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Star Wars: Galactic Racer review
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- DeepHorus
Star Wars: Galactic Racer, a new racing game from developer Fuse Games, has been praised in a fresh review for capturing the high-speed aggression of Criterion Games' Burnout series while placing it in the Star Wars universe. The game features landspeeders and podracers that hover over terrain on blurry antigrav cushions, a design choice that echoes early Burnout titles where cars famously had no wheels. Set between Episode VI and Episode VII, it includes droids, desert planets, and fish-headed aliens. The review argues that this combination makes Galactic Racer feel like a homecoming for Burnout veterans.
Background context: Fuse Games reportedly contains significant Criterion DNA, though Burnout co-founder Alex Ward is not involved. The reviewer notes that a few years ago, Ward explained that early Burnout cars did not actually have wheels, highlighting the nuanced physics beneath arcade immediacy. For players who regard Burnout 3 and Burnout Paradise as among the most thrilling games ever made, that lineage is a strong selling point. Even those unfamiliar with Burnout are expected to enjoy the game.
Key facts and figures: The game's first race triggered muscle memory: pressing a face button to ignite boost produced the same jolt and shimmering horizon as Burnout. A dozen similarities follow, including a crash cam that swoops backward to catch tumbling wreckage before rushing forward. Takedowns retain their name, boost timing can still change everything, and the handling offers a grippy, grounded feel despite the lack of wheels. The center of gravity sits in the middle of each speeding machine, though the sense of weight is slightly diminished.
Implications: Galactic Racer encourages aggressive, mean-spirited driving rather than polite daytime racing. The review says it wants players to grit their teeth until they turn to dust. This aggressive ethos fits Star Wars' junky, formidable technology side, focusing on the Millennium Falcon, which needs thumping before engines start, and on landcraft that are fast but rusty. Malfunctioning droids shower sparks and squeal, ready to throw off loose parts. The game's delivery of brilliant, decrepit technology is described as astonishing.
Reactions: The reviewer recalls being reverent when questioning Ward about Burnout's driving model, unsure whether to call it a driving, handling, or physics model. Ward dismissed the concern, revealing the wheel-less cars. In Galactic Racer, that same spirit returns: the first corner, the boost button, the crash cam, and the takedowns all evoke Burnout 3. The review states, 'I was home.' The faux-Williams music, twinkly in space and brooding on planets, supports the atmosphere.
Future outlook: Galactic Racer appears positioned to satisfy both Star Wars fans and Burnout loyalists. Its focus on malfunctioning technology and gritty racing may distinguish it from other Star Wars games centered on Jedi and Wookies. The review suggests that even players with no Burnout knowledge will have a pleasant time. If Fuse Games can sustain the mechanical depth and thematic coherence across the full game, Galactic Racer could become a notable arcade racer. The review's full assessment remains incomplete in the available text, but its early impressions are strongly positive.
