Star Wars: Galactic Racer | Xbox Review

Episode I of the Star Wars franchise of films is one of the most divisive entries in the series. It angered old-timers and left a formative impact on a younger generation of fans. Personally, I loved it, warts and all. But even if you don’t agree with me, I’d venture to say that you still thought pod racing was pretty rad. Sure, we had Star Wars: Episode I – Racer back in 1999, but it didn’t quite scratch the itch for everybody. Enter Fuse Games, the UK development team created in 2023 with several members who worked on titles in the Burnout series of games. Their first project: a racing game set in our beloved franchise in a galaxy far, far away.

Star Wars: Galactic Racer gives us exactly what we wanted in terms of atmosphere, fidelity, and good old-fashioned nostalgia. The campaign is something completely unexpected, however, and might be a deal breaker for many people. I happen to not be one of those people. Forgive me if I seem to rush my way through this review, but I really want to get back to racing. I love this game.

You’ve Never Won a Race?

You are Shade, a helmeted racer who joins the Galactic League with vengeance in his heart. The current champion, Kestar Bool, has a history with Shade that you learn about as the story progresses. Shade isn’t seeking to win for glory, fame, or money. He (or she) simply wants to take his rival down and settle whatever grudge is between them.

Thankfully, Shade actually has a voice as opposed to being a silent protagonist. Sure, you can pick from a few differently sounding voices, but it’s nice to hear your character speak. Your conversations included Kestar Bool himself, Darius Pax (the event organizer), your mechanic Hibi, and countless others. There are even a few suprises that will put a smile on your face. I was pleasantly surprised by the high-quality voice acting, especially when the game could have done without it completely.

The plot here isn’t incredibly deep, but it’s enough to keep pushing you forward. Bool’s attitude and actions make you want to knock him down a peg or two. The reason you’re probably interested in Galactic Racer has little to do with the story anyway.

Very Fast, Very Dangerous.

I was very surprised by the campaign’s gameplay premise. It revolves around something I’ve never seen in a racer: what the devs refer to as “runs-based” racing. Instead of running your typical circuits and working your way up the ranks, you instead progress as far as you can…until you can’t. If you lose too many credits or crash your vehicle too many times, you’re forced to start at the beginning of your current circuit. This was totally and completely unexpected, as I don’t remember this being present in another title in this genre.

Surviving a race grants you upgrades, both temporary and permanent. Sometimes you’ll be asked to choose between increasing your afterburner or ramjet (more on that later), your hull’s integrity, your drifting capabilities, and many others. When you eventually fail, you’ll have the opportunity to spend credits on those same types of upgrades, but those won’t refresh when you are forced to begin again.

Galactic Racer even gives you multiple different paths to follow on your way to face your rival. Some races are riskier, but offer better rewards. Others ask you to experiment with new vehicles to push them to the limits for extra currency. You might even come across an encounter with other racers looking to strike some kind of a deal with you. As expected in this universe, good things often come at the expense of not-so-good things.

The Only Human Who Can Do It.

In reality, this is just scratching the surface of how different each run will feel. You have various parts, abilities, and racer styles to pick from as you go. Since each of those styles level up with more use, you’re incentivized to try others outside of your comfort zone. I love this model, as I feel challenged to try approaching races a different way than I’m used to.

I recognize that the runs-based nature of this title will be a huge turnoff for many people, but I found it a brilliant way to hone my skills. Every time I start fresh, I feel like a better racer. And that’s not just because of my upgrades. The game is teaching me how to better survive, and I’m here for my lessons.

On top of that, the environments are stunningly beautiful. The first time I skimmed across the salt flats of Crait, I nearly squeed with joy. There’s also races on planets like Jakku, Tatooine, Ando Prime, and many others. What made these such a joy to visit outside of their look is the fun changes they throw into the gameplay mix. Some planets have lava that can harm your hull. To keep from burning up, you’ll have to navigate through waterways to cool down. On ice planets the Galactic League places short warming tunnels to keep your engines from seizing up. At first, you’re required to hit these areas, but once you start upgrading, you can bypass them for shorter distances.

The Only Human Who Can Do It.

Let me tell you how glorious it feels to pilot these vehicles. This is not your typical racer where you’re simply alternating between gas and brake. There are so many moving parts happening. It really sells the idea that it takes a lot more than good reflexes to be victorious.

Your afterburner is your main “boost” of speed. After a while, you’re given the option to flip over to your ramjet instead. This pushes your engines even faster/hotter, but once you let off the ramjet, you have to wait for a cooldown to use it again. Additionally, using it too long can cause you to prematurely crash. This push and pull mechanic of extra speed is so much fun to master; and it’s only the beginning.

Each race starts with a series of QTE style button presses to get your engines started in time. It’s a very small thing, but it truly gives the sense of flipping switches like Anakin in his podracer. With as many races as I’ve done, that mechanic never gets old, and it feels satisfying every single time I’m successful.

The Burnout vibes are very much present here, but not enough to make it feel like a carbon copy of those games. Sure, it’s in the Star Wars universe, but it’s 100% it’s own thing despite the familiar takedown crashes and camera angles present in those games. Navigating each map take precise piloting. one wrong move can easily send you into a wall, but one right move gives you the satisfaction of seeing a rival burst into flames in slow motion.

I know it’s cliche to say this, but Galactic Racer makes me feel like I’m navigating these familiar worlds at top speed.

Star Wars: Galactic Racer Final Verdict

I haven’t even touched on the other modes of Star Wars: Galactic Racer. If you don’t feel like tackling the campaign, there’s a traditional arcade mode and online multiplayer. I’ve yet to experience the later, but as soon as it’s available to everyone, you know I’ll be jumping in. There’s also a scenario mode with longer form challenges suited to particular character builds as you unlock them in the campaign.

Admittedly, I haven’t finished the campaign yet. This isn’t a game like Mario Kart where you can just blast through all of the circuits. Galactic Racer requires you to grow as a player, both in stats and in ability. Every race, I feel like I’m improving in multiple ways, so starting over doesn’t feel like starting over. I’m coming back with new resolve and upgrades. This style of campaign won’t be for everybody, but I’m fascinated playing a racing game with a completely different spin. If you’re ok with replaying a lot of races, there’s no reason for any Star Wars fan (Episode I or otherwise) to keep from picking this up. It’s a joy to play, and I can’t wait to see what I’m in store the further I go.

To hear me talk more about Star Wars: Galactic Racer, be sure to listen to the October 6th episode of The Gaming Outsider Podcast.

This review is based on an Xbox Series S/X copy of Star Wars: Galactic Racer provided by Bastion for coverage purposes. On release date, October 26th, 2026, the game will be available on that platform as well as PS5 and PC.