Star Wars Outlaws Reviews

Star Wars Outlaws on Switch 2 is a very fine port of a solid Star Wars game. Kay Vess's story may over-utilise tried and tested gameplay mechanics, it may not bring anything new or hugely exciting to the table, but what it does do is give you a well-crafted world stuffed full of lore through which to explore, sneak, and forge your own path. With solid performance and good looks in both docked and handheld, and motion controls and cross-saves thrown in for good measure, this is an easy recommendation for Switch 2 fans of Star Wars.

Update: Star Wars Outlaws is out now on Switch 2, and from our limited testing serves as a solid port. Capped at 30 frames-per-second and with the occasional stutter, it’s not as visually impressive as other versions, of course, but those who play exclusively on Switch — or, who value portability and don’t have the likes of a Steam Deck — will find tremendous entertainment from Massive and Ubisoft.

Star Wars Outlaws marks an impressive step forward for depictions of the galaxy in video games but fails to provide players with a compelling reason to explore it.

Star Wars Outlaws is a fun but flawed open world adventure, but forced ray-tracing makes it unplayable on the Steam Deck.

Star Wars Outlaws is a game of mixed experiences, where almost every good element is dragged down by a disappointing or restrictive other. Its narrative and main character are largely engaging and combat tools intriguing, but the surrounding elements expose the lack of depth in nearly every element.

Star Wars Outlaws is enjoyable, comfortable, safe, and familiar game to spend a few hours in that will neither offend nor astound.

What I think the continual march of the genre has made clear, though, is that “living” anywhere is often a repetition of boring daily tasks: going to work, doing the laundry, cooking dinner. I don’t think I want to be “immersed” (whatever that means) in an open world anymore; I want to have a nice, tailored experience that lets me do something new and fresh. I think if Massive had built a tighter, more focused adventure and stepped away from the current model of open-world games, the studio would have made a defining Star Wars game. The elements of something great are all here. As it is now, the result is a game that tries to do so much that it simply doesn’t have the time, energy, or resources to fully succeed at any of it.

Star Wars Outlaws may have all of the style and feel of Star Wars but its lackluster combat and stealth mechanics hold it back despite solid exploration and Nix’s cute and useful assistance.

Star Wars Outlaws is a smuggler with flaws that are easy to turn a blind eye to and be charmed by despite them. The cinematic story keeps you intrigued until the end, the worlds are pleasing to the eye, and the gameplay offers a variety of attractions. Yes, there are problems, but they are not very painful, you can get used to them, sometimes you just need to grit your teeth and curse at the screen. The Force in this game turned out to be stronger than I assumed.

Star Wars Outlaws does a lot of things right and a lot of things wrong, resulting in a gorgeously realized galaxy that feels simultaneously dated and innovative.

Somehow, despite the negatives, the game is still worth trying out. Star Wars Outlaws offers a decently fast jaunt and ends before the downsides can become completely unbearable. It’s an ambitious game, and Massive either bit off too much or perhaps played it too safe. The result is a slightly-above-middle-of-the-road affair that shows promise and will hopefully result in a more well-rounded sequel that addresses many of Outlaws' shortcomings.

Star Wars Outlaws has been billed as the first-ever open world game set in the Star Wars universe; a claim that immediately puts developer Massive Entertainment on the back foot. Ignoring the fact Star Wars Galaxies did it first over two decades ago, it opens the game up to an extra layer of scrutiny: is it even open world in the first place? Control is taken away from you when hidden load screens bridge the transitions between a planet's surface and space. Is that open world, or secretly open zone? We'll leave the question to the gaming gods, but that potentially fragmented structure speaks to what Star Wars Outlaws is at its core: a game made with the best intentions that doesn't quite come together.

Star Wars: Outlaws captures the visual feel of the source material but misses the mark with nearly everything else. An uninteresting open world and tedious stealth sections bog down what could have been the start of something special.

