It’s always a good day when you can really dig into a new game you’ve waited for, and in my case I was finally able to get Star Wars Outlaws as a Christmas present for myself. It was a long road getting here. First, I had to finally obtain a PlayStation 5, my first next generation console. And then I had to build up enough cash to be able to get Star Wars Outlaws, a title that I have been wanting to buy for a long time especially since I read our GiN review, which awarded it five GiN Gems despite a few flaws.

Although our reviewer praised it for bringing a solid open world to the Star Wars universe, which was actually several open worlds linked by the player’s ship and hyperdrive, there were still a few things that prevented Outlaws from perfection. The developers, however, listened to ours and quite a few other reviews, and recently patched and reworked the title to the point where the experience that I got starting to play months later is really different and better than those who were able to play at its release. So, perhaps having to wait to start Outlaws was not all bad.

Beyond just the development and design issues, developer Massive Entertainment’s take on the Star Wars universe in Outlaws really spoke to me. I enjoy the lore of Star Wars. And I have no problem with titles that focus on Jedis, as quite a few good ones like Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order do very well. But even though I like tales of space wizards as much as the next guy, it doesn’t really resonate with me as much as the darker side of that universe.

Star Wars Outlaws instead focuses on the criminal syndicate side of the lore, which is amazing. If you ask me, that part of Star Wars has been criminally, pun intended, underrated for its complexity and intrigue. Some of the best older titles like Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire and Star Wars: Bounty Hunter focused on the criminal element of the universe. But now, players get to adventure in that world as a sort of normal person without any real powers beyond their wits, with a smart and helpful pet, a grappling hook, a configurable heavy blaster, and quite a lot of natural athletic ability.

You play in Outlaws as Kay Vess, a down on her luck thief. I’ll be honest, her character did not resonate with me at first. She seemed to wildly swing between ham-fisted and dense, being a bit too emotional in the prologue world and unable to do any critical thinking. But I have to say, after you get out of the tutorial level of Kay’s home planet Canto Bight and into the other open worlds, I really started to enjoy playing her. She has a good mix of vulnerability and a kind of Han Solo-like false confidence where she thinks she can do anything, even if she secretly has doubts. Vess is so much better as a character once you get out of that tutorial area.

Even with an extended tutorial mission, there was still a pretty steep learning curve in Star Wars Outlaws for me. This is not the game’s fault. Having played way too many combat-heavy Far Cry titles, I was kind of unable to shoot my way out of the more realistically balanced combat situations found within Outlaws.

The stealth in Outlaws was one of those aforementioned areas that were part of its major patching, but it’s still much more difficult compared with Far Cry games. I tried my best to fully slip through an area without taking a shot, but I had all the grace of a giraffe wearing ice skates.

This came to a head at one of the many imperial forward bases during a quest where I tried to outshoot a battalion of storm troopers. Despite how storm troopers are famously teased for their inaccurate shooting in the Star Wars movies, they are pretty competent here or at least there are a lot of them. I failed gloriously at my attempt to outgun them.

Beyond combat, I am enjoying how lifelike the world of Outlaws is presented. The conversations happening all around, the hustle and bustle of the markets, and people randomly complaining about their jobs just all contribute to the realism of the various worlds you visit.

Also, having to choose which criminal syndicate you will help is also an interesting element. There are three in Outlaws at first, the Hutt Cartel, the Pyke Syndicate, and the Crimson Dawn. Eventually, the Ashiga Clan, which are a sentient insect race, also joined the mix. I have mostly been helping the Crimson Dawn in the early game and got disliked by the Pykes, which made it hard to venture into their territory. I also helped the Hutts when it worked out for me.

I am just now getting into the space missions, so I don’t know too much about that. But I enjoyed Star Wars: Squadrons, so I am looking forward to that. Right now, I am trying to focus on not attempting to get 100 percent completion on every planet I visit, which is an old habit from years playing JRPGs.

Of course, as I say that I’m getting ready to try Valkyrie: Elysium and may also double back to Pal-World.

I don’t know about you all, but I am so ready for the Christmas break to be able to sit back and enjoy some great games while also spending time with friends and family. Make sure you all take that time too. It’s the little things that get us through hard years. Be safe everyone and try to stay warm and happy as the chilly winter season sets in, and when we’ll all just want to curl up with some great titles during our free time.