Star Wars Outlaws looks like an authentic open-world adventure staying true to its universe

I recently took a look at three different missions from developer Massive Entertainment and Ubisoft’s upcoming open-world adventure title Stars Wars Outlaws. It feels like Star Wars is getting a ton of game releases lately, which while good as a whole, has also led to a few missing the mark. Thankfully, it looks like Star Wars Outlaws is staying true to the Star Wars universe, and I’m excited to explore it.

In Star Wars Outlaws, players will adventure to various planets in the Star Wars universe, each one with unique gameplay elements and environments to explore. Throughout the three missions I saw many elements that have become staples all things Star Wars front and center in Outlaws. From zipping across the desert-like planet of Tatooine on a speeder to walking around a bustling cantina trying to get a meeting with a Hutt cartel.

In one mission, players engage in a dogfight in space while piloting a ship called the Trailblazer with the nearby planet looming in the background. The space combat seemed very similar to that of Star Wars: Squadrons, which isn’t a bad thing. Dodging asteroids and space debris while flying around and dealing with enemies is always a good time, and it looks like the systems for doing so are a big part of Star Wars Outlaws rather than just an added sub-feature.

An important aspect of Star Wars Outlaws is going to be the story. The premise is solid, but I’m still looking forward to the opportunity to dive into the massive open-world and explore the side quests and off-the-beaten path areas of Outlaws. But after seeing a few gameplay missions, it looks as though Massive Entertainment and Ubisoft are going in the right direction with the world design and level of immersion that very important to a Star Wars game.

Star Wars Outlaws is set to release on August 30 on PC Ubisoft+ Premium, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S.