The review embargo Star Wars Outlaws has ended, with global critics now sharing their thoughts in various reviews, videos, and social media posts. So far, the reception to the game has been incredibly mixed, with each review focussing on a different aspect of gameplay, narrative, mechanics, and more. There’s not really a shared consensus amongst reviewers, as the game seems to be wildly polarising.
Some have praised its plot for its tighter focus on the underbelly of Star Wars. Others have questioned protagonist Kay Vess’ motivations, and her character growth throughout the game. Some have praised the game’s open world, freedom, and opportunity for experimentation, while others have called these elements too safe and formulaic.
When the cards are down, it does seem like Star Wars Outlaws is set to be one of the most divisive games of the year, with a mix of opinions about its major successes and its biggest flaws.
Here’s what the critics have said so far.
GamesHub – 4.5 Stars
Writing for GamesHub, reviewer Steph Panecasio spoke of the pure joy of Star Wars Outlaws, calling it “the most fun [she’d] had in a game all year.” Panecasio particularly praised the relationship between the main crew of the Trailblazer, and the sweeping world-building of the game.
“It’s not perfect, but neither are the scoundrels that the story relies upon. Where some might look at a lack of polish and feel wanting, I feel comfortable. Returning to this universe every day for the past week was something I felt eager to do, not just obliged in any kind of way. What Massive Entertainment have achieved is genuinely impressive,” Panecasio said.
Read: Star Wars Outlaws review: Lots of fun no matter how you slice it
“In The Empire Strikes Back, Han Solo says the iconic line, “Never tell me the odds.” In a year where we’ve all been waiting for a standout game to rise up, I feel like – at least for now, and without anyone saying it out loud – Star Wars Outlaws has beaten the odds.”
Eurogamer – 2 Stars
On the other end of the spectrum, Eurogamer review Chris Tapsell was more negative towards Star Wars Outlaws. While he praised Kessel Sabacc and the game’s more mature themes, he criticised its “stripped back” open world structure, its relatively linear exploration, its platforming, and its speeder controls. Tapsell also questioned the limited nature of player choice, and the repetitiveness of battles.
“Star Wars Outlaws … feels like it’s blagging it – much as Kay can, when regularly caught out by some far more worldly syndicate boss. The result is a series of quite painful comparisons: it lacks the branching, open stealth of an Arkham game, the systemic options of a Dishonored or the incisive, relentlessly satisfying speed of picking enemies off in Assassin’s Creed,” Tapsell said.
GadgetGuy – 4 Stars
Writing for GadgetGuy, reviewer Chris Button praised the criminal setting of the game, and its satisfying stealth elements, calling it a “pleasing exercise in restraint and a clear focus.” Unlike Tapsell, Button was complimentary to the lack of traditional open world “bloat” in Star Wars Outlaws, praising the tightness of its missions and how Kay Vess’ lack of skill speaks to her character, and her skill growth.
“Even though Kay and Nix’s adventure may not be smooth sailing by nature, their adventure is a largely satisfying one,” Button wrote. “Star Wars Outlaws knows when to go loud and when to play it quiet. In a franchise that favours the grandiose, it’s an absolute treat to enjoy a deeply personal story capably supported by a refreshingly restrained approach to the open-world genre.”
IGN – 7/10
Over on IGN, reviewer Tristan Ogilvie highlighted the sense of adventure in Star Wars Outlaws, while acknowledging its scruffier edges. Ogilvie called the game consistently entertaining, thanks to a crime story that feels fresh, and delightfully removed from the “good vs. evil” battles of the Jedi and the Sith. He likened it to a Guy Ritchie film in approach, with a story that serves Kay and her companions well.
“[Star Wars Outlaws is] quite like the Millennium Falcon: a bucket of bolts held together with repurposed parts and prone to breaking down, but at its best it’s more than capable of jolting your pleasure centres into Star Wars fan hyperspace,” Ogilvie said. “A clever syndicate system brings real weight to almost every task you choose to undertake, some of which have creative quest designs that can often conjure up some genuinely stunning blindsides.”
Press Start Australia – 6/10
James Wood of Press Start Australia was less effusive in his praise, criticising the game’s “frictionless” experience, and a lack of depth in its story. While he praised is scope and scale, and its gorgeously-rendered world, Wood found the narrative “goofy” by its ends, and labelled Kay Vess “archetypal to a fault,” with only broad strokes illuminating her character.
“When I first played Outlaws earlier this year, I flagged the potential pitfalls of a game playing with this subject matter trying to remain largely apolitical in its writing, but Outlaws pushes this tension to breaking point with its narrative choices, firmly cementing it as an experience that wants the aesthetics of drama without bearing the weight of perspective or stance,” Wood said.
“Impressive aesthetic charm and neat ideas aside, Outlaws is simply too unsure of itself to make much of a lasting mark. For a game so keen on living the scoundrel fantasy, Outlaws is oddly afraid to shoot first.”
Video Games Chronicle – 3 Stars
Over on VGC, reviewer Jordan Middler claimed Star Wars Outlaws failed to live up to its potential, despite its strong main cast of characters and its interesting mechanics. Middler felt the game was far too safe in its creative choices, despite strong writing and worldbuilding enhancing the overall gameplay experience.
“Star Wars Outlaws does many things well, but we’re left disappointed that so few of its elements achieve greatness,” Middler said. “You can play through Star Wars Outlaws and have an enjoyable time, as we did, but you’ll be left yearning for a sequel that takes all its best bits, of which there are plenty, and delivers on them to the fullest. For now, it’s a good first step into a wider galaxy, but won’t trouble lists of the best Star Wars adventures ever.”
Star Wars Outlaws launches for Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, and PC on 29 August 2024.
