After 5 hours of exploring the galaxy and ghosting past Stormtroopers, Star Wars Outlaws is finally winning me over

In five hours, Morgan Park explores Star Wars Outlaws, an Ubisoft game featuring an open world, factions, and dynamic missions.

: Star Wars Outlaws by Ubisoft initially didn't impress Morgan Park at Summer Game Fest due to its linear demos. However, a five-hour hands-on preview exploring the planet Toshara, faction dynamics, and stealth missions changed his perspective. The gameplay involves a mix of sneaking, hacking, and flying, although combat remains unexciting. The game is set to release on August 30, 2024.

Star Wars Outlaws initially failed to impress Morgan Park during its demo at Summer Game Fest. The demo primarily showcased sneaking, hacking, shooting, and flying but felt overly familiar and restrictive with its 20-minute missions. However, Ubisoft's dedicated preview event in Orange County offered a different experience, allowing Park to explore the game more freely for five hours, including interactions with NPCs, faction side jobs, and high-speed speeder stunts on the planet Toshara.

The faction system brings an engaging layer to the game, as Park completed a side quest for the Pyke Syndicate that involved chasing leads in the city of Mirogana and a space station. Although the combat was still stiff and the AI unchallenging, the seamless space transitions and dynamic world-building kept it enjoyable. The reputation system impacts gameplay, granting access, discounts, and more quests based on each faction's favor, although it's unclear if these choices will affect long-term outcomes.

Stealth elements stand out, and Park enjoyed bypassing Stormtroopers and completing missions with minimal conflict. Despite some issues like bugs and lackluster combat, the game nails the

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