New Star Wars Outlaws Is In Bad Shape

The New Star Wars Outlaws seem to be in rough shape. With an official release from Ubisoft lurking around the corner, hope for this title feels bleak. On 30 August 2024, Star Wars Outlaws will be formally released. However, a lack of inspiring storytelling, a bland protagonist, and horrible graphics overshadow what could have been a great release. Now, the truth is that this is not the first time I have spoken about this title. In the past, the looks of the lead protagonist were a vocal point of contention. While some believe that Ubisoft intentionally tried to make the lead unappealing, others argued that the character should not be a pageant beauty for the game to be good.

While I have my personal opinions about attractive people in video games, today, I want to look beyond the superficial. The truth is that Star Wars Outlaws faces issues far more dire than it seems. Ironically, it is not looks but visuals that could be their undoing. Recently, IGN released a gameplay trailer for this game, and the reception is nothing to write home about. At the time of recording, the dislikes on the trailer were sitting at 62 thousand, and the likes were at 12 thousand.

In my honest assessment, certain aspects looked rough, while others were slightly better. The opening scene, where an explosion occurred, was hard to watch. It looked to be straight from a PS3. However, there were also a few other scenes that were much more aesthetically pleasing. Currently, it is hard to assess the game’s full scope as the desert is not the best way to judge. It does look fun riding around on that motorcycle, though.

The Shape Of Modern Star Wars Games

The truth is that Star Wars games have a complicated history. E.A. had control of it before the IP was open to more studios for quite some time. The results under them were mixed. While titles such as Battlefront drew harsh criticism, Star Wars Jedi: The Fallen Order and Squadrends are looked upon favorably. There was a time when I celebrated EA losing exclusive rights. If I look at the state of Ubisoft now, maybe the IP was in better hands.

Ubisoft does not want to dedicate proper resources to the title. While the studio brags that its marketing budget for this title is the biggest ever, it is clear that the development budget suffered instead. We know that Ubisoft, like every other major studio, serves investors, not gamers. They are tasked with not only making a lot of money but all of it. Every game must be the next hit that makes billions through a live service model. Thus, Ubisoft might not have faith in a simple single-player story-driven game.

While their history suggests they have the potential to make great single-player games like Assassin’s Creed and Far Cry, we also know that their glory days might be behind them. Assassin’s Creed Shadows is headed for a disaster, and Star Wars Outlaws might follow. Now, with every title, there is some good and some bad.

Star Wars Outlaws: The Good

Before we look at the bad for this upcoming title, I think it is important that we also look at the good. At the very least, the attempted good. There have been dozens of Star Wars games. At this point, it has all been done. Thus, Ubisoft is placed in a very challenging position. Coming up with a unique and fresh idea would always be challenging. Even more difficult is attempting to tell a Star Wars Story without space battles and lightsabers. While Jedi is a small minority group within the greater Star Wars story, they are also the vocal point. They are what you think of when Star Wars is mentioned.

Thus, telling an action-adventure story will always be an uphill battle. However, with the correct customization, storytelling, and sightseeing possibilities, a lightsaberless Star Wars still holds lots of potential. The open-world element of this title has a massive plus. The possibilities are even more significant if you can explore multiple planets with a rich environment. The ability to access different vehicles is another selling point for many. It is unclear how many of these points Ubisoft will hit out of the park.

When people are upset with the visual aspect, and the lead protagonist, your room for mistakes becomes even smaller. With a 70-dollar price tag, you must prove that this title is worth it. Over the years, Ubisoft has stated that they moved beyond triple-A games and are now producing quadruple-A games. The graphics for this title suggest otherwise, though.

Star Wars Outlaws: The Bad

All of this brings me to the Bad. As I have repeatedly mentioned, graphics are a major issue with Star Wars Outlaws. With the release of the gameplay trailer, IGN posted a comment stating, “We’ve noticed this video isn’t airing at optimal quality by default. Please make sure to adjust your video settings to ensure the video has the proper fidelity.” However, this is not a fidelity issue. This title is far from quadruple-A. While graphics are not everything, they better hope that a great story will make up for it.

Unfortunately, most fans will not hold out hope for anything great. Whatever reputation Star Wars had left, Disney is slowly killing. Their recent series and movie releases prove this is no longer the Star Wars we know and love. People are no longer willing to be charitable. Thus, Ubisoft was always going to struggle. While they are not to blame for this poor reputation, they now carry that burden. However, I am also not willing to give this studio a pass. While some elements of the game do look good, it was clear from the beginning that this title would be uninspiring.

If you look at Fallen Order and how they rendered their characters and then look at Outlaws, the difference is staggering. The actress for this game looks nothing like the in-game character, unlike Cameron Monaghan, who looks almost identical in the game he starred in. We know that Ubisoft has the ability to create realistic characters. Why they decided to stray from this is unclear. Perhaps it simply comes down to different studios wanting to do different things.

Star Wars Investors and Ubisoft Respond

However, not only fans are unhappy with the state of Star Wars. Ubisoft investors are also calling out the state of the game. One investor called out Ubisoft regarding how they frame the narrative around the game, trying to spin it as a positive. They even called for the game to be delayed. However, Ubisoft responded by stating, “The game has gone gold. So the date is well confirmed for August 30th. And, as you mentioned, we’ll be showcasing more content of a very high quality, multiple hours that will really show the depths of the open world, that is a key element of the promise to enjoy the exploration of the galaxy and with multiple planets. So that will bode well for the game in terms of high quality delivery.”

“We’ve said also for Star Wars the level of quality, the world, and the experience it’s really very high. We are really leveraging our engine and I think people will love it.”

Conclusion

Ultimately, I have nothing against this game. I hope they are holding the best of this title for its release. While some footage looks rough, I hope there is more to this game than meets the eye. The Star Wars stock right now is at an all-time low. People no longer trust the IP. They often feel that the franchise is being handed over to all the wrong people, and the story and the lore have been forsaken in favor of another narrative. The 30th of August is a month away, and I hope that the massive marketing budget that Ubisoft bragged about can genuinely be used to showcase the game in all of its glory. Sadly, it might already be too late.