Star Wars Outlaws had a rough launch. That’s putting it mildly. But the version of the game sitting on your console right now is a much better one, and it won’t cost you anything to find out.
Ubisoft’s open-world adventure has a free demo available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and Steam. You don’t need to spend a penny to get a real feel for it.
No subscription, no catch
This is the part people tend to miss. You don’t need to be a paid subscriber of any kind to play it. If you don’t have PlayStation Plus or Xbox Game Pass, that’s fine. Download it and go.
That matters, because games aren’t cheap these days. And a lot of people wrote this one off after its opening stretch. Since then, it’s had a ton of updates over the last few months that make it better.
More game than you’d expect from a demo
Demos usually give you a tutorial and a shrug. This one has a ton of content, and it does a good job of letting you play around with the game’s various systems instead of herding you down a single corridor.
One tip: don’t skip the space fights. They’re especially underrated, and they’re the part of Outlaws most likely to surprise you if you’ve only heard about the launch problems.
Game Pass is the other reason to try it now
The timing here works in your favor. The full game comes to Xbox Game Pass this month, so the demo is a no-risk way to decide whether Kay Vess deserves a spot in your backlog before it lands in the library.
The game’s 8/10 review was clear about both the flaws and the appeal.
“While Star Wars Outlaws does have its pacing issues and there are moments where it feels restrictive, for the most part, it is still an enjoyable open-world experience to dive into. It’s definitely one of the more in-depth insights into and excellent explorations of the scoundrel side,” the review said.
That scoundrel angle is the hook. Star Wars has spent decades on Jedi and Sith. Outlaws spends its time with the smugglers and lowlifes in between, which is a corner of the galaxy fans have wanted to explore for a while.
Who this is for
If you’re a hardcore Star Wars fan, you’ve probably already played it and made up your mind. This isn’t for you.
It’s for everyone else. The people who heard the launch noise and moved on. The demo plus the upcoming Game Pass release is about as clear a signal as you’ll get to give one of 2024’s most underrated open-world games another look.
The review also pointed to where Kay’s story could go next: “How Kay Vess’ story plays into the wider franchise is yet to be seen, but with some major revelations in the final part of the game, there are bound to be some exciting consequences going forward from this excellent first adventure.”
