Unveiling the Uncharted Journey of Star Wars Outlaws: A Revolutionary Spin on Jedi Survival

Highlights

Star Wars Outlaws looks to offer a different experience from Star Wars Jedi, with protagonist Kay Vess as a scoundrel surviving under the rule of the Galactic Empire.

Kay's reliance on her blaster pistol could be elevated with the thrilling addition of temporarily wielding a lightsaber in Star Wars Outlaws. This unique gameplay experience can bring an exciting and valuable element to the game. Players can obtain the lightsaber through a black market merchant or discover and use it in self-defense before ultimately discarding it.

Star Wars games have recently been successfully aligning with gaming trends and exceeding expectations for the franchise. Prior to Andor, excitement for Star Wars was dwindling, but Respawn's Star Wars Jedi franchise managed to revive it. Fallen Order introduced a captivating story centered around Cal Kestis, a refugee Padawan, and Survivor expanded on that narrative in the High Republic setting. Now, Ubisoft's open-world Star Wars Outlaws aims to continue the momentum for Star Wars games.

From the substantial amount of gameplay footage shown, Star Wars Outlaws seems to offer a completely different experience from Star Wars Jedi. The protagonist, Kay Vess, is not a Jedi but instead a scoundrel trying to survive under the oppressive rule of the Galactic Empire. In her journey, players will likely encounter various criminal syndicates and may be compelled to make morally questionable choices in order to scrape by. While Kay will primarily rely on her blaster pistol, it would be interesting if, similar to Cal in Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, she could also wield a lightsaber in Star Wars Outlaws.

Star Wars Outlaws Should Let Kay Wield a Lightsaber, if Only Momentarily

Since Fallen Order, it has been evident that Cal would not conform to the traditional Jedi mold. His upbringing as a youngling on his own necessitated a focus on survival above all else. Despite his compromised connection to the Force, it is remarkable that he managed to recall any of his abilities or lightsaber training, especially when facing off against the Second Sister on Bracca.

In Survivor, Cal demonstrates a heightened self-awareness and adopts new lightsaber stances along his journey. One of these stances grants him the ability to wield a single-bladed lightsaber in one hand and a blaster pistol in the other. This unique stance allows him to combine pistol whips and lightsaber thrusts with long-ranged shots, showcasing his finesse akin to that of a swashbuckler. Notably, this stance distinguishes Cal as a nonconventional Jedi among the five available in Survivor.

In Survivor, Cal adopts a bounty hunter or scoundrel aesthetic, whether through outfits or the blaster itself, adding dynamism to his character. However, in the upcoming game Star Wars Outlaws, Kay will embrace the role of a full-blown scoundrel. This means Cal does not need to adopt this aesthetic, but it would be exciting if Outlaws offered a unique twist, allowing Kay to temporarily wield a lightsaber. For instance, players could acquire a lightsaber from a black market merchant or discover it on a corpse. Set between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, lightsabers in Outlaws would be highly sought-after and could be sold for a lucrative amount of credits.

The discovery and use of a lightsaber could be portrayed as a scripted event for self-defense before Kay ultimately discards or loses it. This would create an exciting and limited presence for the lightsaber without becoming excessive. In contrast, the Outlaws may choose to leave lightsabers exclusively to the Jedi, opting instead for Kay to rely on their blaster and fragmentation grenades.

Star Wars Outlaws will be available for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S in 2024.