Star Wars Outlaws looks like it’s going to be another quality Ubisoft open-world game, although it is ditching some beloved open-world mechanics. Aside from removing the tired “towers” that opens up your map, this game is also abandoning RPG mechanics that many players have gotten used to.
In an extensive interview with IGN, developer Massive Entertainment revealed that this game won’t have a standard character progression system like other open-world titles. Fans expecting to see Kay Vess level up or gain XP are going to be disappointed, since this isn’t the RPG they’re looking for.
Rather than leveling up a skill tree, Star Wars Outlaws will grant players these new skills after they meet characters who offer to train Kay. Game director Mathias Karlson gives a unique example, revealing that Kay will follow a gunslinger and even learn some tricks from them after doing quests with them.
“They are full-on characters,” Karlson reveals. “So they're spread out in the world and you don't know exactly who they are, what exactly they have to offer you and how to reach them from the very beginning. So there's this journey of discovery here as well. And once you reach them, there's a character there to interact with and an adventure to go on because they won’t instantly just, oh, here you go. And then they essentially open up a little regional progression for you where the nature of those things is also very tangible.”
While it’s easy to rip on Ubisoft for making very formulaic games, it’s cool to see Massive Entertainment do something different with Star Wars Outlaws. Ditching RPG mechanics is going to be controversial to many players, especially those who love the sensation of leveling up, but it could spice things up.
Star Wars Outlaws is coming to PS5, Xbox Series, and PC on August 30. Fans are hoping that this new game rocks their socks off, but only time will tell if this story from a galaxy far, far away is a good one.