In the end it doesn't really matter why she is ugly, it just matters that she is. Technical glitch🔜 or intentional art direction, she is objectively more ugly than many, if not most, other playable characters out there. Given that she is the main character and therefore the face of the game (pun intended) I can't say that this was the best decision on Ubisoft's part no matter what the reason behind it was.

Of course, Outlaws has so many other issue🎀s (full of bugs, poor AI, repetitive quest design, a story that isn't all that inspiring) that it is hard to say that Kay's character design is a major issue with the game. To be honest, when I compare my experience with Outlaws to my experience with AC: Origins or AC: Odyssey the Outlaws experience, from character design to setting to quests to story, just feels rushed and unpolished.