All Star Wars Outlaws gameplay mechanics revealed so far

Star Wars Outlaws is one game that has managed to surprise fans. The upcoming open-world adventure from Ubisoft received brand new footage at the latest Ubisoft Forward showcase. This meaty demonstration showed the gameplay systems and mechanics of this new entry in the iconic sci-fi franchise. These range from combat to exploration and more granular details like branching narrative paths.

All these systems work together to create something new for the Star Wars universe. As such, there is certainly a lot to digest at first glance. Here is a rundown of every mechanic shown throughout the gameplay demonstration.

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What gameplay features does Star Wars Outlaws boast?

1) Pistol combat

Switch between different projectiles depending on the scenario at hand (Image via Ubisoft)

The protagonist Kay Vess will navigate various planets and worlds from the franchise, many of which are dangerous to an extreme degree. This means any budding adventurer should stay strapped at all times. As such, the cunning young thief relies on her trusty pistol to get the job done.

Small in stature but packing a punch, this handy weapon can switch between three modes: a standard Blaster mode, a Stun mode, and a powerful Focused mode that helps deal with shields. Be sure to take cover and return fire at foes. All things considered, Kay is ready to face any threat that comes her way.

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2) Stealth and AI companion

Become one with the shadows and cook up ingenious strategies to take down patrolling foes (Image via Ubisoft)

If players wish to avoid the guns-blazing route, they can take out foes one by one in Star Wars Outlaws. This is thanks to the stealth system. Kay can sneak by crouching, and approaching enemies undetected will allow performing a silent takedown. Players should also take care to use the environment to hide and stay out of enemies' lines of sight.

This is also where her adorable pet Nix comes in. He can be commanded to hit switches at a distance without foes noticing and to distract and attack them. If that was not enough, he can also pick up weapons dropped by foes and bring them to Kay. This way, players can use the environment to their advantage to gain the upper hand against swarms of thugs.

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3) Open world

There are many different plants with distinct biomes to discover (Image via Ubisoft)

Combat is just one portion of the gameplay experience. When not battling crowds of goons, Kay will explore the various worlds of Star Wars in a sizeable open-world setting. These include the moon of Tashon with its crimson-clad dusty terrain and quaint settlements.

Every planet and world is different, with varied enemies, environments, populations, missions, and more. There are different cantinas, cities, and similar structures to discover. In fact, the sense of exploration also extends to outer space, allowing players to take in the scale and scope of Star Wars Outlaws.

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4) Vehicle exploration and combat

Navigate the vast expanse of Star Wars' outer space in the Trailblazer (Image via Ubisoft)

While on-foot exploration is possible, it is certainly not feasible in Star Wars Outlaws. This is where lore-accurate vehicles come in. Kay relies on her swift hoverbike to take her across a planet's surface quickly. This will also be the main way of traversing various perilous worlds. However,, she has the Trailblazer to fall back on to navigate through space.

This nifty spaceship allows dodging debris and syndicate-littered space, while the Hyperdrive allows teleporting between locations. It is also mounted with turrets that can deal with hostile forces in the dark void. While the same benefit is not extended to the hoverbike, Kay can use her pistol while driving to defeat pesky goons on her trail.

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5) Multiple choices that affect characters and story

Make difficult choices while trying to avoid the Empire's attention (Images via Ubisoft)

Star Wars Outlaws is a very narrative-driven game. This is expressed not just by its cinematic flair but also by decision-making aspects. As players progress through the story, they will have to make a few choices that will affect how things play out in the future. This also changes how each faction in the game perceives the protagonist.

The gameplay footage showcases Kay retrieving a treasure for an underground Empire member, only for her to receive a threat of being outed for smuggling. Players may bribe the Empire representative to sweep the deal under the rug or ignore her threat. The latter choice turns against Kay as Empire forces are unleashed to take her down. This brings us to the final point.

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6) Wanted system

Lose the pursuit or face the consequences (Image via Ubisoft)

The Wanted system is one of the many ways things can turn sour in Star Wars Outlaws. Getting into the bad graces of the Empire will initiate a chase where Kay becomes the hunted. This will see her try to evade the Stormtrooper forces either on the ground or by warping away in space. Depending on the Wanted level, more dangerous variants of the Imperial forces will be out to capture Kay. So it is vital that players have their wits about them at all times.

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Star Wars Outlaws is set for release on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S sometime in 2024.