet to a cold and snowy planet, each level has a unique feel to it that only becomes more interesting the more you look around and explore.

The sound design in the game does a lot to increase the immersion too, with action coming from every angle. There was a point where I couldn't help but pause and take in the surroundings and appreciate all that’s has gone into making it so beautiful.

Verdict

The lead character in Star Wars Outlaws, Kay Vess, is a smuggler who has to rely on her smarts to overcome challenges. Photo: Ubisoft

Outlaws represents perhaps the largest Star Wars video game to date, in that there will be so many different places in the universe to explore and navigate through. While the Jedi games have perfected the experience of what it’s like to be a space wizard, they were each restricted to three or four locations.

In this game, I felt that there was so much more to do. The main mission will be interesting enough, but all the side missions and side characters will keep players busy for weeks. The charm of the different worlds will ensure this does not become a drudge.

It’s an exciting prospect to say the least, and I have to hope there’s a little bit less stealth requirement than is apparent. Sometimes going guns blazing and shooting the enemies is just a little more fun than taking the quiet way out, and Star Wars fans are likely to agree with me there.