Summary
Star Wars Outlawsmay be making waves as the first true open-worldStar Warsgame ever made, but that hasn’t stopped fans from making it the target of some often extreme skepticism ahead of its launch. Even so, it is already showing signs of succeeding in areas that other games have fallen short in, based on what developer Massive Entertainment has revealed about it so far. Specifically,Star Wars Outlawsappears to rise above Bethesda’s sci-fi adventureStarfieldin one of the biggest ways.
WhileStar Wars OutlawsandStarfieldare two entirely different games, they have been seen as competitors over the last year or so. Both games rely on space exploration as a major gameplay feature (although they certainly approach it differently) andStar Wars Outlawswas already being talked about at the time ofStarfield’s release. Some comparisons between the two aren’t at all warranted, asStar Wars Outlawsisn’t necessarily trying to be a big RPG likeStarfield. Other comparisons, however, make perfect sense, like the fact thatStar Wars Outlawshas seamless travel from ground to space whereasStarfieldhas countless loading screens between zones.Star Wars Outlawsmay have a one-up in another area thatStarfieldfell massively short in, based on some gameplay details recently disclosed by Massive.
Star Wars Outlaws Planets May Have a Big One-Up on Starfield’s
Starfield’s Planets Often Feel Empty and Overwhelming
Starfieldwas intentionally marketed by Bethesda as a big experience, with nearly 1,700 planets to explore, each of which has a unique environment with a distinct combination of flora and fauna on its surface. However, ifNo Man’s Sky’s developmental journey has proven anything, it’s that quality is much more important than quantity.Starfieldmay host a gigantic worldfull of unique planets to explore, but those planets tend to feel empty and unrewarding.
Using some brilliant mathematics,Starfieldplayers have determined that each of the game’s planets is about 5% the size of a real planet, depending on which real planet they are based on. When considering the size of a real planet, 5% of a planet’s surface area is still a significant amount of space. Put that into a game, and players have quite a journey ahead of them if they want to fully explore one ofStarfield’s planets. Unfortunately, while this sounds like it could be an epic adventure, most ofStarfield’s planets are composed of a sea of negative space between small outposts and cities. This ultimately leads to each planet’s surface area being largely wasted, as players can simply fly their ship from one point of interest to the other, and even then, those points of interest can prove to be largely uninteresting.
Star Wars Outlaws Planets Are Large But Manageable
Star Wars Outlawsis making some big promises about its open world, but apparently, they aren’t as big as they initially seemed. More specifically, rather than taking theStarfieldapproach and having hundreds of planets that are all too big to enjoy,Star Wars Outlawsfeatures only a few planets, each of which is roughly the size of two or threeAssassin’s Creed Odysseymapzones combined and can be crossed in around five minutes on a speeder. What this means is that even ifStar Wars Outlaws' planets end up being just as empty asStarfield’s, at least they won’t feel as empty on account of their smaller size.
Whether the smaller scale ofStar Wars Outlaws' planetsultimately benefits the game as a whole remains to be seen, but at least it likely won’t feel as big of a shortcoming if it ultimately fails. In any case, at least there are no loading screens inStar Wars Outlaws, so players can stay immersed in its world without that immersion being broken between zones.
Star Wars Outlaws
WHERE TO PLAY
Experience the first-ever open world Star Wars game and explore distinct planets across the galaxy, both iconic and new. Risk it all as Kay Vess, an emerging scoundrel seeking freedom and the means to start a new life. Fight, steal, & outwit your way through the galaxy’s crime syndicates as you join the galaxy’s most wanted. If you’re willing to take the risk, the galaxy is full of opportunity.DISCOVER A GALAXY OF OPPORTUNITYExplore distinct planets with bustling cities and cantinas before racing across sprawling outdoor landscapes on your speeder. Each planet brings new adventures, unique challenges, and enticing rewards if you’re willing to take the risk.EXPERIENCE AN ORIGINAL SCOUNDREL STORYLive the high-stakes lifestyle of an outlaw. With Nix by your side, turn any situation to your advantage: fight with your blaster, overcome enemies with stealth and gadgets, or find the right moments to distract enemies and gain the upper hand.EMBARK ON HIGH-STAKES MISSIONSTake on high-risk, high-reward missions from the galaxy’s crime syndicates. Steal valuable goods, infiltrate secret locations, and outwit enemies as one of the galaxy’s most wanted. Every choice you make influences your ever-changing reputation.JUMP INTO THE PILOT SEATPilot your ship, The Trailblazer, as you engage in thrilling dogfights with The Empire and other foes, finding the right opportunities to chase, evade, and attack to get the upper hand.
