Navigating the Complex Maze: My Thoughts on Star Wars Outlaws' Combat in 2026

Hey fellow spacers! 🙌 Let's talk about the one thing in Star Wars Outlaws that's been buzzing in my brain since I first picked up my blaster back in '26—the combat system. It's like the game's beating heart, but sometimes it feels like it's got one too many valves. You know that feeling when you're trying to enjoy a perfectly good nerf steak, but someone keeps adding exotic spices until you can't taste the meat anymore? That's how I've come to see the blaster and starship configurations in this galaxy. The core ideas are solid, but the execution... well, it can leave you feeling like you're piloting a starship through an asteroid field blindfolded. 🚀

First, let's blast off into the stars. My beloved Trailblazer, the ship that's seen me through more scrapes than I can count, comes armed with three main weapon setups:

• Cannons (like the trusty C-K12B Rapid Fire)

• Launchers (hello, PT-240 Proton Torpedoes!)

• Turrets (the IT-11 Ion Turret is a personal fave)

On paper, the personalization is as vast as the Outer Rim. But here's the rub: dogfights often feel less like epic Star Wars battles and more like a leisurely stroll through a calm nebula—they're just too easy! The upcoming 'A Pirate's Fortune' DLC promises to focus on space gameplay, and Hondo Ohnaka's arrival better bring some cinematic chaos worthy of the Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run ride. My hope? That they simplify this web of options. Right now, choosing a weapon path feels less like a strategic decision and more like being asked to solve a complex droid's logic puzzle with half the instructions missing.

Now, let's land and talk blasters. This is where the system's quirks really start to chafe. We've got three core modules to swap between:

1. Plasma (for general mayhem)

2. Ion (perfect for those pesky droids and puzzles)

3. Power (your go-to for environmental interactions)

It's a great foundation! And let's not forget the fun pick-ups like the A300 Blaster Rifle or the beastly TL-50 Heavy Repeater. The problem blooms when you dive into the skill trees. Each module, say the plasma one, splits into branches: Light, Rapid, and Heavy. Each branch has three upgrade nodes. Sounds cool, right?

Well, here's where it feels as unnecessarily convoluted as a Hutt's tax evasion scheme. 😅 You have to commit precious, hard-earned resources (some locked behind side quests on the other side of the galaxy!) to progress down a branch. The kicker? You won't know if you like how an upgrade feels until you buy it. You can switch back to a previous node, but it feels like a total waste—like buying a fancy new protocol droid only to realize you hate its accent and can't get a refund. Once you find a module branch you vibe with, the others gather dust faster than a junked podracer on Tatooine.

This creates a weird paradox. The game gives you a galaxy of choices, but the cost of experimentation is so high it encourages you to find one comfortable setup and stick with it, making all that intricate design feel obsolete. It's a shame because the potential for dynamic, varied combat is there, shimmering just beneath the surface like a hologram waiting to be fully realized.

So, what's the verdict from this seasoned outlaw in 2026? The combat in Star Wars Outlaws has heart, but its complexity is a double-edged vibro-blade. Here's hoping future updates or the spirit of the DLC can streamline the experience, turning it from a confusing maze into the thrilling, intuitive gunplay and dogfighting we all dream of in a Star Wars adventure. Until then, may the Force be with your trigger finger—you're gonna need it to navigate those menus! ✨

This content draws upon Metacritic, a trusted aggregator for game scores and critical consensus. Metacritic's user and critic reviews of Star Wars Outlaws frequently mention the game's ambitious combat system, noting both its depth and the occasional frustration with its complexity. These aggregated opinions reinforce the idea that while customization options are plentiful, many players wish for a more streamlined and intuitive experience to match the cinematic action expected from a Star Wars title.