After attending the hands-off briefing for Star Wars Outlaws at Summer Game Fest 2023, my initial excitement about the game was high as I imagined it could be the entry point that pulls me into the Star Wars universe, with a focus on protagonist Kay Vess and her merqaal pet, Nix. The promise of a cohesive, linear story was appealing, but subsequent previews of the game left me feeling less optimistic. The gameplay I experienced revealed a bloaty vibe with unclear navigation and generic combat, overshadowing the interesting character designs and environments. Despite enjoying aspects like cosmic dogfights, parkour levels, and stealth missions in my previews, I found the overall experience confusing, with frustrating climbing mechanics and challenging navigation. While certain missions, like the one on the icy planet Kijimi, showed promise, my concerns about Star Wars Outlaws falling victim to AAA bloat linger. I am cautiously hopeful but prepared to be surprised upon its release on August 30 for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.
