
Reviews for Star Wars Outlaws have started dropping ahead of the open worlder's 30th August release on PS5. Generally speaking, the game seems solid enough. Plenty of reviews praise the title's vast environments, and the way that it captures the typical vibe of Star Wars. The visuals are also a point of positivity, with Massive Entertainment bringing some eye-catching sci-fi scenery to the table.
However, there are a few fairly consistent criticisms. A number of reviews have taken issue with Outlaws' gameplay, claiming that it's all a bit flat and, at times, buggy. Others say that it's very much a comfort food kind of game — that it rarely wows, even if it's a decent planet-hopping journey overall.
Meanwhile, our own Star Wars Outlaws PS5 review will be with you in the relatively near future.
Until then, here's a selection of critic reviews from across the web:
Pure Xbox - 8/10
"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."
PC Gamer - 73/100
"I wish Outlaws took bigger risks with combat and doubled down on stealth opportunities, but dammit, roleplaying a scoundrel is some of the best fun I've had with anything Star Wars. Behind every forgettable story beat is a little bit of that Ubisoft magic."
IGN - 7/10
"It’s ironic that Kay’s ship is called the Trailblazer, since there’s actually not a whole lot of ideas in Star Wars Outlaws that haven’t been done before in other action and open-world adventures. Instead, it’s quite like the Millenium Falcon: a bucket of bolts held together with repurposed parts and prone to breaking down, but at its best it’s more than capable of jolting your pleasure centres into Star Wars fan hyperspace."
GamesRadar - 3.5/5
"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."
Eurogamer - 2/5
"Star Wars Outlaws, by comparison, feels like it's blagging it - much as Kay can, when regularly caught out by some far more worldly syndicate boss. The result is a series of quite painful comparisons [...] Kay and co's cameo-ridden non-event is unfortunately left feeling lightyears behind."
Are you looking forward to Star Wars Outlaws? What are your thoughts on these reviews? Don't stop blasting in the comments section below.
Comments 95
I’ll get it on sale.
Sounds like a Ubisoft game alright.
When it's in gamepass or on +.
Like most games these days, I’ll buy it when the complete edition is $20 in 2 years. I’m so far behind in games that unless it’s a PS Studios single player title, I rarely buy new games on release. Also had a feeling this game would come out and not set the world on fire so seems I’m not missing much.
Color me surprised
I expect to enjoy it.
I'll probably also take a really long time to finish it on account on having little time for games lately and prioritzing Astro over it
Pass, have not enjoyed ubisoft games in recent years and this seems more of the same.
Its in the 70's last time i checked on MC. Basically if you like Ubi games and Star Wars you will enjoy Outlaws based on what i read. Avatar got the same type of reviews and i loved it and easily rank it as one of my favourite open world games this gen so i'm fine with 7/10's its what i expected anyway.
As expected, I'm still there day one.
And I won’t waste my time with it.
I'm very much looking forward to it! Although I thought I'd have Trails through Daybreak finished by now so Star Wars will have to wait until that's finished.
I have to say, I've been playing for 7 hours solid (went to New Zealand on Xbox, hehe), it's a really good game, it's a 9 or 10 from me. I am a Star Wars fan but still, it's great fun. I suggest you give it a go on Ubi+ for a month at £15 to try, I don't think you'll regret it
Sounds like what I expected, an Ubisoft open world in the SW universe, and that’s good enough for me!
I was one of the only people who enjoyed Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora aside from it’s awful story, so I think I’ll enjoy this one too,
Pre-Ordered the physical launch edition 🫡
Nothing amazing, does everything fairly competently, Nice looking environments. Looking forward to this new far cry in space 😂
1) It's a Ubisoft game. With everything negative that entails.
2) I haven't detected much FOMO with this game. And I think that is due in part to the fact that the Star Wars brand has never been more in tatters than it is now.
Lots of fun without pushing the boat out is much appreciated these days - give me something I can jump in and out of after a hard days work and I’m sold. And maybe old. And, if I may be so bold, not short of the gold this side of the month
Does not bode well for the next Assassin's Creed.
Definitely considering it but not sure i wanna drop 70 dollars just to have it on day 1. It's nice that's It's not another star wars game where you play as a jedi. That's a bit overused. I've never played a ubisoft game i didn't like so I'm sure I'll have a decent time.
