Summary
The action-adventure and RPG genres have seen a wide variety of lockpicking mini-games, in which players finagle their way into a locked door or container by inputting the correct sequence of actions indicated on the screen. Unfortunately, some of these mini-games are either so difficult or so crudely engineered that players respond negatively to them, to the point that some developers have begun including options for players to bypass theirlockpicking mini-gamesaltogether.Star Wars Outlawsincludes a lockpicking mini-game that has already become one of its most disliked features, but there may still be an argument in support of it.
The main reasonStar Wars Outlaws' lockpicking mini-game is so disliked is because it not only requires players to have a good sense of rhythm, but it is also not very forgiving. It’s not enough to simply be able to see the mini-game to complete it, as hearing and feeling it is almost even more important. In theory, it shouldn’t be too difficult a mini-game for seasoned musicians, but requiring gamers to have a musical background before picking any locks inStar Wars Outlawsmight seem like a tall order. Nevertheless, its mechanics still make sense in light of what real-life lockpicking requires, as well as what the world ofStar Warsis known for.
Defending the Rhythmic Mechanics of Star Wars Outlaws' Lockpicking Mini-Game
How Star Wars Outlaws' Lockpicking Mini-Game Works
Despite the vast number of lockpicking mini-games featured in video games before it,Star Wars Outlaws' is unlike the rest. When players attempt topick a lock inStar Wars Outlaws, it will begin playing and repeating a rhythmic pattern. Just like in a simple game of Simon Says, players are then required to input the same rhythm in response. Several percussive clicks between each bounce of the pin players are meant to copy help to establish that rhythm, but it can still be a challenge for those who have natural issues holding a steady beat.
Why Star Wars Outlaws' Lockpicking Mini-Game Is So Divisive
Apart fromStar Wars Outlaws' lockpickingmini-game requiring players to have some sense of rhythm being a divisive factor, its mechanics can also be easily misunderstood. One of the biggest misunderstandings about it may involve when each rhythmic pattern begins and ends, as players must input the rhythm from its established start to its end. Attempting to imitate the rhythm by starting from the middle or end of the pattern won’t work. However, should players maintain their patience and listen to the pattern multiple times, it gets much easier to discern where it starts and where it ends.
Why Star Wars Outlaws' Lockpicking Mechanics Make Sense and Why It’s Okay
In spite of all its divisiveness,Star Wars Outlaws' lockpicking mini-game makes sense when viewing it through a specific lens. Firstly, real-life lockpicking often requires both feeling and hearing the pins in a lock to determine the appropriate position and tension of the lockpick and any other tools being used. Something else to consider, however, is how much theStar Warssaga relies on the impact of its music and sound design to tell a story.Songs like “Imperial March"and sound effects like that of a lightsaber are almost universally known, simply due to their importance to the franchise. It makes sense then thatStar Wars Outlaws' lockpicking mechanics would revolve around rhythm and sound, just as the game does in so many other areas as well.
Suppose that argument isn’t convincing enough for players to give the lockpickingmini-game inStar Wars Outlawsanother chance. In that case, Massive Entertainment has graciously implemented a way for players to turn it off altogether. Perhaps the developer suspected the mini-game would be divisive and wanted to preemptively provide players a way to bypass it. Ultimately, though, its presence inStar Wars Outlawshas very little effect on the game in the grand scheme of things.
