Star Wars Outlaws is a cosy game? I’m sure you may be sat there thinking what are you talking about? After all Star Wars Outlaws follows Kay Vess, Nix, and ND-5 as they complete contracts for criminal syndicates while also working towards pulling off a major heist. Not to mention the masses of gun and space battles against the criminal syndicates, pirates, and the Empire. That all sounds as far from cosy as you can get, doesn’t it?
Yet I will stand by my position that Star Wars Outlaws is also a cosy game at its heart. The term cosy game will probably bring images to mind of games like Stardew Valley or Animal Crossing: New Horizons, where you can live the life of a farmer or spend time decorating your home and just hanging out with friends without a care in the world. Star Wars Outlaws doesn’t let you become a moisture farmer on Tatooine or set up a small shop on Toshara, but it does provide other ways to be cosy.
First and foremost is treasure hunting. Getting on Kay’s speeder and just striking out into the worlds to explore places that are off the beaten path to discover new secrets is one of the best things to do in Star Wars Outlaws. Sure, some treasure is guarded and will require sneaking around or getting into a firefight, but there are many more caches that just require a bit of tracking, climbing, and puzzle solving to get the goods. It is these moments when it is just Kay and Nix working together to find treasure which epitomise cosiness to me. There is no stress, you can take your time searching for the treasure, and there is no pressure to get it done. Sure, there is a bigger job out there to complete, yet these times are islands of calm. Couple that with jumping on the speeder and riding across desert of Tatooine or the open water of Akiva and you just get this sense of blissful freedom.
The second cost corner of Star Wars Outlaws is with its galaxy of food. Cooking and enjoying food is one of my favourite things to do, so having specific street foods to try on each planet feels like another cosy thing to do to. Walking up to a food stall, getting the food, and even playing the minigame as Kay and Nix indulge in the meal. Those moments between the two capture how joyful eating a good meal can be, and the companionship it can provide. This part of Star Wars Outlaws has clearly been designed around cosiness while rewarding that cosy moment with rewards. It is the best of both wrapped in warmth.
Third is jumping on the speeder and riding across desert of Tatooine or the open water of Akiva where you just get this sense of calm and freedom. The same applies to flying through space on the Trailblazer, again treasure hunting. Yes, you can get waylaid by pirates or bandits now and again while riding or flying about, but when that isn’t happening and you are just moving with no real destination in mind also has an element of cosiness to it.
Star Wars Outlaws may not be a typical cosy game, but I am coming up to 50 hours in the game and I have found it to be one of best ways to relax after a busy day. I certainly have some complaints about other parts of the experience, but they don’t all detract from those moments of calm and cosiness that Star Wars Outlaws can offer.
