Summary
Star Wars Outlawslets players explore the franchise’s grimier, seedy criminal underworld, dealing with some of the most nefarious syndicates of the Outer Rim as up-and-coming scoundrel Kay Vess builds her reputation. Maintaining a relationship with these syndicates is a crucial part ofStar Wars Outlaws' gameplay, as while the Empire may keep order in major cities, the Syndicates are all at odds with each other, and siding with one will lose favor with another.
While there are other organizations, such as Sixth Kin and Zerek Besh, present in the game,there are four main ones that Kay can take on contracts for: The Pyke Syndicate, Crimson Dawn, The Hutt Cartel, and theentirely new group made for the game, The Ashiga Clan. Each group controls different districts across the planets Kay can visit, and while siding with one syndicate consistently can provide great rewards, if another is angered enough, entire areas will be much harder to access without resorting to stealth, and death squads may be sent after Kay, making the open world a far more hostile place to traverse.
Each Syndicate also has a niche in the underworld and backstory that determines the kind of stock its merchants sell and the kind of jobs and contracts Kay can get from them, which are explained in their Lore page in the menu as follows:
Kay can also get involved in some Rebel affairs, although there isn’t a way to build a reputation with them, and honestly, Kay doesn’t seem to care much for their cause anyway, seeing them as yet another group that just uses people. There’s also no way to build favor with the Empire, as they can simply hunt Kay with varying degrees of intensity depending on her Wanted rating if she angers them, and this can only be stopped by bribing a corrupted officer, being caught, or dying.
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What Rewards Are Available From Each Clan?
From Fast Travel Points To Unique Outfits, Each Clan Has Its Perks
Thereputation system for each syndicateis broken down into five main sections, with each being set to “Poor” by default, which doesn’t let players just walk into their territories, but still provides the opportunity to pick up the occasional job. From here, players can reduce their reputation to “Bad,” which causes some vendors to increase their prices, some contracts to become locked, and hubs that bar Kay from entering, or “Terrible,” which sees a Kill Squad being sent after Kay and increases the likelihood of getting ambushed while exploring the open world.
Alternatively,a “Good” reputation means Kay is welcome in more territories, is offered more jobs, gets better deals at merchants, and is given additional “Welcome Gift” cosmetics. “Excellent” takes this further, as instead of being seen as stealing items when picking them up inside of territories, Kay can help herself freely. She also gets offered the best possible jobs, gets a huge discount, and access to exclusive stock at vendors, and gets a unique crest and gear item for reaching the top.
Wearing all Imperial Disguise gear at once offers the following perks:
Wearing all Crimson Reign gear at once offers the following perks:
Wearing all Boonta Brawler gear at once offers the following perks:
Wearing all Kijimi Explorer gear at once offers the following perks:
Once unlocked, Kay can keep all of these rewards, regardless of her status with the Syndicates.
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Which Clan Should Players Side With?
While The Pykes Offer Easier Accessibility, Other Syndicates Have Better Rewards For Specific Playstyles
As for which clan players should side with,this ultimately comes down to a player’s preferred playstyle. For example, the rewards for the likes of the Crimson Dawn are far better suited to stealth - and there are a lot of missions in which Kay is instructed not to set off alarms or where stealth seems mandatory - while others, such as the Hutts or the Ashiga Clan are definitely more favorable to those who are likely to get involved in more fights.
Siding with the Pykes certainly makes for a smoother experience exploring the open world, as they have territory on Toshara, where players will spend a large portion of the early game, and Akiva. Meanwhile,The Hutt Cartel’s main base is on Tatooine, but they also have territory on Akiva, while the Crimson Dawn has territory on Kijimi and Toshara. Perhaps the faction that is least useful in this regard is the Ashiga Clan, as while they have scouts on other planets, their territory is only limited to Kijimi, so while being in good standing with them makes for an easier experience there, it’s not as useful elsewhere.
Ultimately, while it doesn’t seem to be possible to be in good standing with every syndicate at once,Star Wars Outlawsdoes allow players to take on jobs and betray others who may have offered Kay a contract to build a reputation with other factions where she may no longer be welcome and potentially claw her way back from the clutches of a Kill Squad. For exploring the open world, it’s best to plan ahead and not anger the likes of The Hutt Cartel too much before visiting Tatooine, or the Ashiga Clan before exploring Kijimi, where it’s clear that there will be a strong presence. As for the rewards, fortunately, these can be kept after they’ve first been unlocked, so players should still be able to reap most of the rewards best suited to their playstyle, regardless of whether they then opt to change allegiance later on.
Star Wars Outlaws
Set between the events of The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, Star Wars Outlaws is an open-world action-adventure game where players hop into the scoundrel boots of Kay Vess, a woman who travels the galaxy Looking for a better life. Together with her furry partner Nix and new allies she meets along the way, Kay will navigate the various landscapes, towns, and planets across the galaxy while outsmarting both Crime Syndicates and the Empire.
