I’m Already Obsessed With Star Wars Outlaws’ Little Pet

Every good game needs a weird little guy. Midna in Twilight Princess, Skull Kid in Majora’s Mask, other little guys in games that aren’t Zelda. They’re all great. We love an RPG that lets you adopt an adorable pet, and Star Wars Outlaws looks set to uphold this tradition with Nix.

Nix is a Merqaal, but that’s not important. What’s important is that he’s a little pet, kind of like a space dog, who follows you around as you go about scumbagging and scoundrelling. He’ll be nestling into your legs as you bribe an Imperial Officer, he’ll be running alongside you as you escape an ambush, and he’ll be clinging to your backpack for dear life as you race a speeder across the desert in a daring escape. We can only assume that he’s got his own spot in your spaceship, too, so I’m eager to refill his food bowl and buy him new bedding in every port.

Related: I Hope Star Wars Outlaws Stays Away From The Jedi

The most important thing about a little guy in a game is that he’s cute. Nix nails this one. He’s giving immaculate Stitch vibes (you know, the Elvis-impersonating alien from Lilo & Stitch), and brings Kay Vess, our protagonist, gifts of cool rocks and presumably dead animals as all good pets do. However, it’s not just about looking the part, as all the best little guys are great gameplay boons, too.

Nix is shown doing a few things in the Star Wars Outlaws gameplay trailer. He and Vess are infiltrating a Hutt shipyard by the looks of things, and she sends her loyal hound on a couple of quick missions. Firstly, he’s sent to click a button. This seems small, but the option for Nix to distract the guards also flashes up. I love how he’s going to enhance the stealth elements of the game, reducing the amount of crouch-walking you have to do when sneaking into dangerous areas. The button Nix presses makes a box move along a monorail-type device, which Vess clings to in order to progress. I’m assuming distracting and/or taking out the guards would also be an option, but Nix gives you more avenues instead of limiting you.

That goes for combat, too. Instead of just being an extra attack, Nix is a support character in a firefight. Vess sends him to a downed enemy to collect its gun, which she then uses to take out some more foes. He’s a versatile pet, a trusted pal, and a useful ally in multiple situations. I can’t wait to send him on little errands when we get our hands on the game ourselves.

I’m going to take a quick aside to point out that having a little pal who influences the gameplay isn’t an easy win. Take the ill-fated Lord of the Rings: Gollum, for instance. You rear a pet bird from egg to adult, which then proceeds to lead Orcs to you at every opportunity. Then (spoilers), you have to choose whether to kill it or not. It’s an awful example of a little guy, terribly executed in terms of lore and gameplay, in one of the worst games I’ve played in years. Little guys aren’t a surefire way to success, but Nix looks to be doing plenty right so far.

Star Wars Outlaws is exactly my kind of thing. It’s leaning away from the Jedi, hopefully won’t rely on cameos for instant hits of nostalgia, and will just be an adventure in a galaxy far, far away. I can’t wait to jump in, and I’m glad I’ll have a little buddy by my side as I do.

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