Star Wars Outlaws had a lot of expectations to live up to ever since it was first announced, so it’s no wonder that a lot of gamers have wasted no time scrutinizing it head-to-toe ever since its early access release.
The game seems to have hit a rough patch, particularly in terms of visuals. There was already plenty of debate around the design of Kay Vess, the protagonist, and now there’s a new controversy: the apparent graphical downgrade in her facial animations.
Did Ubisoft Drop the Ball on Star Wars Outlaws’ Visuals?
One post on X/Twitter has been getting a lot of visibility, highlighting just how allegedly off-putting the facial animations look in Star Wars Outlaws.
The clip shows an interaction between Kay Vess and Temmin, a vendor in the game. The camera zooms in on Kay’s face while she talks, and her facial movements are being called stiff and unnatural by some.
The downgrade of facial animations in Ubisoft Games is actually insane pic.twitter.com/C5OYNFM0x0
— NikTek (@NikTekOfficial) August 26, 2024
The OP didn’t mince words, calling it a downgrade in Ubisoft’s usual facial expression quality. Judging by the flood of replies agreeing with the sentiment, it’s clear that many in the community feel the same way.
I think less of a downgrade and more of a “we didn’t have time to finish”.
— Mr.Backlogged Gamer (@backloggedgamr) August 26, 2024
One reply doesn’t seem to think it’s specifically a downgrade, though. They agree there’s an issue, but insinuate that it has something to do with rushed development timelines more than anything.
A large selling point for Star Wars Outlaws was how the game would be immersive and put you right into the shoes of someone in the franchise’s expansive universe
Questionable facial expressions like these can break that illusion. They might be a minor detail to some, but undeniably are part of the complete experience.
There’s No End to the Criticism
The reaction has been swift and harsh. One user bluntly stated that the animation looks terrible and that they’re glad they decided not to purchase the game.
That looks fucking awful…. I’m glad I ain’t getting this
— King Prez (@itsPrez) August 26, 2024
Another chimed in, reigniting the pre-launch debate by asking why Kay Vess looks so “ugly.”
Why the fuck is she so ugly
— Shaquan Don (@ShaquanDon_) August 26, 2024
It seems that the character’s appearance, already having controversies on the original design, is now being scrutinized even more closely.
these companies just need to relax, take a breath, and put some heart into their products. Reminds me of the rushed movie games that would come out right as a movie was supposed too in the early 2000’s.
— dylan (@dylandavids0n) August 27, 2024
The idea that the game looks rushed seems to not just be one person’s passing thoughts, but a more common sentiment.
Whatever you think of the animations seen in the video, it’s probably not an unreasonable ask of consumers to expect companies to polish their games and take care of minor details like these.
Especially when you’re playing a 2024 game with a hefty price tag, you expect the best-of-the-best quality.
On that note, we’d like to ask you: do you think the animations in the video clip look odd? Or, is the issue being exaggerated by X/Twitter users? We’d love to hear your thoughts on it in the comments below!
