Compare Kingdom Come: Deliverance II vs Star Wars Outlaws

Henry and Hans received strong praise for their evolving relationship and character arcs, with Henry’s trauma and growth adding stakes.

Kay’s arc splits opinion: some see convincing growth and earned relationships, while others find her development thin or nearly static.

Maps were praised for medieval flair and exquisite town art, supporting the game’s historical presentation.

Navigation is cleaner than icon-heavy Ubisoft norms, but confusing markers, hidden entrances, and disorienting layouts occasionally make routes harder to read.

Menu usability was mixed to negative, with some praise for navigation but others calling the menu system dire or frustrating.

Directly selecting planets and systems from the travel menu is called out as a particularly convenient way to move around the galaxy.

AI and NPC behavior were praised for believable reactions, routines, crime responses, and increased sophistication over the first game.

Enemy AI is a recurring weak point: guards can be oblivious, predictable, or inconsistent, though a few later impressions find them just smart enough to keep stealth engaging.

Value was praised because the game is both strong and very long, with some reviewers reporting enormous playtime.

Value depends heavily on price and edition: bundled Switch 2 content is praised, while several players recommend waiting for a sale instead of paying full price.

Reviewers saw the sequel as much more polished than the first game, with rough edges reduced and systems better realized.

Technical polish is the biggest presentation caveat: launch builds show bugs, lip-sync issues, pop-in, and rough systems, though patches improve the experience.

Bugs were present but usually minor; reviewers ranged from calling glitches common to saying issues rarely disrupted play.

Launch-era coverage reports intrusive glitches and rough technical edges, while later patched versions are noticeably cleaner.

Controls were described as noticeably smoother than the first game, especially in camera feel, aiming, and sword fighting responsiveness.

General controls can feel responsive, but button-prompt failures, traversal quirks, and vehicle precision draw recurring criticism.

Mission variety was strongly praised, especially for quests that went beyond simple errands or bandit-clearing objectives.

Contracts and side missions can feel varied and surprisingly layered, although repeated faction jobs still blur together for some players.

One reviewer praised the way locations were recontextualized into memorable set-pieces that rewarded planning and awareness.

Levels often provide multiple routes, verticality, and strong atmosphere, but some layouts can feel overly guided, maze-like, or restrictive.

Replay value looked strong thanks to hardcore mode, major content additions, and reviewers wanting to return for more playthroughs.

Completionist tasks, faction experimentation, and plentiful side content give reasons to return, but repetitive contracts limit the appeal for some.

One reviewer warned that excessive profanity and potentially offensive material make the game unsuitable for some audiences.

One parent-focused take considered the stylized violence mild enough for a 10-year-old, despite the game’s teen-oriented rating context.

Reviewers admired the freedom to solve problems, exploit systems, and role-play, though the sandbox sometimes clashed with scripted story demands.

Outlaws feels more flexible after updates, but launch restrictions around stealth, quest boundaries, and vehicle use often undercut the sandbox fantasy.

Writing was described as excellent, engaging, humorous, and consistently strong across main and side content.

Writing quality is uneven: intimate character beats and underworld flavor work well, while some dialogue, arcs, and systemic reactions feel underdeveloped.

Narrative quality was a major strength, with reviewers praising the historical saga, main quest, character arcs, and cinematic ambition.

The heist premise and personal underworld angle are entertaining, but character arcs, pacing, and payoffs divide opinion sharply.

The open world drew strong praise for its scale, density, historically grounded cities, and lived-in regions across multiple maps.

The planets favor dense, authored spaces over planet-sized sprawl, earning praise for atmosphere while still carrying familiar Ubisoft repetition and boundaries.

Cutscene direction and mocap were praised for selling relationships and emotional scenes convincingly.

Environmental animation can impress, but character movement, takedowns, and cutscenes are repeatedly described as stiff, canned, or rough.

Crash stability was praised by multiple reviewers who reported no crashes, no soft locks, or no hard crashes.

Several launch-period players encountered crashes, while later patched versions report far fewer problems or none at all.

Reviewers liked the depth and usefulness of perks, weapon techniques, and skill trees, especially when they enabled meaningful playstyle specialization.

Replacing a standard skill tree with Experts and challenge-based unlocks makes progression feel more organic, though not every ability is equally useful.

Dialogue was mostly praised for impact, humor, and organic choices, though one reviewer found some repeated dialogue drawn out.

Dialogue and banter get mixed marks: character chemistry can be charming, but some conversations and systemic reactions feel thin or static.

Reviewers described the story as memorable and emotionally powerful, including scenes that brought strong lasting reactions.

