Star Wars Outlaws: Everything We Know So Far

With the promise of delivering the ultimate Star Wars scoundrel fantasy, Star Wars Outlaws has been eagerly anticipated since its announcement. Now, with the release date just around the corner, developer Massive Entertainment has been giving us extensive previews of the game and its open-world features. Recently, we spent over three hours in a hands-off session with the game, exploring its various elements, from stealth and combat to the vast interstellar settings.

Here's a rundown of the most exciting new details we've discovered.

Exploring New and Familiar Locations

Star Wars Outlaws will take players to both familiar and brand-new locations within the Star Wars universe. One of the most intriguing new settings is the moon of Tashara, where much of the gameplay we saw took place. The capital city of Miragana, nestled within a large rock formation to protect it from Tashara’s harsh winds, looks like an exciting place to explore. The city is filled with dense environments and interesting NPC interactions that promise a rich experience.

Outside of Miragana, Tashara’s vast savannas offer open landscapes where you’ll rely heavily on your speeder to travel across large distances. The environment even includes naturally formed ramps made of an amber-like substance, making speeding through Tashara more thrilling. For those interested in even more action, it seems like speeder races will be available to seek out as well.

Imperial Bases and Iconic Locations

While a lot of our time was spent on Tashara, we also got a glimpse of other locations in the game. In one scene, Kay, the protagonist, piloted her ship into a massive Imperial station, where the iconic Imperial aesthetic was recreated with impressive detail. We saw the familiar white panels, brightly lit corridors, TIE fighters, and stormtroopers—all hallmarks of the Empire’s presence in the Star Wars universe.

We also visited the planet of Kijimi, first introduced in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Unlike the sunny savannas of Tashara, Kijimi is a cold, icy world with squat stone buildings and dim daylight, creating a distinctly different atmosphere. The capital city here feels much quieter and less crowded, offering a different vibe that adds to the game’s diverse environments.

Space Exploration and Combat

Space exploration is a big part of Star Wars Outlaws, and during our hands-off session, we saw quite a bit of space gameplay. Space combat appears to be a major focus, with encounters involving space pirates, various factions, and, of course, the Empire. The ship Kay flies, the Trailblazer, is well-suited for these space battles—a convenient fact given that Kay will have plenty of enemies chasing her throughout the galaxy.

Side Activities and Scoundrel Life

Star Wars Outlaws aims to immerse players in the seedy underworld of scum and villainy, meaning you’ll spend a lot of time engaging in side activities. One mission we saw involved Kay heading into Miragana to strike a deal with Gorak, an underboss within the Pike Syndicate. These activities are filled with unique NPC interactions and an impressive level of detail, including mini-games that add variety to the gameplay.

Tools, Combat, and Customization

As a thief and outlaw, Kay has plenty of tools at her disposal beyond just her blaster. She can use a lockpick hidden in her hair to unlock doors, a grappling hook to swing across gaps, and a slicing kit to hack into terminals. We also saw her engaging in some Nathan Drake-style climbing and other forms of traversal, adding depth to her abilities.

Aboard her ship, the Trailblazer, players will be able to customise Kay’s loadout, including her clothing and a limited number of charms, each with different effects. While the game isn’t focused heavily on customisation, these elements add a layer of personalisation to the experience.

Combat Mechanics: The Adrenaline Rush

Combat in Star Wars Outlaws will primarily be cover-based, but there’s an interesting new mechanic that caught our eye. When Kay is in a tight spot, her adrenaline meter will fill up. Once full, it allows her to slow down time, mark enemies, and take them out quickly in a flurry of shots. This mechanic is reminiscent of Red Dead Redemption’s Dead Eye system and adds an exciting tactical element to the game’s combat.

The Gist

As the release of Star Wars Outlaws approaches, the game continues to look more promising with each new reveal. From its richly detailed environments to its diverse gameplay mechanics, it seems poised to offer an immersive Star Wars experience that fans have been eagerly awaiting. Stay tuned for more updates as we get closer to exploring the galaxy’s underworld in this highly anticipated title.