Over the years, Star Wars has amassed a large library of protagonists for players to root for. The original trilogy had the powerful Luke Skywalker, the prequels let players see the fall of Anakin Skywalker, and the sequels gave them a look at the next generation in Rey Skywalker. Through video games, they have been treated to a wide variety of adventures, including Star Wars Jedi's Cal Kestis and Star Wars Battlefront 2's Iden Versio. And now with the launch of Star Wars Outlaws, they have been introduced to the wise-cracking scoundrel Kay Vess.
Just like how Star Wars Outlaws is the first of its kind for modern Star Wars, Kay Vess is unlike many protagonists that have come before. Besides Han Solo, fans have never really gotten to experience this type of adventure, which makes it a refreshing change of pace. However, because she is only the third modern Star Wars video game protagonist, fans will naturally compare her to others. Specifically, many may draw comparisons to Cal Kestis, but both of them could not be more different.
Star Wars' Kay Vess and Cal Kestis Approach the Galaxy Very Differently
Star Wars Jedi's Cal Kestis Wants to Save the Galaxy
Star Wars' fans were first introduced to Cal Kestis in Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order. In that game, he had fled to the planet of Bracca after Order 66. It is there that he was discovered by the Empire and forced to flee with the help of the crew of the Mantis. And once he did, he was quickly plunged into a massive adventure that saw the entire fate of the Jedi Order fall into his lap, making him an extremely important part of the Star Wars story.
Through two games, players watched as Cal Kestis grappled with his role in the Force while he fought to help rebuild whatever he could. With a stoic personality, he has taken on all sorts of foes, including the infamous Darth Vader. By the end of Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, he has discovered the mysterious planet of Tanalorr and vows to help hide Force-sensitive people from the Empire. While it remains to be seen just where that story goes from here, it seems like he may become a hero to the future Jedi.
Star Wars Outlaws' Kay Vess Just Wants to Make Ends Meet
Star Wars Outlaws' Kay Vess does not seem to be serving a higher purpose, and instead, she simply wants to survive in the galaxy. At the start of the game, she is living in an attic on Canto Bight yearning for something more. So, she ends up taking a job that quickly goes south and is forced to flee the planet onboard a stolen ship. What ensues is a wild adventure that sees her come face-to-face with the biggest criminal syndicates in the galaxy, forcing her to do all sorts of things to make her mark.
While she may come into contact with the Rebel Alliance and Empire, Kay Vess has little interest in being a hero like Cal Kestis. Instead, she is simply trying to survive, and must do all that she can to accomplish that. This not only leads to quite a different type of game, but it also serves as a massive departure from Star Wars protagonists in general. Because up until now, almost all of them have had a major role to play within the galaxy, with one of them literally being the chosen one.
Kay Vess and Cal Kestis have vastly different roles to play within the galaxy, which is great to see. If every character was responsible for guiding the future of the galaxy, it could get bland fast. So, luckily, that does not seem to be the case. And it will be fascinating to see just where the franchise takes these characters next, because both their stories are seemingly just getting started.
Star Wars Outlaws
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 75 /100 Critics Rec: 68%
- Released
- August 30, 2024
- ESRB
- T For Teen // Violence, Simulated Gambling, Mild Language
- Developer(s)
- Massive Entertainment
- Publisher(s)
- Ubisoft, Lucasfilm Games
- Engine
- Snowdrop
- Franchise
- Star Wars
WHERE TO PLAY
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- Genre(s)
- Open-World, Action-Adventure
- PS Plus Availability
- N/A
