Star Wars: Outlaws has Awesome Space Bars

I knew I was going to like this game, but I’m digging it a lot more than expected. Don’t let the slow start fool you — once this thing gets going it’s really slick and fun. It’s more of a stealth game than I was expecting, but as a die-hard Thief and Splinter Cell fan, I don’t mind a bit. One of the keys of those games is the strength of the main character and how that informs the gameplay. Outlaws gets that. The “Keep Talking” skill, where you throw your hands up and sweet talk a guard until you can quick draw on him, is outstanding game design.

But yeah this game has great bars, diners, and cantinas. You spend a lot of time in these, getting jobs, selling loot, and playing Space Poker. Each one is unique and takes on the flavour of, not just the planet you’re on, but the specific district of the city you’re visiting. The tiny little bar on a crappy space station has a totally different vibe than a small town diner.

Best thing? The diagetic music is loud! I loved all the bars and clubs in Cyberpunk, but the music was never as pouding as it should have been for an EDM bar fifty years in the future. The first nightclub you go to in Outlaws begins with a walk down a narrow staircase into a literal dance cave bathed in purple light with a goth band on stage shrouded in haze. It recreates the excitement and mystery of going into a new club better than any game since Hitman 3’s German rave level.