Star Wars followers have a model new AAA recreation to look ahead to this 12 months. Star Wars Outlaws is approaching August 30, and it guarantees to place gamers in the sneakers of smuggler, felony and all-around scoundrel Kay Vess. Kay should navigate the felony underworld in a determined bid to drag off an inconceivable heist and purchase her freedom.
With Ubisoft releasing a brand new trailer for Star Wars Outlaws, now we have a greater thought of what Kay’s mission entails and the many criminals and villains she’ll encounter alongside the means. Let’s break down every little thing we realized from this new footage, from the new and returning felony syndicates to that sudden Han Solo cameo.
Star Wars’ Felony Underworld
The Star Wars motion pictures could also be all about the battle between factions like the Empire and Insurgent Alliance or First Order and Resistance, however there are different powers at play. The Star Wars universe is dwelling to quite a lot of felony organizations, all vying for management of territory, contraband and even unlawful medicine. Star Wars Outlaws thrusts gamers into the coronary heart of the felony underworld. You’ll take missions for various organizations, growing your standing with some whilst you additionally threat making enemies of others. Being a free agent in the Star Wars underworld isn’t going to be simple.
The brand new Outlaws trailer reveals a few of the organizations who will play a job in the recreation. Unsurprisingly, Jabba the Hutt has an element to play on this story. He’s not simply the most iconic Star Wars gangster of all of them, but in addition arguably the largest drive in the felony underworld on this time interval. The trailer confirms Kay Vess will come nose to nose with Jabba throughout the course of the recreation, a lot to her chagrin.
We additionally see members of the Pyke Syndicate in the trailer. The Pykes have performed a significant position in varied Star Wars TV sequence like The E book of Boba Fett and The Clone Wars. These uncommon, fish-headed humanoids are infamous for controlling a lot of the galaxy’s spice provide. Not not like with Dune, spice is a uncommon substance valued as a narcotic by the galaxy’s rich elite.
We additionally see a consultant from Crimson Daybreak, the group first launched in Solo: A Star Wars Story. At this level in the timeline, Crimson Daybreak’s outdated ruler, Maul, is useless. It’s now led by Han Solo’s outdated girlfriend Qi’ra. As seen in Star Wars comics like Struggle of the Bounty Hunters and Crimson Reign, Qi’ra’s final objective is to make use of her energy and assets to convey down the Sith Lords who secretly rule the galaxy.
The sport seems to be set after Struggle of the Bounty Hunters, as we see the carbonite-frozen Han Solo on show in Jabba’s Palace, however earlier than Crimson Daybreak’s remaining collapse and Qi’ra’s disappearance. Does that imply we may truly see her seem in Outlaws? We’ll discover out quickly.
Sliro and Zerek Besh
We might even see acquainted organizations like the Hutts and the Pykes in the trailer, however they aren’t the predominant enemy Kay Vess shall be contending with in the recreation. That’s the place Zerek Besh is available in.
Zerek Besh is one other main energy participant in the felony underworld, however not one included as a part of the 5 Crime Syndicates. This faction was first launched in Marvel’s Star Wars comics, the place we noticed Qi’ra and Crimson Daybreak manipulate Zerek Besh into waging struggle on the Hutts. Once more, we’re guessing the recreation is ready earlier than that battle, which is called the Syndicate Struggle.
As revealed in the trailer, Zerek Besh is dominated by a human named Sliro. Sliro is a rich, opportunistic crime lord who sees nice alternative in the present state of galactic affairs. With the Empire spending a lot effort and time looking the Insurgent Alliance, that leaves the felony cartels loads of room to make their transfer and rake in extra money. If they’ll work collectively, in fact.
The scene the place Sliro is making his pitch to the Hutts, Pykes and Crimson Daybreak is going down on Canto Bight, the on line casino planet launched in 2017’s Star Wars: The Final Jedi. That’s no coincidence. Canto Bight can also be the place we met Benicio Del Toro’s character DJ, a scoundrel with an essential lesson to impart. In a galaxy that’s trapped in a perpetual cycle of struggle, the actual winners are those that know how you can revenue off of that struggle. Sliro clearly views himself as a part of that crowd.
From what we find out about the plot of Star Wars Outlaws to date, the battle begins when Kay runs afoul of Sliro and the crime lord places a significant bounty on her head. From there, Kay is given a selection – run and conceal, or try and steal Sliro’s huge fortune and purchase her freedom. We don’t must inform you which choice she picks. Each mission in Outlaws is about bringing Kay one step nearer to her overarching objective of touchdown the galaxy’s largest payday.
The Han Solo Cameo
Star Wars Outlaws is avoiding loads of the trappings followers would possibly count on from the franchise. There aren’t any Jedi Knights or lightsabers in sight. Regardless that this recreation is ready throughout the 12 months between the occasions of The Empire Strikes Again and Return of the Jedi, the Insurgent Alliance is out of the image – biding their time and ready for the proper second to strike. This recreation is all about shining a lightweight on the soiled underbelly of the Star Wars universe.
