Every video game developer has its own distinctive features that instantly identify their games to audiences. Naughty Dog is known for its realistic visuals, weighty character animations, and immersive storytelling. On the other hand, Activision's Call of Duty studios have perfected the fast-paced first-person shooter formula. While some studios' signature features are more subtle, Ubisoft belongs to the group that leaves a lasting impression. Even high-profile licensed games like Star Wars Outlaws are likely to incorporate Ubisoft's renowned open-world formula.
With nearly four decades of experience in the video game industry, Ubisoft has released numerous titles over the years. However, in recent times, they have gained recognition primarily for their collection of open-world action-adventure games. This includes popular franchises such as Far Cry, Assassin's Creed, and Ghost Recon. While each franchise offers its own distinct features, they all follow a similar open-world formula. This approach heavily emphasizes crafting materials, acquiring gear, and unlocking map sections using watchtowers, ultimately populating the world with various icons. While this formula has its advantages, Star Wars Outlaws must tread carefully when adopting it.
Star Wars Outlaws Needs to Approach Ubisoft's Open-World Formula Carefully
The Ubisoft open-world formula has received mixed reviews over the past decade. While Ubisoft started using this formula with games like Assassin's Creed 2 and Brotherhood in the late 2000s, it reached its peak with Far Cry 3 in 2012. However, after almost a decade of using the same formula without significant innovation or additions, many fans have grown tired of it.
Star Wars Outlaws aims to be the first expansive open-world Star Wars game. But with Ubisoft leading the way, there is a concern that it may become too formulaic. While the Ubisoft formula isn't inherently bad, it should only serve as a starting point for Star Wars Outlaws. The game needs to have its own unique identity and build upon the basic structure provided by the formula. It can incorporate the usual Ubisoft mechanics but should offer a fresh twist to keep things interesting.
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An exemplary instance of this is the concept of watchtowers. In almost every Ubisoft open-world game developed in the past decade, players are required to ascend towers, activate beacons at their summits, and consequently unveil a part of the map, accompanied by an inundation of additional side activities. While this concept is not inherently flawed, as it rewards players for exploring the entire open world, it has become monotonous over the past decade. Therefore, if Star Wars Outlaws intends to incorporate a similar system, it must inject a multitude of innovations.
To achieve this, Star Wars Outlaws can introduce unique gameplay experiences associated with each watchtower. For instance, players could engage in stealth missions in one tower, a firefight in another, or even partake in space battles or speeder chases. These watchtowers can also contribute to the overarching lore of the Star Wars Outlaws galaxy, serving as Imperial outposts that require infiltration and the hacking of their communications systems. Similarly, Star Wars Outlaws can invigorate other common features found in Ubisoft's formula, such as utilizing crafting materials to facilitate genuinely meaningful upgrades for Kay Vess' ship, gear, and weapons. By adopting Ubisoft's open-world formula and infusing it with fresh twists and enhancements, Star Wars Outlaws can successfully differentiate itself.
Star Wars Outlaws is coming to PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S in 2024.
