AdvGamer
I still remember firing up Star Wars Outlaws back in 2024 like a Jawa unboxing a salvaged hyperdrive – full of hope, only to find the wiring chewed through. The game stumbled out of the gate with all the grace of a drunken Bantha, earning a harsh two stars and a critique list longer than a Hutt’s menu. The stealth felt like trying to sneak past a Wookiee wearing durasteel clogs, and the yellow-ledge platforming had all the animation fluidity of a protocol droid with a seized hip joint. It was, to put it kindly, a fixer-upper.
Fast forward to May 15, 2025, and Ubisoft dropped the second story pack, A Pirate’s Fortune, into our laps like a squad of Ugnaught mechanics descending on a wrecked speeder. I approached it with the same caution I’d use when a Rodian offers you a free drink – suspicious but morbidly curious. The update came free for season pass holders and as a standalone purchase, meaning even the most jaded scoundrels could wager a few credits on a potential salvage operation.
The mission sends Kay and Nix into the new Khepi system, a region so murky and treacherous it might as well be a Sarlacc pit with a parking orbit. The blurb promised to teach us “what it takes to be a true leader,” which from my experience usually means learning how to yell “scatter!” without tripping over a Gonk droid. The real hook, though, was teaming up with legendary pirate Hondo Ohnaka. This Weequay charmer strutted into the narrative like finding a golden credit chip in a pile of bantha poodoo – instantly making everything smell a little better. Hondo’s presence isn’t just fan service; it’s a masterclass in injecting charisma into a game that originally had the personality of a carbon-frozen Han Solo.
The plot pits you against Stinger Tash and her Rokana Raiders, and tasks you with infiltrating the Khepi Tomb. Think of it as a haunted house designed by ancient Sith architects: deathtraps, dusty treasures, and the kind of atmosphere that makes you check over your shoulder twice. Along the way, the Miyuki Trade League emerges, a shadowy faction offering new Trailblazer rewards for smuggling dangerous cargo. Finally, a reason to use all that cargo space that wasn’t just storing stale ration packs!
As a sweetener, all players received free cosmetic items inspired by Star Wars: Skeleton Crew – an outfit for Nix, a trophy for the speeder, and trinkets for both the speeder and the Trailblazer. These appeared in the delivery crate like a Life Day present you actually wanted, and I spent an embarrassing amount of time making Nix look like the galaxy’s tiniest pirate. It’s a small touch, but it signals Ubisoft’s commitment to polishing the game’s scuffed beskar armor.
So, did A Pirate’s Fortune turn Outlaws from a bargain-bin datapad into a must-play? Not entirely. The core mechanics still feel like they were assembled from spare parts of better games – the stealth isn’t Arkham sharp, and the platforming remains stubbornly yellow-ledged. But Hondo’s adventure adds a much-needed spark, a few genuinely fun smuggling loops, and a reason to boot up the Trailblazer again without sighing. It’s less a resurrection and more a savvy renovation: the foundations are still creaky, but now you’ve got a holo-fireplace and a charming old pirate telling stories in the corner.
In a year that also saw EA tease its “gritty and authentic” strategy game Star Wars: Zero Company, it’s clear the franchise is spreading its wings – or at least flapping them vigorously. If you own the season pass, this update is a no-brainer. If you’re on the fence, treat it like haggling with Hondo: you’ll come away slightly lighter in the pocket, but grinning at the sheer audacity of it all.