Star Wars Galactic Racer: When racing action meets “rogue-like” mechanics

Star Wars: Galactic Racer combines fast podracing, spectacular crashes and roguelike upgrades in an entertaining racing experience. Its detailed tracks and familiar universe offer plenty for fans, although limited control customisation and the absence of quick races are disappointing omissions.

Hyderabad: It has been 27 years since the launch of 1999’s Star Wars Episode I: Racer, a game based on the podracing sequence in The Phantom Menace, and it took a 9-year-old me seconds to declare it the best racing experience of my life. Twenty-seven years on, Pulse’s take on Galactic Racer offers nearly the same adrenaline high, and for the last two weekends, I’ve felt almost like a 9-year-old all over again.

However, there are a few caveats – this is a much more expansive game, and considering it comes from the makers of the iconic Burnout franchise, it brings along a characteristic range of over-the-top collisions and explosions.

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Galactic Racer is set in the Star Wars universe during the era of the New Republic. As the galaxy rebuilds after the collapse of the Empire, podracing has re-emerged as a major sport. Podracing is organised into a league called the Galactic League, and is currently dominated by a single racer: KestarBool. Enter you, playing as protagonist Shade, stepping onto the grid to try and make this a real competition.

The story is not much to write home about, and for once, that is a good thing because the racing here is top-notch. The tour is incredibly detailed, taking you through a variety of race types across several tracks and planets. The racing itself is a blast, but for the Star Wars fan, there is an added layer of joy in tearing through iconic worlds like Jakku, Tatooine, and Ando Prime.

The races are fast and slick and you begin each of them by executing a quick sequence of inputs to unlock a start boost – with the option for a perfect launch if timed right. During the race, you can boost your vehicle in two ways: a nitrous-like quick boost and a ramjet for sustained, turbo-like speed.

Upon completing races, you are awarded upgrades, and this is where the roguelike elements kick in as you power up your pod after each race. You don’t need to win races because just finishing them is enough to unlock upgrades. This is important to remember because taking a safer approach is often more rewarding: a fully upgraded racer is far more likely to win in the long run, which means your main goal is staying alive and racing for as long as possible.

With its rogue-like mechanics, Galactic Racer is a novel experience. However, it isn’t perfect. It’s let down by a lack of flexibility in remapping controls and no option for quick races or to practice on specific tracks. Despite these crucial misses, it remains a fun racer that is well worth your time, provided you like Star Wars.

Sneak Peek:

Title: Star Wars: Galactic Racer

Developer: Fuse Games for Secret Mode

Game Type: Single- and Multiplayer racer with rogue-like elements

Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and Microsoft Windows

Price: Rs 3,499 on PlayStation and Xbox and Rs 2,799 on Steam

Verdict (all scores out of 10):

Innovative Gameplay: 8

Game Handling & Quality: 7.5

Value for Time: 9

Value for Money: 8

Overall: 8.12

– What Stands Out

* The blending of rogue-like elements, like the upgrades after every race, and the never-ending tour make this pretty much an unending racer.

* The classic Burnout-style collision system, with its signature over-the-top explosions, feels right at home in a Star Wars setting.

– Fails to Impress

* There is very limited optionality to switch controls or remap your controls on the keyboard or controller.

* The game lacks a “quick race” option – one where you can pick a track of your choice and practice if necessary.