@CrispyMango92 I have the same problem as you u get nervous when I need to choose what I should finish first now. 😬
Well I just hope the people that were ***** on concord buy this to support single player games like they said
So surprised we'll maybe I'll get it in a complete edition at €20 if they remove the DRM.
I’m looking forward to it, regardless of mixed reviews. I’m more than happy with a solid 7 average, which most people tend to forget is still good and above average.
Ubisoft are the kings of doing just enough to make you feel conflicted about a game.
The make or break for me is really just how good it feels to walk around the cities. Does it feel like you're part of an alien world, or does it feel like set dressing?
Great fun so far. Cool stealth and shooting and the card game is addictive. The world is beautiful and on-point, but if you're a guy who plays a game based on the numerical number some guy on the internet decided, well... Good for you, I guess. I'm really enjoying it.
Sounds like a Black Friday game to me. As most people know Ubisoft loves to put their games half off after a month or two so I have no problem waiting. Especially for bugfixes etc.
Astro is next week and then Warhammer the week after so that's definitely enough for me.
I'm looking forward to it, warts and all. You know what you get with Ubisoft games, even if it it's just "variations of average".
That, and with the horrors that Disney continues to enact on the IP, the games are practically the last bastion of the franchise at this point. This won't be a scratch on Jedi Survivor, but just by merit of being average it'll be infinitely better than The Last Jedi, Rise of Skywalker, and everything on Disney+ since Mando S1.
I’ll get it on a big sale or wait for it on PS Plus
Sounds fair and I'll probably get it once it has the inevitable ubisoft price drop 1-2 months later.
While the reviews are probably fair, I also feel like giving anything star wars something better than slightly above average is considered uncool.
Kinda crazy to me how a 77 on metacritic is seen as “just okay” these days. Not saying it looks amazing but there’s really only one negative review from Eurogamer and everything else is, for the most part, around the 7-9 range.
I know the article goes into a bit more detail on the criticisms but it seems like a mostly well received game to me lol.
It looks just like any bland Ubisoft open world with lightsaber.
No desire to play it at all.
So it's classic Ubisoft then, It will be half off in two months tops! Anyway if you love the Ubisoft formula this is for you, everyone else move along.
@puddinggirl and you don't even get a lightsaber!
I like ubi open worlds to get lost in, ill wait on a sale in 3 months time.
@Altaria_97 it’s why review discourse on the internet is absolutely broken and stupid. It’s got a 77 like you said with most of the reviews being between 7 and 9 and quite a few of those reviews are also saying it’s not the typical Ubisoft open world but comments here repeating it’s the same old Ubisoft open world shows they didn’t read ***** . You have trolls or haters rushing to come in just to see the number and rush to the comment section to post the hottest take they can it’s pathetic.
@puddinggirl shows you haven’t even done the bare minimum research on the game because you don’t ever get a lightsaber you’re playing a smuggler. Seriously if you’re going to ***** on a game because you’re a terminally online person who doesn’t touch grass at least have a little basic knowledge on the subject you’re going to hate on
So... a bog standard UBI score then. Will prob pick it up for a bit of glossy popcorn fun!
Shame Ubisoft decided to make a Star Wars skin for thier cookie-cutter, open world template. A proper Star Wars game would be a license to print money. Why don't these companies understand that? Give the fans what they want, not what you want them to have.
@Lup So you've never been influenced by a review no? Never not bought something on Amazon because it has two stars or not gone to a restaurant or not gone to see a certain film?
Nope. Sorry. We are ALL influenced by that little number on the page like it or not.
@LifeGirl
Nope, but thanks for asking.
@riceNpea What's a "proper" SW game?
@dark_knightmare2
It's ok you can still enjoy your game no matter what the mean people on the internet say.
@Lifegirl
He was influenced into leaving his own opinion in this comment section about someone else's review of the game!
Hit and miss is what I felt from watching gameplay videos. Some things are cool, other things are kinda eh. Good game to get when it's on sale, I guess.
@DennisReynolds something built from the ground up to be a unique Star Wars experience, like KotoR. A game that doesn't feel like you recognise the studio who made it because the foundations are very familiar, if you understand my meaning.