The game can land strong emotional beats through nostalgia, Kay and Nix, and ND-5, even when the broader narrative is uneven.

Reviewers repeatedly framed the systems-heavy design as a major strength, praising how mechanics connect to role-playing, dialogue, world simulation, and player expression.

The gameplay is a mixed toolkit rather than a single standout system: competent pieces add up to a fun adventure for some and a formulaic one for others.

Quest design was one of the strongest points, with reviewers praising memorable side stories, branching approaches, and strong writing, despite a few disappointing payoffs.

The best side quests organically expand from small leads into memorable adventures, though routine fetch and delivery work remains part of the mix.

Progression was widely praised for turning early friction into rewarding growth through skills, perks, equipment, and player learning.

The Experts-based progression is widely liked for tying new abilities to exploration and challenges instead of conventional XP grinding.

Load times were criticized by one reviewer as long enough to worsen stealth retries and experimentation.

Console loading is described as decent, with the planet-to-space transitions doing a good job of hiding much of the waiting.

Onboarding divided reviewers: returning and new-player recaps helped, but some found the opening overloaded or blunt.

The opening can feel restrictive and slow to reveal the game’s strengths, with some players needing many hours before the adventure fully clicks.

The game was not seen as a pure grind, but reviewers still emphasized the effort and repetition needed to gain traction.

The trimmed Ubisoft structure reduces checklist fatigue for many, though fetch work, busywork, and repeated contracts still surface.

Several reviewers found the game highly entertaining, addictive, and rewarding once its demanding systems clicked.

Most takes find genuine fun in the Star Wars fantasy despite the rough edges, while a smaller group strongly rejects the repetitive systems and clunky execution.

The soundtrack was one of the most consistently praised elements, with several reviewers calling it orchestral, phenomenal, or legendary.

The score is repeatedly praised for balancing familiar Star Wars sweep with its own themes, giving the underworld adventure a strong musical identity.

Camera behavior was a noted issue for one reviewer, especially through finicky first-person viewpoint problems.

Camera behavior is uneven, with complaints around traversal, depth-of-field, and vehicle visibility, though later updates improve some rough interactions.

Facial animation feedback was mixed: one reviewer noted lifeless dialogue faces, while another praised key character animations.

Faces and lip-sync are a recurring presentation blemish, with desync and uneven character models hurting otherwise strong cutscenes.

Family friendliness was limited by repeated profanity, sexual content, and depictions of women that one reviewer found objectifying.

Violence is largely stylized lasers and punches, but simulated gambling keeps it from being completely family-friendly.

One reviewer praised the scale of improvement as something other studios rarely achieve.

Outlaws rarely reinvents familiar open-world mechanics, but its scoundrel focus and reputation structure give the formula a few distinctive twists.

Reviewers repeatedly emphasized how unusual and specific the game feels compared with modern RPGs.

The game borrows heavily from established open-world ideas, yet its grounded scoundrel perspective and Star Wars underworld setting help it carve out some identity.

Reviewers praised the breadth of activities, quests, and post-launch additions, with many describing a large and varied set of things to do.

Stealth, gunfights, Sabacc, side jobs, exploration, puzzles, and space travel keep the package varied even when individual systems are uneven.

Loot was criticized for early encumbrance pressure and the difficulty of carrying everything a player might want.

Collectible cosmetics can feel overused and low-value, weakening the sense that every pickup is worth chasing.

The revised perk and upgrade system was praised for offering meaningful upside-focused choices rather than weak side-grades.

Blaster, speeder, ship, and ability upgrades are useful and generally well integrated, especially through the Experts system.

The early economy was described as restrictive, especially when selling damaged or stolen goods with limited vendor money.

Faction discounts, credits, and rewards give choices practical stakes, though some payouts and reputation rewards feel too small to make decisions truly consequential.

The learning curve was repeatedly described as steep, slow, and friction-heavy, rewarding patience but likely turning some players away.

The game can take too long to click for some players, while others find its controls and overall structure approachable once the opening settles.

Reviewers consistently praised the reactive crime, reputation, NPC, and quest systems that made the world feel alive and responsive.

Eavesdropping, ambient chats, food stalls, Sabacc, and small contextual actions make hubs feel interactive, though some environmental objects still lack meaningful reactions.

Graphics were broadly praised for impressive landscapes, cutscenes, lighting, and major visual improvements over the first game.

Worlds, lighting, and vistas are often gorgeous, but character models, pop-in, blur, and occasional jank keep the visuals from being uniformly polished.

The historical codex and contextual detail were praised for offering extensive background on people, events, and society.

Star Wars lore is woven through locations, comic references, familiar characters, factions, and historical details without always overwhelming newcomers.

