Star Wars: Galactic Racer Reviews Praise Intense Roguelike Racing Ahead of October 6, 2026 Launch

The game takes place after the fall of the Empire, during the New Republic Era, according to TechRadar. Lawless Outer Rim pilots compete in the unsanctioned, high-stakes Galactic League. Players control Shade, a faceless human cargo pilot recruited into the league who holds a grudge against the oppressive Bool family, especially reigning champion Kestar Bool. TechRadar said the rivalry grows after every attempt to complete a tour, though it noted that Shade has minimal character depth and that the story is contained rather than a sweeping cinematic experience.

The campaign is structured as a roguelike. The Verge reported that a run, called a tour, begins with choosing between a few vehicles and selecting perks that influence play style. Players then pick events from a branching map screen, race across several planets including Jakku, earn rewards to craft a build, and play brief sections where Shade walks around, talks with other characters, and upgrades the vehicle. TechRadar added that players must first complete qualifiers before the main Galactic Tour. There is no randomized track selection; branching paths let players choose routes and events while managing League Tokens, which are required to race.

Events include standard races, Field Tests, Mystery Encounters, and Eliminator races. In Eliminator races, the last-place driver is disqualified until only the top three pilots remain, and a League Token is lost, making it the riskiest event, according to TechRadar. Players also choose a loadout at the start of each tour, including a vehicle, Favours that provide a competitive edge, and a Racer Style.

The Verge described the racing as extreme and close to what racing in the Star Wars universe should feel like. Turns and obstacles arrive in an instant, two kinds of boosts keep the vehicle surging forward, and opponents ram the player or target them with weapons. A split-second mistake usually causes a crash, and the game briefly stops to show the wreckage flying across the track. The Verge said the intensity increases once players finally get into an actual podracer partway through the campaign. Developer Fuse Games, a relatively new studio with former staff from Need for Speed, Burnout, and Star Wars Battlefront maker Criterion Games, makes the experience feel authentically Star Wars through grungy vehicles, bickering racers who speak Huttese, wipe transitions, bombastic John Williams-esque music, and a pre-race preparation scene.

That intensity can also make the campaign frustrating. The Verge said crashes were common, often because obstacles were hard to see until too late, and opposing racers could be extremely aggressive. Late-game tours can exceed two hours, so a late loss is exasperating. Between tours, players can permanently boost vehicle stats, though that was not always enough to make a loss feel worthwhile. The Verge's reviewer sometimes lowered the difficulty to play with less pressure but still kept thinking about the next run. TechRadar found the roguelike loop exhilarating and said that even after reaching the finals and failing, the reviewer was eager to improve and return to the track. TechRadar praised the buildcraft customization, diverse courses, and replayability, but called Field Tests repetitive after repeated completions and said multiplayer is fun and promising.

TechRadar said the game has a learning and difficulty curve and may not be for everyone, but it is designed to make players become the best racer in the galaxy, since they likely will not win immediately. The Verge concluded that while Galactic Racer is not the first Star Wars racing title, it feels like the best realization yet of what made The Phantom Menace's racing scene memorable. The game launches October 6 on PC, PS5, Xbox Series X, and Xbox Series S.