The recent worldwide reveal ofStar Wars: Outlawshas sparked a lot of buzz in the gaming industry. Being billed as the “first-ever open world” game set within the IP, it is clear to see why the project is already piquing the curiosity of fans.
The reveal ofStar Wars: Outlawscame alongside some extensive gameplay footage for the title. As well as showing combat, branching storylines, and more, this footage also gave fans a glimpse of speeder travel. It appears that the speeder will be the main source of on-planet travel for Kay, the game’s protagonist, and the vehicle should look toward the PS exclusiveDays Gonefor its breadth of customization.
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Days Gone’s Bike Customization
2019’sDays Gonewas an interesting take on the saturated zombie genre, seeing playerscontrol the outlaw biker Deacon St. John. A vast open-world title,Days Gone’smain source of transportation is Deacon’s motorcycle, which players become deeply acquainted with over the course of a playthrough.
With how important the bike is to Deacon’s character and to the player’s travel ability, it is no wonder that it possesses a large range of customization options. Over a playthrough, players will be able to upgrade the bike’s performance, mechanical appearance, and paintwork of the bike. These upgrades are contingent on things like currency, location, and trust with mechanic NPCs.
With how much time players spend on the bike, this level of deep customization is very important to personalizing a playthrough.Speeders are essentially the motorcycles of theStar Warsuniverse, meaning this ethos could be carried forward into the upcomingStar Wars: Outlaws.
Speeder Customization in Star Wars: Outlaws
Days GoneandStar Wars: Outlawsshare more similarities than what some may initially think. Not only do both releases possess sprawling open-worlds and bike-style travel, but both star main characters that live their lives on the wrong side of the law. Of course,Days Goneleans heavily into the outlaw subculture of motorcycles, and this may have been the same reasoning behindStar Wars: Outlaws' decision to feature a speeder so prominently in-game.
As seen in June 11’s Xbox Showcase, it is likely thatStar Wars: Outlaws' will foster combat and intense chases while driving the speeder, and so there is clear need for customization in this way. At the very least,Star Wars: Outlawsshould offer the same performance-based customization for its speeder akin to whatDays Gonedoes. Giving the player the option to increase the firepower or defensive capabilities of the speeder could allow certain heists to be tackled in different ways, while offering a great sense of progression.
Of course,Star Wars: Outlaws' speeder customization should also include the mechanical appearance and paintwork options asDays Gone. These cosmetic upgrades could be tied to optional missions or difficult exploration, offering a satisfying but not integral reward for players. This form of customization has already been employed with great success in theStar Wars: Jediseries of games, and could easily be carried forward intoOutlaws.
WhileDays Gonereceived fairly mixed reviews, the prominence of its bike gameplay and the deep customization attached to it was a shining element of the release. In an open-world game, the objects closest to the player need to have a personal feel to them, and layered customization is a perfect way to achieve this. With both games exploring underworld and outlaw themes, it is clear to see whyStar Wars: Outlawsshould borrowDays Gone’s bike customization for its own speeder.
