Summary
Star Wars Jedi: Survivorwas released earlier this year, and the continued story of Cal Kestis was well received, with Respawn Entertainment improving upon the Jedi combat mechanics that were so popular in the first game. Now, the spotlight is on Ubisoft and Massive Entertainment to up the ante in the form of the open-worldStar Wars Outlaws. Sneak peeks revealed by the gameplay trailer back in June earned it the moniker ofGTAin space, owing to its similar mechanics like a wanted level and motorcycle-esque speeder. However, the main character being an outlaw means some gameplay features of another Ubisoft franchise could be included – specificallyAssassin’s Creed.
Kay Vess is the main characterplayers get to control; she’s a rookie scoundrel on a path to create a better life for herself and animal partner Nix in the galactic underworld, undertaking missions to get by. Apart from the story, there were some exciting gameplay features, including a stealth feature that sees Kay sneaking around a factory making stealth takedowns. She was also spotted using her companion Nix to push buttons or switches, distract guards, and even grab weapons, making up for the game’s lack of Force abilities in an adorable way. The stealth mechanic is essential in this game, seeing that Kay is an ordinary human scoundrel and doesn’t have any extraordinary skills to her name. The teasing preview has left fans wondering if Massive Entertainment would bolster the gameplay by taking a page out ofAssassin’s Creed’s playbook.
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Star Wars Outlaws and Assassin’s Creed’s Stealth are a Match Made in Heaven
Stealth andAssassin’s Creedare synonymous, andStar Wars Outlawsis the latest Ubisoft game to employ stealth as a core feature of its gameplay.Star Wars Outlaws' Faction Reputation systemopens the door for an expanded stealth role, since the trailer depicted Kay running to her ship with an increased wanted level after refusing to bribe an Imperial officer. This dynamic could benefit immensely fromAssassin’s Creed’s social stealth, where players blend into the environment to reduce their notoriety level. Crowds, buildings, and bushes could be ripe hiding places to wait out a high wanted level inStar Wars Outlaws.
The added crowd elements could also allow Kay to eavesdrop on informants, tail targets, and pickpocket items. Additionally, a feature enabling Kay to destroy wanted posters and reduce her notoriety would be a fantastic addition to the game. Clever mechanics like pushing down a stall on the street while fleeing from the law or weapons likeAssassin’s Creed Mirage’s smoke bombscould distract pursuers as Kay flees the scene.
Star Wars Outlaws' reputation system shapes its factions to react to Kay’s presence – and some in a particularly unfriendly fashion. Consequently, parkour would be another useful feature ofAssassin’s Creedthat could elevate the title’s gameplay. Whether to avoid tensions flaring or escaping a locale in a pinch, jumping from roof to roof or through windows to hide in buildings would greatly aid Kay’s cause. It doesn’t need anything daring like the feats inAssassin’s Creedthat see players scaling entire monuments just to unlock an area on the map withEagle Vision, but a bit of climbing could be valuable. Although Kay doesn’t seem to match the athletic prowess of an Assassin from the gameplay, the ability to traverse rooftops would always be a welcomed addition to an outlaw’s capabilities.
Star Wars Outlawsalso features a robust space combat and travel system, as seen in the clips of Kay’s escape from Toshara. The glimpses are promising, flaunting the traditionally intense battles from games likeStar Wars Squadrons. The trailer showed a game retaining the core elements of theStar Warsgalaxy with a rebellious twist, and an amalgamation of some ofAssassin’s Creed’s elements in the title would doStar Wars Outlawsa world of good.
Star Wars Outlawsreleases in 2024 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.
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