Ubisoft promises massive "handcrafted" planets for Star Wars: Outlaws

This game's vastness and meticulous attention to detail are not the only exciting elements. In a recent interview with EDGE magazine, Gerighty discussed some intriguing aspects of gameplay that set this game apart. It's not just about exploring these colossal planets, there's a whole universe of consequences that come into play. Every decision you make, every faction you align with or go against, every credit you spend, and every quest you undertake, has repercussions.

Ubisoft has paid attention to the aspects of mobility and traversal as well. The extensive size of the planets belies the relative lack of exploration. Each one will have landing and take-off areas and players can't freely fly above. But even with limitations, traveling to and on these planets should feel like a true journey, one that gives the players a sense of adventure and discovery.

Then there's the companionship of Nix, Vass' alien companion, which introduces a new level of gameplay dynamics. You will be able to control Nix to attack enemies, activate unreachable buttons, and even pick up heavy weapons from fallen foes. A pinch of Watch Dogs' Spiderbot, a dash of BioShock Infinite's Elizabeth, and a smidgen of EA's Star Wars Jedi games' BD-1, Nix is an exciting blend that brings novelty to the game.

What's more, players can feel the influence of the era the game is set in, between 1980's The Empire Strikes Back and 1983's Return of the Jedi. The studio has developed technology to mimic some of the lenses from the 1970s, making this game not just a gaming experience but a sort of time travel with the classic Star Wars feel.

However, in this vast expanse of space, it's important to bear in mind that the gameplay design is fundamentally different from Ubisoft's previous games. Comparisons with games like Star Wars Jedi: Survivor or even Assassin's Creed: Odyssey in terms of content concentration or raw game world size can be misleading.

It's best to take Star Wars: Outlaws as what it is - an open-world space-faring RPG with a Ubisoft flair.

Fingers crossed, the force is strong with this one as Massive Entertainment works hard to get it ready for release next year for the PlayStation 5, Xbox Serie S/X, and the PC.