Star Wars Outlaws played in first-person VR is a force to be reckoned with

The first time I crawled into a vent in Star Wars Outlaws and switched the camera from third to first person, I thought to myself, “why can’t the whole game be like this?”. The level of detail put into the landscape, props, and the multitude of alien lifeforms that inhabit the game’s various planets is incredibly impressive, and it makes the areas you explore feel alive and, more importantly, fitting within the Star Wars universe.

While I enjoyed viewing it from my third-person vantage point above Kay Vess’ shoulder, I couldn’t wait to inspect the assets in more detail. It’s such a well-built world that I in it, rather than observing it. While I haven’t been able to officially do that, as it’s unfortunately not an option in Ubisoft’s game, that’s exactly what I was able to do for the VR Corner this week thanks to a new update to Luke Ross’ REAL VR mod.

As you can see in the video, Luke’s mod for Star Wars Outlaws is a little different than others I’ve highlighted, as this one features a first-person camera switch. The game can also be played in third-person VR, and in fact, parts of it still are. During climbing sections, stealth takedowns, and the occasional in-game cutscene, the camera will pull back to let Kay Vess do her thing, before pushing back again to let you see the world through her eyes once more.

It all works fantastically and I can fully immerse myself in the game and feel like I’m really there inside A Star Wars cantina was an awesome feeling. It’s not as awesome as tearing across the open plains of Toshara on a Speeder Bike though! Pulling off jumps and hearing lasers blaze past your head as you rattle past alien settlements in first-person Speeder chases is about as epic a Star Wars adventure gets, and is a real treat for fans of both the game and the Star Wars universe.

As usual, Luke’s mod doesn’t feature motion controls and requires you to play it with a controller, but as always I don’t mind that at all. It’s like playing Star Wars Outlaws on a flat screen, but with the added dimension of feeling like you’re standing in a nest of scum and villains.

This is easily one of the best implementations of Luke’s REAL VR mod yet, and the first-person perspective just feels right. Like it should have been there all along. Star Wars Outlaws was already a good looking game, but as you can see in the video, it’s so much better when you can actually lean into it and inspect it and feel a part of it. The grime and filth of Star Wars’ “used future” aesthetic is easy to miss when you’re skimming through it on a flat screen, but here it’s all at eye level and it makes the whole experience incredibly immersive.

Thanks to Luke, a realistic, busy, and open Star Wars world that feels like you’re actually living in it is no longer a galaxy far, far away. This mod brings Star Wars to Youit drops you right in and, despite a few visual glitches here and there, thanks to the strength of the visuals it is now easily my favorite way to play this game. What a treat!