It still feels weird that the initial announcement of Star Wars Outlaws did not make that much of a splash. It’s impressive how Disney and Lucasfilm have managed to make any brand new Star Wars announcement feel underwhelming or unimpressive, after so many bad shows, unnecessary bits of controversy, and that already seven year old Battlefront II lootbox fiasco. Outlaws is out this week, and I don’t think I saw a single person truly excited for it. Not that they should be, to be fair, as t...

Star Wars Outlaws is a game that made big promises,but unfortunately, it is one of the many AAA games that failed to deliver on them.The restrictive gameplay and subpar story make the game hard to recommend at full price.

Is this the open world Star Wars game you’re looking for?

“Star Wars Outlaws works best when it's letting players get lost in space, but that's not always the case.”

Star Wars Outlaws shines in a few moments but fizzles out in too many others.

Only Ubisoft could have pulled off this dense, moreish romp through the grubbier side of the galaxy.

A huge open world game filled with Star Wars, and you don’t have to Force Choke it to make it fun.

Star Wars Outlaws is one of the most disappointing titles I’ve played in recent years. From features that aren’t fully fleshed out to boring missions and mechanics that make absolutely no sense, it’s a smorgasbord of startling mistakes and questionable design decisions that will leave anyone, Star Wars fan or not, reeling. Well, at least there’s always Jedi: Survivor for open-world aficionados.

Star Wars games are great, but they tend to tread pretty familiar ground. You get a lot of Jedi, space battles, and non-space battles. Star Wars Outlaws tries something a little different. And it works! Finally, a glimpse into the massive criminal underworld. On the other hand, if you don’t like sneaking around and stealing stuff, this game isn’t for you. Which isn’t to say that there’s nothing else going on. You’ve got speeder bike racing, puzzle solving, space battles, and even some non-space battles. But the core of Outlaws is definitely stealth-based.

Following this job offer, most of the main story consists of flying between planets, upgrading Kay's gear, and recruiting a crew of different skilled individuals, from explosive experts to droidmasters. Unfortunately, while the opening on Canto Bight was action-packed, I felt the game's story slowed down somewhat in this section. While the missions were fun and engaging, there were a lot of moments in between that involved needing to travel somewhere for unlocks or upgrades that broke up this pacing. Then, after the "Point of No Return" notice, the story really picks back up, with a barrage of major character reveals, twists, and turns all coming in quick succession in the game's final moments.

A beguiling mix of open world exploration, mild criminality, and Star Wars flavour that, while it has its flaws, is one of the most enjoyable space adventures of recent years.

Despite technical issues, Star Wars Outlaws was an incredibly engrossing adventure from its unique story perspective and engaging gameplay, it is the scoundrel story fans have always wanted.

Outlaws is at its best when it’s telling you a story. I was immediately invested in Kay and Nix and loved going on this journey with them. I didn’t skip a single cinematic or hurry through dialogue and, as a casual Star Wars fan, I would say that’s a big win for the folks at Massive Entertainment. There were certainly some places where the gameplay felt repetitive, but climbing, grappling, and taking out my foes in chaotic battles with my Blaster always felt satisfying. Working with Nix to solve puzzles or stealth through areas was a treat. Now that I’ve beaten the story, I’m not sure I’ll spend much time in the open world, but Outlaws did such a good job that I’m thinking of digging into some of the movies and television shows I’ve been passing on. That’s about as big a compliment as I can give the story.

Even with the hiccups, Star Wars: Outlaws is a fantastic story that effectively uses the heist genre and never keeps its characters in focus. That said, the side quests are vital to learning more about the world and the characters we have met.

Star Wars Outlaws stands as a testament to Ubisoft Massive’s ability to blend familiar gameplay elements with fresh, innovative ideas.

Star Wars isn’t the hottest property anymore, and it’s easy to forget how fun an adventure in a galaxy far, far away can be. Fortunately, Ubisoft’s Star Wars Outlaws, which is (somehow) the franchise’s first open-world game, brings to mind the better parts of the former EU and avoids the pitfalls we’ve seen in recent Disney productions.

