The highly anticipated upcoming game, Star Wars Outlaws, is gearing up to bring something truly special to the gaming world. It will also bring new features to the open-world genre as well.
Unlike other open-world games, Outlaws has introduced a groundbreaking and innovative way to level up. Instead of the usual skill trees and experience points, players will now earn their skills through engaging quests given by unique in-game ‘experts’.
A New Way to Level Up in Star Wars Outlaws
Star Wars Outlaws breaks away from traditional game mechanics, where leveling up typically involves earning experience points and distributing them across a skill tree. Players will meet various experts scattered across the galaxy, each offering unique abilities and equipment upgrades.
In an interview with IGN, Game Director Mathias Karlson elaborated more on these mechanics. He shared:
They are full-on characters, so they’re spread out in the world and you don’t know exactly who they are, what exactly they have to offer you, and how to reach them from the very beginning. So there’s this journey of discovery here as well.
He further added,
And once you reach them, there’s a character there to interact with and an adventure to go on because they won’t instantly just, oh, here you go. And then they essentially open up a little regional progression for you where the nature of those things is also very tangible.
These experts won’t just hand over these perks, instead, players will have to complete specific missions and tasks to earn their rewards. This also ties into their reputation system. Julian Gerighty, the creative director at Massive Entertainment, explains this approach as a way to make character development more immersive.
Instead of just clicking a button to upgrade a skill, players embark on mini-adventures. This enhances their abilities in a way that feels authentic to the Star Wars universe and also develop the NPC by interacting with them more deeply.
The Game Has Some Immersive Gameplay and Exploration
The game’s narrative centers on Kay Vess, a young scoundrel navigating the dangerous underworld of the Star Wars galaxy. By completing missions for these experts, Kay not only gains new skills but also strengthens her network of contacts and allies, making her a better character.
The experts in Star Wars Outlaws are not just NPCs with missions, they are fully fleshed-out characters with their own stories and motivations. This adds a lot of depth to the game, as players will need to build relationships with these characters to gain their trust and unlock their skills.
Karlson emphasizes the importance of making the world feel dynamic and engaging. The experts’ quests are designed to be challenging and rewarding, ensuring that players feel a sense of accomplishment when they earn a new skill.
This system also encourages exploration, as players will need to seek out these experts in different parts of the galaxy. Many experts or their locations won’t be directly revealed to the player from the start, some are unlocked via other missions, some via exploration.
How do you feel about this new way of gaining skills in Star Wars Outlaws? Let us know in the comments.