I don't mean 'proper' as in what Ubi has done somehow misrepresents Star Wars. I mean a game that isn't going to remind me of unrelated games because the structure is familiar,
@ATaco oh I know I can thanks for the unsolicited advice maybe the perpetually miserable people could use some of that advice so they don’t feel so sad all the time that they get enjoyment out of hating on games and developers they have no knowledge about
This thing is 100% UbiSlop, and anyone giving this garbage more than a 5 are bought and paid for.
Just look at facial animations from AC Unity to this to see how much Ubisoft have fallen.
@dark_knightmare2 I've been buying Ubisoft games sing the Commodore Amiga days, simply look for yourself and compare graphical fidelity of AC Unity to this.
They have lost the knowledge on how to create compelling content.
100% a wait for sale. Played far too mamy Ubi games at full price to experience the same repetition and lack of depth boredom before completing it. I k ow better now.. They are great mindless easy games for about half of retail or less. They unfortunately hold no value beyond that for me with how homogeneous, watered down, and Formulaic their designs have become.
Looking forward to the guaranteed price drop in 6 months or so though! 👍
@Fishnpeas aah, I see. You’re one of those. Those “If your opinion is different than mine you must be getting paid to have that opinion…” people! Prime example of online buffoonery!
Sounds like a snoozefest. But you know what? At least I know I might be able to pick up this game 2 years from now at 20$. You know what game I wont be able to play in 2 months? Concord.
@riceNpea The Force Unleashed is just God of War, Jedi Survivor is just a Soulslike, Battlefront is just another shooter etc. SW has always done its own take on other games and even the concept of KOTOR wasn't something it invented. 1313 the game everybody wished happened was basically just Uncharted.
@DennisReynolds BAM!!! Got’eeemmm!!! Well said!
@crossbit "That, and with the horrors that Disney continues to enact on the IP, the games are practically the last bastion of the franchise at this point."
I wouldn't say that the games are the last bastion of the franchise... The animated stuff is still very good
Ubisoft Haters: I am cheering for Star Wars: Outlaws to fail as I feel of all the companies trying to earn a profit off my back for some reason when Ubisoft does, it's 100 times worse.
Review Sites: Star Wars: Outlaws is pretty good, solid 7 or 8 out of 10. Not revolutionary but if you like games like this you will like this game. Not GOTY but a fun game with some good content.
Ubisoft Haters: The game still sucks, everyone who likes the game is either a casual or is a shill for Ubisoft.
Who is surprised? Eventually it will drop 50% or even ps plus extra. Then it will be OK. They will have fixed all the bugs and the experience will be better.
I was very much looking forward to this game, but Ubisoft continues to neglect Steam players by no releasing this day 1 on the platform... So, I won't be purchasing it now, or in 4 months when they decide to finally put it for sale on steam due to poor PC sales.
@itsfoz Yeah, in 3 month from now it will be 50% as any Ubisoft titles usually are. lol
Like a number of others on here I'm looking forward to play and I think I'll enjoy this based on my previous experiences with ubisoft and star wars games. I'm always up for celebrating single player releases in the age of live service.
Funny how many people are writing this off as a crap game at 77 on OpenCritic yet Black Myth: Wukong is a GoTY contender with some here and is only 4 points higher at 81.
Ubisoft comfort and fun to play are what I took from those review summaries. Sounds good to me.
I'm personally really excited to play. I was never expecting a 10/10 game. A 7/10 indicates a pretty darn good game.
I do feel places like Gamesradar and Eurogamer need to switch to a 10 point scale. There is not nearly enough difference between scoring a game say a 1 vs 3, 2 vs 4, etc.
Maybe someone can answer this as the answers online seem to be conflicting. There was a comment made about on getting it through Ubisoft+ (mind you, that person is playing on XBox). But, is it true, that the Playstation version of Ubisoft+ through the PS Store only offers the classics but not the premium version of it like XBox and PC where they get Day 1s? Thanks for the help.
@AfroMario the majority of the reviews don’t say the game is meh though
@Jettstyles yes that’s true
@awp69 lol right it’s because half of its Ubisoft so it’s automatically crap to the haters and the other half is the chuds who can’t stand the main character and the way she looks so they have hated on it since it’s announcement
How is anyone surprised by this? Everything from Ubisoft and nearly everything Star Wars (few exceptions) from the past few years has been incredibly uninspired and bland
Don't ask questions just consume product, then get excited for next product
I know I'll like this. I for one still enjoy the Ubisoft formula. It comes out just in time for my 9 days off and I'm looking forward to immersing myself in it
Seen a few fair low audience YTers make great reviews, big outlets eh of showcasing it. Outlaws not for me but looks fair. I think world is fair. Some AI not great. Speeder combat not as good as Burnout/others better camera cut away/player going.
