I have spent too many hours pretending to be a Jedi. There is something wonderful about deflecting blaster bolts and tossing stormtroopers into walls with a twitch of a finger. But after playing Star Wars Outlaws, I finally understand what I was missing. The Star Wars galaxy feels much bigger, scarier, and more alive when you are just a person trying to survive.

Star Wars Outlaws first caught my attention back in 2023, when screenshots made it look like the first true open-world adventure in the galaxy far, far away. Now that the game has been out since 2024 and has settled with updates, I keep returning to the same thought: the star of this story is not the Force. It is desperation.

star-wars-outlaws-in-2026-why-playing-a-normal-scoundrel-still-feels-right-image-0

Honestly, Jedi are almost like cheat codes. They can produce lightning from their fingertips or kill you with a small gesture. That power is intoxicating, and recent Jedi games have leaned into that fantasy. We have all wanted to feel like a superpowered martial artist at some point. But I think Star Wars is at its best when it is seen from the perspective of ordinary people. Jedi are the 0.001%. They operate on a completely different plane of reality from the people they are fighting for. They are super soldiers who can shrug off terrible injuries and even return after death with sage advice. They often show up only for the biggest, most dramatic battles. Depending on the time period, they are also rare. Ordinary folks cannot depend on being saved by space wizards, so they have to take matters into their own hands.

That is exactly why Kay Vess works for me. She is new to the outlaw life, and making connections in the underworld is dangerous. In an early trailer, she is forced to give up her hard-earned credits to an Empire officer or walk away as a wanted woman. That is the sort of dilemma I love. A Jedi could wave the problem away. Kay has to decide whether to shoot first, run, or swallow her pride. There is no Force ghost waiting to give her a riddle. There is only the next job, the next crime lord, and the next close call.

Disney has already shown how powerful this grounded approach can be. Andor is a great example because it sits inside the unglamorous daily work of a band of rebels. When those people get caught in the crossfire for doing the right thing, the sacrifice feels raw. There is no coming back, no escape from death. They are simply gone. The final scenes of Rogue One hit hard for the same reason. Those characters are just people, and that makes their choice to fight much braver to me.

The structure of Star Wars Outlaws also turns ordinary problems into excellent gameplay. Instead of unlocking new Force powers, I worry about reputation, credits, and whether a job will blow up in my face. The chase sequence where Kay sprints from a bar, reaches her ship, and then immediately gets pulled into a space dogfight feels like a statement. An outlaw's problems do not end when the door closes. They follow you into orbit.

I like the contrast between these two styles of Star Wars story. It is not about saying Jedi stories are bad. It is about appreciating how much tension comes from being fragile.

Situation Jedi approach Outlaw approach
Imperial officer blocks your path Mind trick or lightsaber Bribe, bluff, or start running
A job goes wrong Trust the Force and leap Hide, improvise, and maybe lose credits
Someone threatens you Force push them aside Choose between shooting first and talking fast

In 2026, I am still optimistic about this corner of Star Wars. Star Wars Outlaws captures why the little guys matter. The galaxy is full of wanted people running from their past, their family, or their fate. Kay Vess is one of them, and she does not have a laser sword to fix things. That is why her story feels fresh. Sometimes the bravest hero in Star Wars is not the one who can move rocks with their mind. It is the one who keeps running when everything is stacked against them. 🚀