Despite the plethora of Star Wars games released over the years, Star Wars Outlaws is looking to break new boundaries. Billed as the first truly open-world Star Wars game, it introduces players to Kay Vess, a young smuggler trying to make ends meet in a galaxy full of danger and deception. Star Wars Outlaws has no shortage of games to take inspiration from, and with Lucasfilm's resources, the game is set to encapsulate its Scoundrel Fantasy through and through.

Game Rant recently sat down with Massive Entertainment creative director Julian Gerighty to discuss which, if any, other Star Wars games (or games in general) have influenced Outlaws. He also discussed the importance of having Lucasfilm Games involved, as it helped give the game an authentic 'Star Wars' feel that fans have come to expect from related projects.

The first Star Wars game was Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, released way back in 1982 for the Atari 2600. Since then, more than 100 games have followed, spanning multiple genres and time periods. Recently, games like the Star Wars Jedi franchise have raised the bar in terms of what fans should expect from Star Wars games, and Outlaws will be hoping to go one step further. When asked which other games Outlaws takes specific inspiration from, Gerighty explained:

''We dug through the Lucasfilm archives, did a lot of research, and worked very closely with Lucasfilm Games to ensure this experience feels uniquely Star Wars, but in terms of other games outside of that which inspired this experience, I would say Ghost of Tsushima is a game that I referenced quite often.''

Sucker Punch's open-world action RPG Ghost of Tsushima was widely praised by critics when it was released in 2019 thanks to its fluid combat, immersive world, and strong story, and many are hopeful that a sequel is forthcoming. While parallels between Tsushima and Outlaws may not be immediately obvious, mainly due to their wildly different settings, it will be interesting to see if this link becomes more apparent as players begin investing hours into the game after it launches.

With Lucasfilm being such an integral part of the Star Wars universe, it was obviously important for Massive Entertainment to ensure that Lucasfilm Games could be actively involved in the game's development throughout. Gerighty was keen to explain just how important their involvement was in helping to ensure the project felt authentic.

''Lucasfilm Games have been great partners throughout the entire process, even suggesting the time period for our game. You really think you know Star Wars until you start working on it and then you realize how much attention to detail they really put into every shot, every location, every ship or character; it’s been great to work with them and craft new characters, moons, flora and fauna, and even vehicles that will exist in this galaxy forever.''

With the game's events confirmed to be canon, Gerighty's point about how these new creations will be a part of the Star Wars universe forever is extremely prevalent. Anything that has been created for Outlaws will form part of Star Wars' extensive lore, so everything it adds must fit into canon in some way. Luckily, Lucasfilm's expertise no doubt shines in ensuring Star Wars Outlaws fulfills its role. The attention to detail that has gone into the entire project is clear to see, and fans should feel safe in the knowledge that the IP has been handled with the appropriate level of care and respect that it demands.

Posted: Aug 29, 2024 12:40 pm
Related Forum: Gaming Discussion

Source: https://gamerant.com/star-wars-outlaws-lucasfilm-collaboration/