A Firsthand Experience with ‘Star Wars Outlaws’
It took a few hours, but ‘Star Wars Outlaws’ eventually began winning over our staff scoundrel Morgan Park when he got his hands on a preview build earlier this month. Despite an unmistakable sluggishness to the action, Morgan eventually found that as in previous Ubisoft games, no one aspect is exceptional, but when it all comes together, I’m having a really good time.
Drawing Parallels with Other Ubisoft Open World Games
Apart from the obvious reason ‘Star Wars Outlaws’ feels similar to other open world Ubisoft games—because it is another open world Ubisoft game—there’s an even more direct connection. Speaking to GamesRadar, ‘Star Wars Outlaws’ Creative Director Julian Gerighty shared that ‘Assassin’s Creed Odyssey’ was one of his favorite AC games without a doubt. Praising its freedom of approach in a very large environment and the curiosity at its heart, Gerighty said he would often contact members of Odyssey’s development team for specific queries while making ‘Outlaws’. This direct line of influence was key to shaping the game.
Influences Beyond Ubisoft’s Portfolio
Odyssey wasn’t the only influence on ‘Outlaws’. Gerighty also told GamesRadar that ‘my biggest reference was Ghost of Tsushima, which is more on the Kurosawa side of inspiration than the western, the John Ford side of the inspiration for George Lucas.’ Another notable influence was ‘Red Dead Redemption’ because it treats the world as a world, not as a checklist of activities that are repeated often. Gerighty emphasized that ‘Ghost of Tsushima’ particularly inspired the design philosophy by leaning heavily into player fantasy, ensuring that the story, world, and character all fit cohesively with the gameplay.
A Unique Blend of Influences
As far as its inspirations like AC Odyssey, RDR, and Ghost of Tsushima are concerned, we don’t have much longer to wait to see if their influence can really be felt in Gerighty’s open world. Ubisoft and LucasArts have repeatedly called it a ‘scoundrel fantasy,’ distinguishing it thematically from some of its inspirations. With ‘Star Wars Outlaws’ set to release on August 30, the anticipation is high to see how these various elements come together.