Star Wars Outlaws, a gritty open-world adventure by Massive Entertainment, blasts onto PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S in 2024. Forge your destiny between Empires Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, carving a path as a smuggler, bounty hunter, or tech-savvy slicer. Assemble your crew, master dynamic combat, and leave your mark on the galaxy – every choice shapes your legend in this lawless frontier.

What’s amazing is that, despite those issues, I still look fondly on almost all of my time with Outlaws. There are frustrations at every step, but Outlaws wildly succeeds with its big memorable moments and sense of place. Not since Knights of the Old Republic has there been a Star Wars game that feels as vibrant and exciting to simply spend time in. Walking around bustling cities and underworld hubs never got old, especially as I could hear rumors popping up left and right, catch some Imperials giving someone a hard time, or watch a courier frantically trying to reach his destination.

Star Wars has finally received the open-world Ubisoft treatment with Star Wars Outlaws, allowing you to roam the galaxy to live out your Han Solo space scoundrel dreams. After the misfire of Ubisoft Massive’s Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora last year, it is fortunate that Star Wars Outlaws largely succeeds in providing an open galaxy that is fun to explore while telling an enjoyable (if not wholly original) heist story to get the player invested in its world.

Unfortunately, the success of its world and characters belies a relatively stale gameplay loop that fails to shake things up enough as the title’s runtime increases. There’s an awful lot of content and mechanical ambition in Outlaws with its reputation system, and it’s fun enough to experience most of it, but it still isn’t able to prevent things from blending together once you’ve spent an extended amount of time with Kay and her crew.

Mechanically speaking, Star Wars Outlaws isn't going to throw you into hyperspace, but, despite its lack of innovation, there is still plenty of fun to be had within its beautifully crafted worlds.

Star Wars Outlaws is a wonderful, albeit slightly rough around the edges, galactic space adventure that will appeal to both Star Wars and non-Star Wars fans alike. With a great story, a handful of really iconic locations and a whole host of variety running through its veins, Outlaws is a fantastic new world of adventure for Ubisoft Massive. Plus, it’s incredibly fun.

Star Wars Outlaws is an exceedingly fun Star Wars game that's hindered by poor stealth systems and lacklustre mission design. Massive Entertainment establishes an incredible sense of place through its open worlds, accurately capturing the look and feel of the original trilogy of movies, but the experience falters the closer you stick to the critical path. If you've ever dreamed of becoming a scoundrel in a galaxy far, far away then you'll find a lot to like in Outlaws, and a lot more crawling through cramped ventilation systems than expected.

Star Wars Outlaws fully commits to realizing the open-world scoundrel experience many fans had been dreaming of and walks away unscathed, which is no small feat and reinforces the idea that Massive Entertainment is one of Ubisoft’s best studios at the moment. However, it needed an extra push and bolder swings to leave a big mark on the genre.

Star Wars Outlaws is a good time, once you come to terms with it's stealth gameplay. While the visuals feel rough around the edges, the story and writing are fun and the gameplay can be surprisingly engaging. Things do wear thin after doing the same stealth missions over and over again, but this is still a trip to the outer rim well worth taking.

Star Wars Outlaws is an ambitious first step into bringing the franchise to an open world. Its engaging story and characters open the door for more adventurers to come.

I won’t deny it: I really wasn’t that hyped for Star Wars: Outlaws when it was first announced. I’m a boring Star Wars fan: I want my sci-fi space operas to be filled with Jedi, preferably one I get to play. The idea of playing a gunslinging, stealthy scoundrel has never been on my checklist of “things to do in a galaxy far, far away.”

Star Wars Outlaws perfectly captures the essence of the much-loved franchise, making you believe you've actually stepped into its world. Locations are densely packed with things to do, and whether you're sneaking around or engaging in an all-out firefight, it's always a blast. Add in the Syndicate system which means your actions have consequences, and you have one of the best Star Wars games yet.

