Star Wars Outlaws promises to bring a vast action gameplay experience to a galaxy far, far away, but one aspect that the game doesn’t seem to get right is the speeder bikes. Speeder bikes have been an iconic part of Star Wars ever since the chase through the forest on Endor in Return of the Jedi, which used Lucasfilm’s effects wizardry to dial in a high-speed pursuit weaving in and out of towering redwoods. The inclusion of speeder bikes should be a perfect tool to build gripping gameplay sequences, but the film’s most important lesson seems to be largely ignored in the gameplay.
Developed by Massive Entertainment and published by Ubisoft, Star Wars Outlaws represents a major venture for a series that has seen something of a slump in the gaming sphere. EA’s exclusivity contract for Star Wars games slowed releases for a decade, and although highlights like the recent Star Wars Jedi: Survivor delivered on the potential of the franchise, many fans have been clamoring for more single-player experiences than the select few released in recent years. As an open-world game that lets players explore a number of planets, dialing in tight, fast-paced action could give Star Wars Outlaws the key to be both encompassing and exciting.
The Star Wars Outlaws gameplay reveal, posted on the official Ubisoft YouTube channel, offers a look at a speeder chase that might be disappointing for some fans. Unlike the scene in Return of the Jedi or the action showcased in Attack of the Clones, the speeder bikes in Star Wars Outlaws just aren’t going particularly fast. The action looks fairly typical and moves along at a reasonable enough clip, but for a vehicle known for blistering speeds, this standard doesn’t tap into the most exciting element that Star Wars fans know and love.
Star Wars Outlaws protagonist Kay Vess taps into some kind of boost meter at one point, kicking her speeder bike up to more intense speeds; but it’s a brief burst of acceleration. This higher gear represents what the whole chase should be, pushing players to the edge where a slightly late turn could easily spell disaster. As it is, watching the gameplay footage emphasizes how little of Return of the Jedi’s intensity is captured in these lower-stakes proceedings and shows that this Star Wars Outlaws choice isn’t bold enough.
The moderate speeder bike pace shown in the Star Wars Outlaws gameplay isn’t particularly surprising, as many modern AAA games steer clear of sequences that could easily frustrate players or cause repeated retries. Even so, dialing up the pace to match the feeling of the films would be well-worth a death or two. Elements of genuine danger don’t need to be restricted to infiltrating strongholds or fighting bosses, and this would be a perfect moment to employ that spike in intensity. While most diehards wouldn’t be particularly interested in recreating the misery of Battletoads in the middle of a Star Wars narrative, the current approach is a little too safe.
2023-06-19 09:00:04
Original from screenrant.com
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