- Star Wars Outlaws may seem like a traditional Ubisoft game, but it’s shaping up to be very different.
- Changes like the lack of towers, the removal of checklist quests, and more hold the promise of an exciting adventure.
- A few elements still sound concerning, but I’m hoping Massive Entertainment can iron these out by release.
A massive galaxy far, far away awaits Star Wars fans in Ubisoft’s latest open-world adventure. Massive Entertainment’s passion for Star Wars and all things open-world gaming seems to be the perfect match, carrying the potential for one of 2024’s biggest releases.
However, given the formulaic nature of past Ubisoft releases, there has been concern about Star Wars Outlaws retreading familiar ground. Despite its promising trailers and recent fanfare, it’s difficult to ignore the thought of another cookie-cutter open-world adventure that follows the publisher’s usual tropes.
Fortunately, the game seems to bring ‘a new hope.’ Star Wars Outlaws’ focus on offering a familiar yet unique experience holds the potential to make for a title that finally breaks away from these tropes.
Why it matters: The Ubisoft formula has become famous for all the wrong reasons. Many fans are instantly driven away by the thought of going through another experience that does nothing new.
The Ubisoft DNA Is Still Alive
Make no mistake, Star Wars Outlaws is very much a Ubisoft game at its core. If the massive focus on scale and exploration is any indication, Massive Entertainment is still borrowing a lot from this publisher’s rich legacy.
Expect plenty of outposts to liberate, enemy waves to sneak past, and combat encounters that carry the DNA this developer has refined over the years. The outposts are said to be very similar to Far Cry, the stealth has been compared to Assassin’s Creed, and the exploration is an amalgamation of various franchises from the past.
Yet, for everything that Star Wars Outlaws borrows from Ubisoft’s history, it attempts to set itself apart through careful changes. This is perhaps the biggest strength of Massive Entertainment’s latest release.
In my opinion, there’s real potential here. If done right, the studio may finally be able to break free from the shackles of Ubisoft’s formulaic gameplay, ushering in a new age of prosperity that this publisher so desperately needs.
Breaking Away From The Formula
To differentiate the experience, Star Wars Outlaws is taking inspiration from Ghost of Tsushima for its core open-world experience. In my opinion, this is already a great starting point.
Ghost of Tsushima offers a more refined version of the Ubisoft open world, thanks to its smaller scope and focus on quality over quantity. Massive Entertainment has also realized this.
Another piece of good news is that Star Wars Outlaws seems to be avoiding the overused checklist-style quests. The side quests are organically integrated into the gameplay and have an actual purpose: they reward players with useful upgrades.
Thankfully, Massive Entertainment has also confirmed that towers that reveal more of the world have been foregone in favor of natural exploration. These changes, while small on paper, can come together to make a huge difference.
Add the exciting nature of Star Wars into the mix, and you will have something that begins to look very different from the developer’s past titles.
Staying Cautiously Optimistic
As someone who was a huge fan of Ubisoft’s work in the past, I have trouble trusting the publisher today. However, Massive Entertainment’s work seems to have hit all the right beats.
Even though recent gameplay previews and videos have raised legitimate concerns, the team could be on to something huge if it can overcome these hurdles. With a bit more polish and smarter AI, this could be the Star Wars adaptation we have always dreamed of.
Star Wars Outlaws finally arrives later this month, and I’m certainly looking forward to seeing how the latest action-packed blockbuster Star Wars adaptation turns out.
At worst, it will be a traditional Ubisoft game that still ends up being an enjoyable ride. However, I’m looking for something much better, and here’s hoping this is what will end up happening.
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[Senior News Reporter]
Avinash is currently pursuing a Business degree in Australia. For more than 5 years, he has been working as a gaming journalist, utilizing his writing skills and love for gaming to report on the latest updates in the industry. Avinash loves to play action games like Devil May Cry and has also been mentioned on highly regarded websites, such as IGN, GamesRadar, GameRant, Dualshockers, CBR, and Gamespot.
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