Star Wars: Outlaws registers as a great game to me because I'm a huge Star Wars fan, and I can't help but love all the things I got to do here that I've never done in a Star Wars game before. However that doesn't change the fact that in most areas the game is off the mark in big and small ways, in one direction or another. These misses could understandably be the thing that puts many off from Outlaws, but the Star Wars-of it all shines bright enough to blur them out.

Star Wars Outlaws boasts strong open world design and the swashbuckling and improvisational vibe of a classic Star Wars scoundrel story, but from technical rough edges to some dated design decisions to clunky movement, it's got more than a few significant issues that weigh it down.

Ultimately, Star Wars Outlaws’ biggest strength is that it has the Star Wars license, but in terms of gameplay? It feels by-the-numbers for the most part. This is one outlaw that might want to spend some time in the pokey to reflect on their missteps.

Ubisoft's open world Star Wars adventure succeeds at the little things, but not much else shines.

Despite stumbling onto a few bug issues and a combat system that could’ve benefitted from a few improvements, Star Wars Outlaws allows players to completely immerse themselves and become a rogue Scoundrel-for-hire. Being the first truly open-world Star Wars game, Massive has done an incredible job of creating impressive environments and a compelling narrative, making being a Scoundrel both fun and intriguing.

As a big Star Wars fan and video game lover, I’ve long dreamed of a game just like Star Wars Outlaws: a massive open-world action game set in the Star Wars universe that would let me rub shoulders with Jabba the Hutt while freely exploring every inch of a planet like Tatooine. It’s wild that it took this long to finally get a true open-world Star Wars game. And while it has some frustrating flaws, the experience Outlaws offers is worth it.

Instead, it leaves behind little more than a few fond memories and enjoyable experiences, and I probably won’t be returning to it any time soon.

While Star Wars: Outlaws soars thanks to its spectacular open-world design, letting you loose across multiple gargantuan planets all brought to life with immense attention to detail. However, its safe and rather by-the-books narrative brings the package down from being an all-time great.

The first true open world Star Wars game is a triumph, but isn't without its flaws.

Star Wars Outlaws has been a thoroughly welcome surprise. We expected a great big open world dullard of a thing, but instead we've got clever stealth systems, excellent level design, fun combat and a wise refining of the usual collectathon and busywork mechanics. Kay Vess and Nix make a highly competent stealth/death squad, the whole thing looks and sounds great and you even get to take off from planets, fly into space and blow stuff up. What it lacks in new mechanics or originality in gameplay, it makes up for with vibes. It's got it where it counts, kid.

Star Wars Outlaws serves up an extremely enjoyable open-world Star Wars experience that proves the wait for such a game was worth it. While there are a few frustrations, the mix of beautiful worlds, a crime-rich underworld, compelling and tense missions with multiple routes to success, and a host of scoundrelly things to do, makes it a superbly fun experience.

Massive bravely peels away the many layers of Ubisoft open world-isms in Star Wars Outlaws. It's a fatal error.

Experience the first-ever open world Star Wars™ game and explore distinct planets across the galaxy, both iconic and new. Risk it all as Kay Vess, an emerging scoundrel seeking freedom and the means to start a new life. Fight, steal, & outwit your way through the galaxy’s crime syndicates as you join the galaxy’s most wanted. PC version reviewed. Review copy provided by company for testing purposes.

Massive Entertainment created breathtaking environments across the galaxy, delivered a fast-paced combat system true to the scoundrel style, and crafted a story that rivals the modern movies. Star Wars Outlaws is, simply put, the Star Wars game of a generation.

Star Wars Outlaws is a truly fun action-adventure that lives up to the name of its franchise with its interesting story, awesome cast, and unique criminal syndicate reputation system. Its open-world appeal is stretched thin by the vices of its own ambition, filled with a lot of optional padding, but its core offering is more than enough on its own to be worth a dive in.

Star Wars: Outlaws is an ambitious game that tries to push the boundaries of the open-world genre within the Star Wars universe.