STAR WARS: Galactic Racer does not waste much time letting you know that the Galactic League... plays dirty. This is cutthroat racing where rivals aren't afraid to slam into you, the tracks can get downright dangerous, and a mistake can quickly turn a good run into a bad day... with your racer smashed to piece laying in a sand dune somewhere. I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to handle it at first, but I wasn't going to back down. There were even moments when I wasn't completely sure where I was supposed to be going as everything came flying at me. I'm getting adjusted, learning the courses and getting a better feel for how these machines handle... and once that starts happening, this gritty galactic racer gets a lot more interesting.
Before I get too deep into what makes Galactic Racer tick, jump behind the controls with me... in this first 30 minutes of gameplay. This will give you an early look at its story, atmosphere, racing and the kind of trouble waiting inside the Galactic League.
Welcome to a Different Kind of Star Wars Racing
Set during the early days of the New Republic, after the Empire's grip on the galaxy has been broken, STAR WARS: Galactic Racer moves away from Jedi, lightsabers and... galaxy-saving prophecies and heads into the underground racing scene.
The Galactic League is an unsanctioned circuit fueled by money, syndicates, reputation and... racers willing to put themselves and their rides on the line. You step into the role of Shade, a mysterious racer chasing both glory and revenge while working toward a confrontation with reigning champion (ole) Kestar Bool.
That gives the game an actual story to push you forward, but racing remains the centerpiece. You're piloting repulsorcraft through dangerous locations, dealing with aggressive opponents and trying to survive long enough to keep moving through the League.
And surviving is an important word here. I actually felt bad about my attempt to make some of the racers crash, they seem nice... but keep your eye on the prize.
They Aren't Just Trying to Pass You
This isn't the type of racer where everybody politely holds their line and hopes to shave three-tenths of a second off a lap. Racers can shunt, slam and knock each other around, while the courses themselves can be just as much of a threat.
That was part of my early adjustment period. You've got speed, opponents, environmental hazards and unfamiliar courses all demanding your attention at once. Sometimes I was concentrating so hard on staying alive that finding the best route became its own challenge.
The good news is that experience matters. The more I race, the more I'm recognizing where the game wants me to go, when I can push harder and when easing up for half a second might keep the whole run alive.
There are adjustable difficulty options as well, so gamers don't necessarily have to tackle the Galactic League at its nastiest right out of the gate. There is also an additional Champion difficulty for racers looking for an even tougher challenge after progressing through the campaign.
The Roguelite Twist Gives Galactic Racer Its Replay Value
One of the most interesting things about Galactic Racer is that its campaign isn't structured like a normal racing championship. It's runs-based, borrowing ideas from roguelites and applying them to a racing game.
You work your way through a Galactic Tour by choosing routes and events while developing your ride along the way. Different paths can lead to different challenges, rewards and opportunities, meaning you're making decisions between races instead of simply clicking “Next Race” until the championship is over.
Your build matters too. During a run you can improve attributes such as cornering, resilience and your different boost capabilities while installing parts that can dramatically change how your vehicle performs. Parts can work together in different combinations, encouraging you to experiment instead of chasing one universal setup every time.
Then comes the catch: some of that power belongs to the current run.
If things go badly enough, you can lose your progress through that attempt and have to attack that section of the League again. But Galactic Racer isn't simply deleting everything you've accomplished. Permanent progression, including tuning improvements and other unlocks, can make future runs stronger.
That's why I think “roguelite racer” fits this one particularly well. Losing doesn't necessarily mean you wasted your time. You learned a track, learned an opponent (to a certain degree... or how to drive when they're nearby), figured out which upgrades helped you and may have strengthened your options for the next trip through the League.
For a racing game, that's a pretty slick way of giving players a reason to keep coming back.
Different Rides, Different Ways to Race
The game also gives you different types of repulsorcraft rather than making every machine feel like the same vehicle with a different shell. Landspeeders, speeder bikes and skim speeders bring their own handling characteristics and play styles, while... podracing also enters the picture during select parts of the experience.
Combine those vehicle differences with the branching campaign routes, temporary upgrades, permanent progression and different part combinations, and two trips through the Galactic League don't necessarily have to play out the same way... so get familiar as best you can.
Outside the main campaign, Galactic Racer also offers Scenarios and Arcade content, while the purchased console and PC versions include online multiplayer. That's important because the roguelite campaign may be the star of the show, but it isn't the only reason to keep your racing gear handy.
So, How Much Does STAR WARS: Galactic Racer Cost?
If you're buying STAR WARS: Galactic Racer, the Standard Edition is currently $59.99.
There is also a Deluxe Edition priced at $79.99 for players interested in its additional vehicles and other bonus content.
But... Prime Members Can Jump Behind the Wheel Through Amazon Luna!
Now here is the part that could make trying STAR WARS: Galactic Racer a whole lot easier on the wallet.
If you already have an Amazon Prime membership, you can currently play STAR WARS: Galactic Racer through Amazon Luna at... no additional charge!
And because Luna is cloud gaming, there isn't a giant game download standing between you and the starting line. You're streaming the game instead of installing the full PC or console version locally.
Play STAR WARS: Galactic Racer with Amazon Luna
One thing I want to make clear: this isn't a free copy of Galactic Racer that Prime members get to download and permanently own. It's access through Amazon Luna as part of the Prime benefit.
At the moment, Luna includes the full single-player experience with the Campaign, Scenarios and Arcade modes. Cross-platform multiplayer is listed as coming later for the Luna version.
A Pretty Good Way to Find Out If You Can Survive the League
I'm still getting my bearings in STAR WARS: Galactic Racer, but that's also part of what is keeping me interested. The game didn't immediately make me feel like some unstoppable racing champion. I had to start learning it.
I had to learn the vehicles. I had to start reading the tracks better. I had to accept that the racers around me weren't necessarily going to play nice. And I had to get comfortable with the idea that losing a run doesn't mean the game is over—it means I'm probably coming back a little smarter the next time.
That's where the roguelite structure makes sense. There's always another run, another build and another opportunity to handle a situation better than you did before.
At $59.99, STAR WARS: Galactic Racer is asking the normal price of a new major release. But if you're already an Amazon Prime member, being able to jump into Luna and see whether this gritty, high-speed trip through the Star Wars underground is your kind of race without paying another $60 is one heck of a test drive.
I'll see you at the starting line... just don't try to run me into a wall. Game on!
