Critics like Star Wars: Galactic Racer a lot. The review embargo lifted at 7am Central this morning, four days before launch, and of the eight major reviews we read, five scored it 9 out of 10 or a perfect 5 out of 5. The lowest was PC Gamer's 76. Within twenty minutes of the embargo, Bespin Bulletin had the early aggregates at 88 on Metacritic for PS5 (from 34 reviews), 86 on Xbox, 82 on PC and 88 on OpenCritic. Those numbers will move as more reviews land, but the band is clear: high 80s, and nobody we read came away disappointed.
On Monday we said an early embargo would be a sign the publisher was comfortable with what people would say. Four days early is that sign, and the reviews back it up.
The scores
| Outlet | Score | Reviewed on | The takeaway |
|---|---|---|---|
| IGN | 8/10 | Xbox Series X | Gorgeous and tense; the planets repeat and there is no splitscreen |
| GameSpot | 9/10 | PS5 | The roguelike structure carries a story that falls flat |
| VGC | 5/5 | Not stated | Burnout's spirit in a Star Wars body; wants more planets |
| Eurogamer | 5/5 | PS5 | A Criterion fan's homecoming, with a deep run-based campaign |
| Giant Bomb | 5/5 | Not stated | Exquisite control, and multiplayer Tour mode is the highlight |
| PCGamesN | 9/10 | Not stated | Best Star Wars racer yet; the tracks are forgettable |
| Destructoid | 8.5/10 | PC | Superb handling; visibility and roguelite frustration hold it back |
| PC Gamer | 76/100 | PC | Smart structure, but hard-to-read tracks and a flat ending |
What reviewers praised
The handling. This is the point almost everyone opens with. Destructoid's Andrej Barovic says it has "the best vehicle handling I've ever come across." Giant Bomb's Jeff Grubb describes riding the edge of control at absurd speed, with brakes, two boosts and each vehicle's special move all in play on every corner. Eurogamer's Christian Donlan, a self-described Burnout devotee, found that his Burnout muscle memory worked on the first corner. Fuse Games was founded by Criterion veterans, and it shows.
The run-based campaign. The roguelike structure we flagged back in September is the thing reviewers talk about most, and mostly with enthusiasm. Giant Bomb calls it "one of my favorite single-player campaigns in any racing game ever." GameSpot's Jordan Ramée, who put about 15 hours in on PS5, called it "my favorite racing game in years" and credits the branching event map and the risk of losing a run for most of that. You keep some progress between runs, and failing late in the story only sends you back to the start of the current act, per IGN.
Speed and sound. VGC's Jordan Middler calls it "one of the best arcade racers in years" and singles out the audio, especially the way engine noise muffles in tunnels. PCGamesN's Paul Kelly goes further: "the best Star Wars racing game I've ever played." Eurogamer sums it up as "just wonderful stuff."
Tour mode. Online time before launch was limited, so treat this as early. Giant Bomb played the 12-player multiplayer tour and rates it the best part of the game, thanks to rivalries and bets that give everyone a reason to ram you. Destructoid did not play multiplayer at all.
Podracers. They are in, mostly in separate modes and special campaign events. VGC found them much harder than the main vehicles; Destructoid found them easy to control. PC Gamer liked Sebulba more than most of the new cast.
What reviewers criticized
The same planets, again and again. IGN's Luke Reilly scored it 8 and called it "a confident debut from developer Fuse Games," but says long runs grow tedious because the campaign keeps returning to the same small set of worlds. PCGamesN counts six planets and finds the tracks spectacular but rarely memorable. VGC wants more planets too.
Tracks that are hard to read. This came up in four reviews. Destructoid calls visibility a major problem, with environments blending into the racing line. PC Gamer's Jody Macgregor crashed into ice he could not tell from snow and concluded that "the signposting on some tracks wasn't great." GameSpot got turned around on Jakku. Giant Bomb noticed it too but says it faded as he learned the tracks.
The story's payoff. GameSpot and PC Gamer both enjoyed the setup and Kestar Bool as a villain, then found the ending thin.
Smaller complaints. IGN misses splitscreen, which the game does not have. GameSpot misses music during races. GameSpot also warns that later campaign runs can last more than an hour with no way to save mid-run. PC Gamer found the autopilot ability both overpowered and prone to steering into walls, and expects a patch.
Performance, Deck and microtransactions
None of the eight reviews reported frame-rate or stability problems on any platform, and none mentioned microtransactions. PC Gamer tested on an RTX 4060 machine and lists Steam Deck as unknown, which matches the store page: Valve still has not rated it, and nobody we read tested on a Deck. If that is how you play, keep waiting. Eurogamer lists a solid set of accessibility options, including automatic Ramjet control, colorblind modes and a toggle for the takedown camera.
Does this change our preorder advice?
It firms it up. Our preorder guide said to buy the $59.99 Standard Edition if you were buying, and that waiting for reviews cost you almost nothing. The reviews are now in, and they are the kind that make buying on day one a reasonable call. Standard is still the pick: no reviewer weighed in on the Deluxe vehicles, and the Deluxe Upgrade goes on sale at launch, so you can add it later.
There is also still no reason to preorder specifically. No edition plays early, the bonus is a livery and a banner, and the price is the same on Tuesday. Two groups should hold off a little longer: Steam Deck players, and anyone who wants couch multiplayer. And if losing your upgrades when a run ends sounds miserable, read IGN and Destructoid first; they are the reviews most honest about that friction.
The game unlocks Tuesday, October 6 at 09:00 UTC, which is 4am Central. Our launch countdown has the unlock time for your city. These are other outlets' verdicts; our own impressions come after we have played it at launch.
