Unfortunately, there's already been quite a bit of backlash aimed at Star Wars: Outlaws due to the upcoming video game having a female lead. Despite that, all signs point to this open-world adventure being a real thrill for true fans of this Galaxy Far, Far Away.
That's evident from over 10 minutes of newly released gameplay footage (via SFFGazette.com) which shows exactly how "open-world" this title truly is. Throughout the course of this sneak peek, we follow Kay Vess through combat, conversations - where you get to choose how she handles a situation - and even a speeder bike battle.
The preview culminates with the smuggler taking flight and blasting off into Hyperspace, and while there is a short cutscene when Kay boards her ship, the whole thing appears to be pretty seamless.
So, Grand Theft Auto meets Star Wars? It does look that way to a large extent, though there's obviously going to be only a finite amount of the Galaxy for players to explore (including Tatooine based on the footage below).
We're intrigued to learn more about how that's going to be handled, but Ubisoft has proved to be pretty reliable when it comes to open-world adventures so we're confident that will be the case here as well. With a story not tied too closely to the wider mythology, Star Wars: Outlaws should open the door to exploring this Galaxy in a myriad of new ways.
Experience the first-ever open-world Star Wars game, set between the events of The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. Explore distinct planets across the galaxy, both iconic and new.
Risk it all as Kay Vess, a scoundrel seeking freedom and the means to start a new life, along with her companion Nix. Fight, steal, and outwit your way through the galaxy’s crime syndicates as you join the galaxy’s most wanted.
Star Wars: Outlaws is set to be released in 2024 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC.