Star Wars Outlawsis a brand new story that takes place betweenStar Wars Episode 5: The Empire Strikes BackandStar Wars Episode 6: Return of the Jedi. It stars Kay Vess, a rogue who is struggling to find her place in the world alongside her pet Nix. She lived on Cantonica with her mom before she disappeared and now Nix is all she has.

Together they find a ship and make it off-world to start a new adventure as a smuggler trying to keep her allegiances between four criminal organizations straight. That’s the basic story plot, so here’s a dive into the gameplay forStar Wars Outlawsnext with some helpful starter tips.

Settings menu in Star Wars Outlaws

6Settings To Check Out

Adjusting The Most Minute Details

More so than most games,Star Wars Outlawscaters to all types of players thanks to the options. There are a few difficulty modes and then players can adjust more after that. For example, the various mini-games can be tinkered with to make the Quick Time Events less of a hassle including the lock-picking mechanic. Also, the challenge of space combat can be lowered for those not used to dogfights in their open-world games.

If there is a particular part ofStar Wars Outlawsthat is giving players trouble, they should consult the options menu. One surprising option makes cooling off overheated guns simpler. Again, it’s simply amazingly what the game offers and no one can argue that.

Save menu in Star Wars Outlaws

5Always Save Manually

Keep The Peace With Factions

One of the big gimmicks ofStar Wars Outlawsforces players to side with Factions. There are four major ones in the game including Crimson Dawn, The Hutt Cartell, The Pyke Syndicate, and The Ashiga Clan. Getting in good with a Faction will lessen the cost of items in Faction-owned stores and players can freely roam in some portions of their territory without causing an alert.

Doing something bad against a favored Faction will lower the bond like if players get caught in forbidden zones. If they die in a banned zone or in general, they will lose money which is a huge punishment. That’s why players should be diligent aboutsaving inStar Wars Outlawsmanuallywhen they can so that they can go back to a previous save file if something goes wrong. If a mission forces players into bad territory, they must save in a safe zone beforehand otherwise the mechanic will be blocked.

Listening to a conversation in Star Wars Outlaws

4Wear Headphones

Listen To Conversations

There is a lot of talking and unlike most games, there is relevancy to some conversations inStar Wars Outlaws. There are posts in bars, by market stalls, in the wastes, and so on that will prompt players to listen in to a conversation by hitting the R3 button, for PS5 players. This will trigger a little cutscene that will add a new side quest to the journal and usually a spot on the map will be marked.

It’s one of the best ways to find hidden quests and to get good gear early in the game. Wearing headphones will help players focus more on where these in-depth-sounding conversations are taking place. Wearing headphones will also help players lean more into stealth gameplay as they can hear enemies and alerts around them better.

Luring a stormtrooper into the grass in Star Wars Outlaws

3Using Nix And Stealth To Full Effect

From Grassy Takedowns To Taking On Two Enemies At Once

Another great way to maximize Kay’s stealth output is by utilizing Nix. He’s the best way to deal with two enemies at once but it’s not as easy as pulling off a double-bladed kill in another Ubisoft franchise,Assassin’s Creed. InStar Wars Outlaws, players should try and lure one enemy away with Nix.

When they are far enough away, players should stun the partner with a blaster shot and then quickly take out the distracted guard manually. Timing for thesetakedowns is everything inStar Wars Outlawsand it may require some practice. That’s why saving manually is so important in case things go terrible. Also, players should be aware of their surroundings by using binoculars to survey the land and mark enemies.

Armored Undershirt ability in Star Wars Outlaws

2Unlocking Abilities

Learn To Play The Game Differently

The game does not present the concept of abilities naturally during early tutorials. Players will have to discover them by manually going into the menu and seeing a tab. They are tied to individuals in Kay’s life like the bartender on Cantonica, Bram Shano.

By completing random tasks, players can unlock abilities that will equip automatically. For example, taking down guards while they are distracted by Nix can lead to the ability called Fast-Talk which will be a new way to distract and surprise enemies. There is also a way to increaseKay’s health inStar Wars Outlaws, so before getting too far in the game, ensure to study this mini-achievement list to unlock abilities quickly.

Standing in front of a locked gate in Star Wars Outlaws

1Take Notes

Remember Where Locked Stashes Are

Players are inevitably going to run into situations where they cannot bypass a door because of a missing key or something. They may need better equipment tohack intoStar Wars Outlaws’terminalstoo. That’s why they should always take notes by using either a physical notepad or a phone on top of taking screenshots.

Cataloging notes will help with backtracking inStar Wars Outlawsonce a new piece of gear is unlocked. Thankfully, the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S have good screenshot technology integrated into the consoles. It’s a piece of advice used most commonly for Metroidvanias but it works for open-world games likeStar Wars Outlawstoo. It may seem like overkill but it truly will help save time.

Star Wars Outlaws Tag Page Cover Art