One reviewer strongly disliked Hans as a long-term companion presence, creating strain on their desire to continue.

Kay Vess is divisive: many find her warm, engaging, and refreshing, while others see a thin arc or a generic smuggler persona.

Crafting split reviewers: blacksmithing and alchemy could be charming and rewarding, but several found parts clunky, slow, or repetitive.

Crafting is lightweight and easy to feed with found parts, and one take especially likes how looting, crafting, combat, and upgrades flow together.

Combat drew broad attention for its realism, skill focus, and improvements, though several reviewers still found it harsh, clunky, or frustrating early on.

Blaster combat is usually fun and serviceable rather than deep; later updates improve flexibility, while repetition, cover limitations, and simple encounters remain common complaints.

Atmosphere was praised alongside world-building, especially in cities, music, and historically grounded locations.

Cantinas, markets, Tatooine sunsets, and lived-in streets create one of the game’s most consistently praised strengths.

Main mission design was mixed: reviewers praised varied scenarios, but one criticized a required sequence for lacking an alternate path.

Mission design ranges from excellent multi-stage side adventures to linear, repetitive infiltrations; post-launch changes make many jobs more flexible.

Exploration was praised for beautiful spaces, meaningful discoveries, and a strong adventuring feel, though harsh systems made some travel demanding.

Freeform wandering is a major draw, with organic rumors, side activities, secrets, and scenic detours making the planets more compelling than a checklist map.

Immersion was one of the clearest strengths, with reviewers repeatedly describing the world, systems, and presentation as absorbing.

Immersion is a signature strength, built by detailed locations, seamless travel, ambient activity, sound, and small interactions; bugs can puncture the illusion.

Visual set pieces and in-engine scenes were praised for creating striking emotional moments.

Lighting, ray tracing, blaster impacts, and atmospheric effects can look excellent, particularly on stronger ports, even when base image quality dips.

Difficulty was often called demanding and unforgiving; reviewers generally treated this as part of the appeal, though not always an easy one.

Difficulty is highly adjustable, but many find combat or stealth too easy once the systems are understood; others appreciate the challenge when options are constrained.

Pacing opinions varied: some praised the sustained momentum, while others complained about indulgent cutscenes or late-game pacing issues.

Pacing is mixed: some praise a natural flow, while others find the start slow and the tension between urgent story beats and abundant side content awkward.

Performance was generally praised across PC and console contexts, with reviewers noting strong optimization and technical improvements.

Performance varies by platform and release period; later patches and the Switch 2 port earn praise, while launch PC and console accounts cite stutters and roughness.

The visual style of menus, maps, and medieval presentation received praise for matching the game’s historical tone.

The overall visual vision and Star Wars aesthetic earn strong praise even when technical execution, character models, or image quality fall short.

The post-launch expansions were credited with adding a large amount of extra content to the package.

The Switch 2 Gold package earns strong value praise for bundling the major story DLC rather than charging separately for the core additions.

Handheld suitability was supported by one reviewer who described the game as scalable enough for handheld play.

Switch 2 handheld mode is singled out as the strongest way to play that port, smoothing over visual cutbacks while preserving the experience on the go.

UI feedback was positive when reviewers discussed improved, adaptable, or visually polished interface presentation.

The interface is at its best when it stays clean and avoids map clutter, helping the open world feel less like a wall of objectives.

Sound design was praised for supporting immersion and helping players identify attacks or stealth-relevant cues.

Blasters, ships, ambience, and environmental effects sound unmistakably Star Wars and rank among the game’s most consistently praised elements.

World-building was repeatedly praised as immersive, historically grounded, and central to the game’s appeal.

The criminal underworld, everyday cultures, and lived-in settlements make the galaxy feel broader than the usual Jedi-centered Star Wars stories.

One reviewer reported a consistent frame rate and treated that as part of the game’s stronger technical state.

Frame-rate reports improve across versions; Switch 2 largely holds its 30fps target, while some launch and PC accounts describe stutters or drops.

The PS5 Pro version was praised as a graphical treat, with platform-specific technical strengths noted.

The Switch 2 package adds motion controls, cross-saves, and touchscreen inventory management, making the port feel thoughtfully adapted to the hardware.

One reviewer felt early traversal was unnecessarily taxing, especially before stronger equipment and better mobility options eased the burden.

On-foot movement is generally workable, but climbing and traversal can feel stiff or awkward; later patches smooth several interactions.

Weapon balance was mixed: one reviewer liked weapon choice, while another found some ranged options hard to use effectively.