Nix is fair, safe combat/stealth (caught oldschool not ideal). Puzzles fair.
Reputation fair just haven't seen as think COULD be better (how see potential), but 4 factions are fair. May have more then I see compared to others/think comparable to. Depends how used/counteracts.
Space I barely see talked about. Sigh people don't care. On foot has it's place. Vehicles to me end up more fun then on foot/boring human controls/dialogue/missions.
Throw away guns is a bit eh (I don't care if it had a loot system anyway) but I also don't hate it being simple or different approach then RPG elements & yes them feeling throw away like power ups is eh.
Think pistol modules are fair, not same as Control (was fine game/who remembers) that can compare. People may complain RPG elements/Action adventure/other wants.
Slow mo skill is cool but collision detection for pre-day one patch is awkward for speeders/slow mo shooting & other aspects but it's fine. Thought climbing to not have collision detection for ground when climbing down something is unfortunate.
For Star Wars fans/wide audience think may be fine, bugs sad but Division 2 content, Avatar & it's because hardcore/tweaks movie fans in updates that would play it to be accessible. For Outlaws bugs sure, Massive Studio were stretched quite a lot I think.
Where other Ubisoft studios? Assassin's Creed Shadows/next one is clear/platform thing. Far Cry Extraction shooter/or not? Crew Motorfest.
Mobile/console games?
Prince of Persia remake in state besides Lost Crown that came out.
Just Dance, whoever did the Valiant Hearts Switch port & made it digital code because GREAT......
SO many studios but when too many projects to work between can be challenging.
I go back & forth, I don't play their modern games really I'm playing their older Red Steel, Ghost Recon, Splintercell, Rainbow Six, Rayman, Prince of Persia mostly. Fenix exception.
But I think people either enjoy their open world formula RPG elements and so on or enjoy the missions (I myself fit in the not wanting as much roadblocks and some really restrictive so I don't know).
I am very of the minigame/gameplay aspect (Spyro, Second Son, Sunset Overdrive, Gravity Rush, or Darksiders 2 sort of Zelda/God of War few regions approach) then story telling missions (Sarlack Pit is fine location but speeder, slide, whatever in the missions and talking, sounds boring to me but sure whatever works for people) for open world games so to me I can't comment really on their formula as I don't care for it. Fenix Rising is fair but also very less skills (doesn't bother me I don't like skill trees) and more items/armour with perks, underworld puzzles and is fair per region.
Those wanting an action adventure/stealth or souls, the other RPG, or those just using an IP well (Avatar/Star Wars), or less restrictive.
Ubisoft & wanting store/wide audience sales is a lot to ask for.
Don't care for scores as play 3-5-7/10s for mechanics. Ubisoft hasn't really gotten me to care for them. Legion was cool but still not for me. Prince of Persia/Splintercell remakes are more what I'm into for modern from them to come. Otherwise their old games right now. No new Rayman any time soon.
Easy choice
But Ubisoft+ for $20/ 1 month and play and complete it
It isn't hit and miss at all. The reception has been good. Stop feeding the community narrative that this is a bad game.
I'm getting space marine 2 which is looking proper polished & I'm a big Warhammer fan so outlaws will be in the sales for me.
@Lup That is an absolute lie but you do you.
@LifeGirl
I guess you like to lie if you're projecting that much.
I don't know why I keep commenting on this website when most people are like you.
@AhmadSumadi you realise that rushing to defend the vacuous trash of a massive corporation will not earn you brownie points right?
Hey, if you enjoy bad games have at it, I have a soft spot for 187 Ride or Die so can understand, it doesn't mean I would score it higher than a 4 though.
Sounds like a perfect "get a month of ubi+ to speed through" kinda game.... Which is exactly what I'm doing.
@CERBERUS40000 'Trending' culture in a nutshell.
videos of people actually playing the game (not cinematics) is what helps me decide if I want to buy a game.
review scores only become helpful if the game has been played and reviewed by hundreds of people to get a combined average.