Han Solo could also be the solely predominant character from the authentic trilogy we truly see on this recreation. And as we’ve already mentioned, that is going down throughout that interval the place Han is caught in suspended animation as a trophy on Jabba’s wall. Han is there as a pointed reminder of how delicate Kay’s place is. As she navigates her means by means of the underworld and curries favor with the completely different crime syndicates, Kay is one flawed transfer from ending up like Han Solo.
So will we see any current Star Wars characters in any respect, or are Jabba and the frozen Han the sole hyperlinks to the bigger franchise? There’s definitely potential to usher in different acquainted faces. We’ve already identified how Qi’ra is one character with the potential to return, whether or not or not she’s nonetheless voiced by Emilia Clarke.
We’d wager good credit on at the very least one acquainted bounty hunter rearing their head throughout the course of the recreation. The trailer introduces a brand new feminine character whom Sliro hires to pursue Kay, however we extremely doubt she’s the just one after that bounty. We may see characters like Dengar, 4-LOM or IG-88 take up the hunt. Heck, possibly Outlaws will comply with in the footsteps of Darkish Forces and Shadows of the Empire by together with Boba Fett as a significant boss character.
We’re even crossing our fingers that Outlaws would possibly function the online game debut for fan-favorite character Dr. Chelli Aphra. Aphra is a rogue archaeologist and former right-hand-woman to Darth Vader himself. She’s good for a recreation set in the seedy underbelly of the Star Wars universe.
Kay Vess’ Crew
Kay received’t be working fully alone in Star Wars Outlaws. The trailer offers us a barely higher take a look at the crew of the Trailblazer. We don’t know all of those characters’ names but, however Kay shall be accompanied by a motley crew of droids and aliens as she prepares for the largest heist of her profession.
That crew consists of ND-5, the reprogrammed, trenchcoat-clad commando droid seen at a number of factors in the trailer. ND-5 seems to be useful as a bodyguard, as at one level we see him pushing away Sliro’s employed bounty hunter.
Kay’s crew additionally seems to incorporate a Rodian. This character is outwardly good with expertise, as we will see him activating a black protocol droid. That protocol droid can also be a part of Kay’s crew. Apparently, the droid seems similar to Triple Zero, a sadistic former companion of Physician Aphra. Is that this only a superficial similarity, or is that this a clue {that a} well-liked Star Wars comedian character is making the soar to the video games?
Undoubtedly Kay’s most essential ally, nonetheless, is her furry companion Nix. Nix is a merqaal and the closest factor Kay has to a household on this lonely galaxy. The trailer hints as to how Nix will play a job in the recreation. We see him sneaking by means of an Imperial facility and stealing a blaster rifle for Kay to make use of. Count on him to be an integral a part of stealth missions and puzzles, as he can activate faraway buttons and distract enemies.
Preventing the Empire
Whereas Outlaws is all about navigating the felony underworld, it’s additionally clear Kay shall be immediately clashing with the Empire throughout her missions. As she stirs up hassle on the varied worlds in the recreation, Kay will appeal to undesirable consideration from the Empire and even immediately do battle with them, each on the floor and aboard her ship.
Most of the footage in the trailer of Kay battling Imperial forces appears to emphasise stealth. We see her sneaking round a facility and counting on Nix to pilfer a blaster rifle. We additionally see her stealth-attacking an Imperial officer. However the shot of a charging Dying Trooper means that Kay received’t be capable of navigate each confrontation with stealth alone. The extra consideration she attracts, the extra Kay will draw the wrath of Emperor Palpatine’s navy down upon her.
That features vehicular fight in addition to gunplay. The trailer includes a shot of an AT-ST walker, and we see footage of a dogfight between the Trailblazer and a bunch of TIE Fighters. The Insurgent Alliance could also be mendacity low proper now, however the Empire is out in full drive for this recreation.
The Monsters of Tatooine
Tatooine could be the most iconic planet in the Star Wars galaxy, and it’s certainly one of the open-world playgrounds on provide in Outlaws. It is sensible that Kay could be visiting Luke Skywalker’s former dwelling planet, as each Jabba the Hutt and the Pyke Syndicate management territory there.
The trailer makes it clear a few of Tatooine’s extra harmful fauna shall be showing in the recreation. At one level we see Kay plunging down towards the Sarlacc. We can solely assume this implies her assembly with Jabba doesn’t go nicely, and the vicious gangster dooms Kay to be digested over the course of 1000 years. By some means, although, we’re positive she’ll weasel her means out of that destiny.
We may also see Kay dodging a large krayt dragon in the open desert. These monumental beasts are just about the largest and nastiest creatures on the planet. They’re extremely onerous to kill, however that doesn’t cease a handful of silly treasure hunters keen to reap the beneficial pearls inside their our bodies. Kay appears simply determined sufficient that she would possibly tackle a mission to kill a krayt dragon and steal its treasure.
At this level, we will solely surprise what different big beasts is perhaps in the recreation. Will we come face-to-face with Jabba’s Rancor? What about the native species on different planets like Kijimi? Huge Leisure has even created a completely new world known as Toshara. Who is aware of what monsters lurk on this brand-new planet?
For extra on the way forward for the Star Wars franchise, discover out what to anticipate from Star Wars in 2024 and brush up on each Star Wars film and sequence in improvement.
Jesse is a mild-mannered workers author for IGN. Permit him to lend a machete to your mental thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.