It took me about fifteen hours of exploring, sneaking, and scavenging for Star Wars: Outlaws protagonist Kay Vess to stumble into the plot. But those were hours well spent. Kay isn’t your typical Star Wars hero — no lightsaber, no special Force connection, and barely passable blaster skills. She’s a lone thief trying to survive after her mother abandoned her.
Kay’s luck takes a turn for the worse when the Rebel Alliance — yes, the good guys — betray her during a high-stakes mission, recovering a “treasure” from a highly guarded vault. Left for dead, she escapes by stealing the crime boss’s prized starship, the Trailblazer. Now, with a bounty on her head, no one she can trust, and every cartel gunning for her, her only ally is her loyal merqaal companion, Nix (think Stitch from Lilo & Stitch). Nix is more than a pet — he’s her extra set of hands and eyes, helping her navigate places she can’t reach.
Stranded on Torshaash after her ship crashes out of hyperspace, Kay survives by taking odd jobs that the planet’s three main criminal factions don’t want (or can’t handle). Each faction has its own flavor:
- The Pykes control everything through cunning and manipulation.
- Crimson Dawn thrives on espionage and subterfuge.
- The Hutts bring brute strength and straightforward deals.
The more jobs you complete for a faction, the more they trust you, granting you access to their camps, vendors, and more lucrative missions. But no matter how deep you get with these groups, you’re still an outsider, playing their games to get what you need.
Outlaws is an open-world game that gives you the freedom to explore, complete missions, and scavenge for upgrades. Kay’s arsenal starts small — her blaster is weak, and combat is risky. While you can pick up weapons from fallen enemies or use tools like grenades and smoke bombs, the game heavily emphasizes stealth. Most missions pit you against overwhelming odds: dozens of enemies in cartel hideouts or the endless reinforcements of Imperial bases. Staying hidden — or leaving no witnesses — is key to survival.
Gameplay revolves around solving stealth puzzles. Kay crouches behind crates, walls, and boxes, waiting for enemies to move out of her path or get close enough for a quiet takedown. Nix is invaluable here, distracting or attacking enemies to create openings.
The game rewards patience and creative problem-solving over brute force. Sure, you can throw grenades and blast your way through enemies in some situations, but Outlaws shines when you’re figuring out how to move undetected.
The driving force of Outlaws is Kay’s need to clear her name and reclaim her freedom. To do that, she must pull off the biggest heist of her life, assembling a crack team of specialists — a droid expert, a safecracker, and more. Of course, these experts won’t work with her until she proves herself by completing a series of tasks. Along the way, Kay may need to ally with the factions she’s been working for. If the cartels think you’re one of their own, they might just leave you alone long enough to get the job done.
Still, at its heart, Outlaws is about Kay and Nix. Everyone else? They’re just a means to an end.
As with any sprawling open-world game, Outlaws includes plenty of minigames and distractions. You can play Sabacc (the iconic Star Wars card game), bet on horse races, win speed bike races, or even discover arcade-style games scattered throughout the world. These activities not only enhance your reputation but also provide fun ways to pass the time.
Star Wars: Outlaws isn’t a perfect game, but it’s a solid one. Its emphasis on stealth and strategy makes it feel distinct in a galaxy that’s often dominated by Jedi and Sith. I wasn’t itching to replay Veilguard, and LEGO Horizons didn’t last as long as I hoped, so Outlaws came along at the perfect time — and on sale, no less. If you’re looking for a game that lets you explore the grittier side of the Star Wars universe, this one is worth your time.
That sounds like a lot of fun. Most of the reason that I am still a Star Wars fan, despite the spotty track record of the movies (e.g., I found RoS atrocious), is all the cool stories in other media set there. Video games especially. I feel like a lot of times video game developers seem to have a better grasp of what is possible to do with the setting, and what makes in a compelling place to spend time in, than filmmakers.
Yeah, I dunno what’s going on with the movies.
Star Wars, done right, is what Westerns used to be — a common framework on which you could tell any story. Westerns redid samurai movies, spy movies, detective movies, any genre movie you could think of could be retold as a Western.
Star Wars — the GOOD Star Wars — does the same thing. Bring a story that works into the universe and treat it with love and respect. Andor is one such. I think this game is another.