Star Wars Outlaws director is a "little disappointed" with the Metacritic score, but plans to keep improving the game
But creative director Julian Gerighty says "players are really connecting with what we did"
Star Wars Outlaws released last week to decent, if slightly lukewarm reception from critics, with a Metacritic score currently sitting at respectable 76 - a score that creative director Julian Gerighty mentions that he's a "little disappointed" in.
"I'm a little disappointed with the Metacritic; Of course, recognition from press and critics is very important to us, but players are really connecting with what we did," Gerighty said in an interview with GamesRadar+. Star Wars Outlaws is the team's first attempt at an open-world Star Wars game, and it's not without its fair share of problems, such as those who purchased the early access version having to start their file over or potentially face game-breaking bugs.
Despite the problems along the way, Gerighty says that there's a "level of pride, happiness, and sense of accomplishment" amongst the team. Outlaws was in development for roughly four years and the team "literally reached for the stars."
Even with a disappointing Metacritic score, Gerighty reflects on parts of the game that bring him joy. "Honestly, it's brought me so much joy to see the incredible images being captured and shared. And I think that's proof positive that this is an experience like no other Star Wars experience before, that lets you step into this world and enjoy some virtual tourism."
While Star Wars Outlaws may not have received the Metacritic score the team hoped for, Gerighty mentions "this will be a game that millions of people are going to play for years and years, and we're never going to stop improving it." he goes on to say "Well, that's a lie," he laughs – we'll probably stop improving it, but today my mind is not on stopping improving it."
If you've just started out in Star Wars Outlaws or are about to pick it up, check out our Star Wars Outlaws tips.
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Jesse is a freelance games journalist with almost a decade of experience. He was the Associate Editor at Prima Games for three years and then moved into the world of freelancing where you might have seen his work at the likes of Game Informer, Kotaku, Inverse, and a few others. You can find him playing the critically acclaimed MMORPG Final Fantasy XIV or whatever hot new multiplayer game his friends are playing.