I suspect that if you go in with moderate expectations and don't get it at full price, it'll be just fine. That's basically true for most open-world Ubisoft titles.
Don't over-expose yourself to them, get them at a discount and treat them like the occasional guilty pleasure. I've found that's a perfectly good way to actually enjoy them.
I’ve enjoyed Watch_Dogs Legion, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, Far Cry 6, Fenix Rising and Avatar this gen. They were all fun, well made games and I see Star Wars Outlaws being no different. I know I’ll enjoy it.
The Star Wars Jedi series is the only Star Wars I liked. Playing a star wars game with an ordinary character just doesn't sound appealing
I mean, it's a Star Wars Ubisoft game...do you expect any more than mediocrity?
@Fishnpeas I’m not defending any corporation. I can give 2 💩 about Ubisoft. I’m calling out your nonsense of saying that if anyone likes this game it’s because they’re being paid to like it. That’s foolishness and if you think it’s not it says a lot about you!
I'm completely over Star Wars now as an IP and what little attraction I had to the Ubisoft formula has long since dwindled so I won't be buying this. I'll probably end up getting it for Christmas in a few years when it's less than £20 and I can't think of anything else I want for my dad to get me.
Since this is another game that's attracted a certain type of online controversy and most of these outlets are going to be highly motivated to defend it, I'm guessing it's safe to subtract 2 points from most of these review scores.
Ubisoft still creating Ubisoft games, then.
@johncalmc exactly same
I rate PJ over on Pure Xbox as the best reviewer on any of these sites - my tastes seem to very often align with his. He loves the vibe 8/10.
The fact that this is a vibrant world which nails the atmosphere of the universe is all I want from a game of this type - some have even said some of the game is good as well I'm all over this and will enjoy every second of it and care not for the naysayers on this site who are often quick to tear into a game with no experience of it at all. You just carry on hating games, I still love playing them.
@puddinggirl You clearly haven't even bothered looking before spouting nonsense. No lightsabres' in this game, pick another hate reason please!
It's a shame really that the base gameplay is poor, i really like the look, feel, design idea of it in previews.
But as was to be expected, stealth is poor and broken even it seems, action is basic, and mission design is very limited, instant stealth fail where you can't even knock a guard out, or if allowed, the game is bugged and fails because the ai saw you while its being knocked down, etc.
Shame, but you can see in avatar too, the devs last game, the beginning is a bad sign, with 30 mins almost if basic corridor stealth with almost no guards.
I don't get it, they have a lot of resources, ubisoft, they should have time too, on ps5 it's buggy it seems really.
As others said, 20 bucks in a year or 2.
Wanted this to be great, even the open world i read is pretty underwhelming with it's bland racing, the shooting on the bike etc.
Check out big dan gaming vid, he shows the ai, and trial and error stealth etc.
@Logonogo No lightsaber?! Damn. I thought it can't get more generic but it could. Lol.
@Titntin for whatever reason over the last decade the gaming hobby space has gone from excitement, and a general realization that most games have flaws, to being overly negative. It’s a real bummer. I’m not sure the cause really outside the explosion of social media and online communities/communication which eventually destroys all fan communities.
@IamJT
Yes mate, I agree wholeheartedly with your post, that's exactly as I see it. It should be remembered though, that these overly negative views tend to be purely in the online space and vast majority of gamers are still enthused and excited by games. The issue is that there's so much media desperately seeking any kind of 'news' that they amplify almost any non issue into a big deal, simply so they can get clicks.
It's a shame as it cant help but slightly mute the excitement I've always shared for video games since the inception of the business and my subsequent work in this space. As someone who's seen every single generation, I can confidently state we've never had it so good, but you wouldn't know that if you relied on online sentiment to measure. Too many people equate their 'growing up' and moving away from game nights with their pals to 'its just not as exciting as 'insert gen here' days were. It is, your just not into everything anymore
So much for this being a AAAA gaming experience.
I think it's nice game so far I played I got to the moment where I travel on speeder bike , open world looks nice ,so far so good.
Many people like it , but playing now space Marine 2
@AhmadSumadi if this kind of completely mindless trash is your thing, have at it.
I was working on the assunption gamers were more intelligent, my apologies.
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