Kay’s multipurpose blaster is useful, but launch restrictions around carrying dropped weapons frustrate; later updates make the arsenal noticeably more flexible.

Ranged play was viewed as improved by some reviewers, especially archery, but another found ranged combat weightless and weak.

Aiming ranges from responsive and manageable to noticeably inaccurate in some accounts, so precision is not consistently praised.

Reviewers generally agreed the sequel stays true to the original while improving its systems, scope, and accessibility.

The strongest consensus is authenticity: sights, sounds, locations, props, and underworld tone repeatedly make the galaxy feel unmistakably Star Wars.

The dog companion Mutt was praised as useful and worthwhile, especially for tracking and early side-quest benefits.

Nix is repeatedly useful for distractions, switches, fetching gear, and combat support, making the companion mechanic one of the better integrated systems.

Checkpointing was criticized for causing lost progress when autosaves appeared only at limited quest points.

Checkpointing was a major launch frustration, with erratic saves and lost progress; a later current-state take calls it frequent, fair, and reliable.

One reviewer found the loop rewarding but volatile, with strong highs offset by repeated frustration and setbacks.

The loop can be absorbing when exploration flows into jobs, faction decisions, upgrades, and combat, but some critics find the repetition increasingly obvious.

DualSense haptics and adaptive triggers were praised for reflecting stamina, sword clashes, and sharpening interactions.

Haptics earn specific praise for making the speeder and adaptive triggers feel more tactile and physical.

The save system was one of the most divisive topics, praised by one reviewer but criticized by many as stingy or punishing.

Save reliability is mixed by version: some launch accounts describe cloud-save, checkpoint, or resume problems, while later builds preserve progress much more reliably.

Stealth was useful and sometimes satisfying, yet reviewers also called it finicky, weak, or frustrating in specific forced sections.

Stealth is the most divisive mechanic: launch detection and instant-fail rules frustrate many, while stealth fans enjoy the Nix-assisted tools and later updates substantially improve flexibility.

Fast travel opinions were mixed: one reviewer praised dynamic events, while another found it cumbersome and interruption-prone.

Fast travel can be very convenient, but wanted-state restrictions frustrate when long-distance movement is needed most.

The sequel was credited with giving supporting women and other groups somewhat more agency than before.

Nix and ND-5 are frequent standouts, while other crew members and faction figures can feel underused or slow to develop.

Voice acting was broadly praised, especially the main cast, though some reviewers noted repeated or uneven minor NPC voices.

Voice acting is a major strength, with the cast repeatedly praised and Humberly González receiving especially strong notices as Kay.

Environmental detail was praised for dense, specific objects, puddles, tools, farms, residences, and believable spaces.

Locations are packed with tiny Star Wars details, dense settlements, and carefully recreated spaces that reward slowing down and looking around.

Accessibility is a standout, with broad menus, presets, and customization that make the game easier to tailor to different needs.

The cast is directly praised as fantastic and fitting for the Star Wars setting.

The cast was praised for memorable personalities, humor, and a strong sense of history.

The reputation system creates fun tactical tradeoffs, but many critics say big choices rarely reshape the central story enough.

Cross-save is a clear positive on Switch 2, letting returning players transfer progress and making the portable version easier to adopt.

The speeder is fun for crossing scenic worlds but frequently criticized as floaty, twitchy, or hard to control; later patches improve it somewhat.

Enemy variety is limited, leaning heavily on troopers and syndicate fighters; several critics wanted more creatures and distinctive threats.

Space travel looks and sounds exciting, but dogfighting splits opinion: some call it smooth and fun, while others find it dull, stiff, or underbaked.

The campaign and side content generally feel substantial without becoming overwhelming, and one current-state take especially likes that the story can fit a weekend without forcing a rush.

A horror-leaning quest was criticized for being too short for its dread to fully develop.

The adaptive HUD was praised for hiding unnecessary elements and improving immersion when information was not relevant.

Post-launch support was described positively through free updates, fixes, and eagerly awaited features.

Full-price and premium-edition pricing draw sharp criticism, especially the $70 base game, $130 packages, and paid early access.

Platforming is functional but often stiff or imprecise, with grappling, ledge interactions, and prompt reliability drawing repeated complaints.

Lockpicking, hacking, and traversal puzzles range from satisfying to annoying, with the rhythm-based data spike especially polarizing.

Food QTEs are cute and sometimes reinforce Kay and Nix’s bond, but several critics find the interaction mildly annoying or unnecessarily mandatory.

Tutorial quality was mixed, with one reviewer calling it decent while others criticized dense text screens and poor explanations.

The single-speeder limitation disappoints players who expected a broader sandbox of drivable Star Wars vehicles.