Summary
When it comes toStar Warsvideo games,Star Wars Outlawsis a bit of a different animal. However, rather than playing as a Jedi as they can in mostStar Warsgames, players control Kay Vess, an outlaw scoundrel on the run from a powerful crime syndicate who has placed a death mark on her head. Additionally, it just so happens to be the first true open-worldStar Warsgame ever made. While the idea of an open-worldStar Warsgame is intriguing enough alone,Star Wars Outlaws' premise gives players an entirely different approach to gameplay than what they’re used to, allowing them to live out the same scoundrel fantasy that famous characters like Han Solo lived before them.
Players are given plenty of opportunities inStar Wars Outlawsto experience what it’s like to be an outlaw in theStar Warsuniverse, which is ultimately what makes it such a unique game. That being said, thescoundrel fantasy ofStar Wars Outlawsis mostly rooted in its reputation system. Reputation isn’t a new concept in the world of video games, but it is handled much differently inStar Wars Outlaws. In fact, reputation is a driving force behind the game’s choice mechanics, and that is largely where its scoundrel fantasy is most realized.
How Star Wars Outlaws' Reputation System Brings the Scoundrel Fantasy to Life
Star Wars Outlaws' Reputation System Sees Players Siding With Various Factions in Their Choices
ThroughoutStar Wars Outlaws' story, players are given countless opportunities to make choices that lead to them both gaining and losing reputation with the game’s various crime syndicates. As players are presented with these choices during many of the game’s main story beats, they are informed about which reputations will be affected as a result, allowing them to have more direct control over the relationships they build. While some players might wish to invest more in one faction than the other, however,Star Wars Outlaws' reputation system truly shines when these waters are muddied and players might wish or feel pressured to change sides.
Double-Crossing Factions Is Strongly Encouraged in Star Wars Outlaws
In order for protagonistKay Vess to be a true scoundrel, she needs to be encouraged to look out for her own interests more than the interests of others. In light of that,Star Wars Outlawsheavily urges players to make the choices they want to make and for them to make those choices without caring too much about the “moral” consequences of their actions. Between those decisions, players will often find themselves drowning in a sea of opinions about which faction Kay should play ally to, with arguments frequently in support of double-crossing the faction players have already chosen to help out. This is largely whereStar Wars Outlaws' scoundrel fantasy is realized, as it is all part of “playing the game” in the criminal underworld.
The more Kay double-crosses anycrime syndicates she sides with, the more of a scoundrel she becomes. As more and more flaky choices are made by players, Kay’s reputation with each faction fluctuates, which speaks of someone who is playing the game for themselves rather than for others. Whether she maxes out her reputation with one faction doesn’t matter, so long as every choice she makes will benefit her in the end.
In some cases, this might mean maxing out her reputation with a faction, but in other cases, it might come down to being a notorious double-crosser that no one in their right mind would ever want to work with.
Nevertheless, being a true scoundrel inStar Wars Outlawscomes with its benefits, both from a role-playing perspective and a gameplay standpoint. It’s all about playing each side in the game and fully embracing the losses that come with it. The scoundrel fantasy is the goal ofStar Wars Outlaws' reputation system, and it succeeds in achieving that.
