Star Wars: Galactic Racer offers an intense arcade experience

The Star Wars universe has never been short of stories, but there is one particular corner of the galaxy that has always had enormous potential: the one where everyone just cares about going ridiculously fast. STAR WARS: Galactic Racer takes that idea and turns it into an arcade racing experience, showing that a Star Wars game does not need lightsabers, Jedi or Sith to feel authentic.

STAR WARS: Galactic Racer arrives tomorrow for PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. Instead of placing players in the middle of another battle between the light and dark sides, the game travels to the Outer Rim after the fall of the Empire to offer an experience where only speed, money and reputation matter.

Welcome to the Galactic League

The game's story revolves around the Galactic League, an underground racing competition where wealthy syndicates bankroll competitors and pilots put everything on the line for fame and fortune. Players take control of Shade, a racer who is determined to challenge Kestar Bool, the reigning champion whose family has built considerable influence within the League. STAR WARS: Galactic Racer is not like other games set in the Star Wars universe. The galaxy's biggest war is over, but there is still room for exciting stories. Risking your life while you race at frantic speed for wealth and fame is quite thrilling, and that approach gives Fuse Games plenty of room to introduce new characters, rivalries and locations while still connecting the experience to familiar Star Wars imagery. Sebulba returns in the game, for example, while locations such as Tatooine and Jakku provide recognisable pieces of the galaxy without forcing the narrative to revolve around established heroes.

STAR WARS: Galactic Racer is a fast and aggressive arcade racing game. Players can pilot several classes of repulsorcraft, including landspeeders, speeder bikes, skim speeders and podracers. Each class has its own handling characteristics, which means that choosing a vehicle is more than a cosmetic decision. The racing itself is deliberately physical. Rivals can be slammed, shunted and taken down, while different vehicle types can share the same events and create chaotic interactions on the track. Speeder bikes, for instance, are built around aggressive cornering and bursts of acceleration, while other craft offer different approaches to navigating each circuit.

The game's campaign is structured around runs. Instead of simply moving through a traditional sequence of races, players make decisions about which events to tackle and attempt to survive an entire tour. Failing an objective can end a run, sending the player back to the beginning, although certain unlocks and perks carry over between attempts. This roguelike system turns the game into an experience with  a surprising amount of tension. A bad corner or an overly aggressive attempt at overtaking can have consequences beyond simply losing a few seconds. Every race becomes part of a larger gamble, where players can experiment with builds and adapt their strategy between attempts.

Customization is another important part of the experience. Rewards earned during races can be invested into improving your vehicles. Upgrades provide stat improvements and new abilities that result in a variety of ways to adapt to a particular racing style. This system works very well alongside the roguelite structure: losing a run does not necessarily mean losing all progress, while starting another attempt provides an opportunity to approach the League differently.

STAR WARS: Galactic Racer also includes Scenario and Arcade modes, alongside competitive multiplayer online supporting cross-platform gameplay.

A Star Wars game without the Force

Perhaps the most appealing aspect of STAR WARS: Galactic Racer is how it steps away from the traditional Star Wars conflict. The game is all about racers competing for status, revenge and money in a dangerous underground sport. In some ways, it makes the Star Wars universe feel larger.

The Star Wars galaxy has always been populated by smugglers, bounty hunters, mechanics, criminals, gamblers and eccentric aliens. STAR WARS: Galactic Racer focuses on those and uses podracing as its foundation. It recreates the distinctive sound, visual language and atmosphere of Star Wars without constantly reminding players that the fate of the galaxy is at stake.

The Star Wars universe does not need another story about a chosen one discovering their destiny. Sometimes it can simply be about an alien racer taking a corner too aggressively and desperately trying to stay ahead for long enough to reach the finish line.

STAR WARS: Galactic Racer demonstrates that there is still plenty of unexplored territory in a galaxy far,far away. It offers an experience that doesn't sacrifice the spectacle and personality that make the franchise a favourite of sci-fi fans. If you are ready to race at top speed in the Star Wars universe, remember that you can use our comparator to find the best deals for STAR WARS: Galactic Racer.