The first few minutes with Star Wars: Galactic Racer at Gamescom had me thinking I was playing a very pretty, very modern take on Wipeout. Then the race properly kicked off, and the Burnout DNA came roaring through.
That makes perfect sense, considering Fuse Games was founded by former Criterion developers. But knowing that on paper and actually feeling it while racing are two very different things. This is an arcade racer that really doesn’t want you to sit back and admire the scenery. You’re boosting, dodging, ramming rivals, dealing with power-ups and trying to pick the right racing line, all while the track throws hazards and shortcuts at you. It’s loud, chaotic and, occasionally, wonderfully messy.
Four vehicles, four very different vibes
The Gamescom demo gave me roughly 25–30 minutes with the game and, importantly, let me try all four repulsorcraft classes: the Landspeeder, Speeder Bike, Skim Speeder and Podracer.
Unsurprisingly, the Podracer stole the show for me. It feels blisteringly fast and genuinely handles really well once you get a feel for it. The Landspeeder, meanwhile, feels heavier and is particularly satisfying when you’re drifting through corners and throwing its weight around. The Speeder Bike is quicker and more nimble, offering a more agile, high-risk style of racing.
I didn’t get quite as much time with the Skim Speeder, but it definitely has its own personality, with its Knife Edge ability allowing it to tilt and attack tighter corners. And that’s perhaps one of the more interesting things about Galactic Racer: your vehicle choice actually matters. You’re not simply picking whichever machine looks the coolest. The different handling characteristics can change how you approach a track, which is something you don’t always get with futuristic arcade racers.
Shortcuts, power-ups and total chaos
The tracks themselves are packed with choices. You can take a longer, safer route, dive for a tight inside line, attempt a shortcut, or even launch yourself over an obstacle. But here’s the thing: jumping isn’t automatically the smart move. Sometimes, the best racing decision is the boring one — stay on the ground, maintain your speed, and don’t turn a flashy shortcut into a spectacular faceplant. Racing veterans will know exactly what I mean.
And then there’s everything else happening around you. Rival racers aren’t shy about pushing and attacking, environmental hazards can derail a run, and power-ups add another layer of chaos to an already frantic race.
The combat is where I briefly found myself thinking about Blur, particularly because of the power-up-driven action. But that comparison only goes so far. Blur isn’t really the game’s identity. At its core, Galactic Racer feels much more like a collision between Wipeout’s futuristic speed and Burnout’s aggressive, smash-happy arcade racing.
Surprisingly unforgiving
If the trailers made you think this would be a breezy arcade racer where you simply hold down the accelerator and enjoy the Star Wars scenery, the demo quickly proves otherwise.
Even with a tutorial, it took me a little while to get the hang of everything. There’s a lot happening during a race, and learning when to use your power-ups, how aggressively to attack opponents, and which parts of the track to risk takes some practice. One bad decision can quickly turn into a terrible lap, so understanding your vehicle and the track is crucial. That makes the racing considerably more competitive than I initially expected.
And honestly, that’s what impressed me most.
Star Wars: Galactic Racer doesn’t feel like just another Star Wars game with racing bolted onto it. There is genuine depth in how you approach each race, from picking the right vehicle to deciding whether that tempting shortcut is actually worth taking.
Thirty minutes across the demo’s different experiences obviously isn’t enough to understand the full scope of the game, particularly its larger campaign and progression systems. But as a showcase of the core racing? This was a very good first impression. I came away from Gamescom genuinely impressed, and already looking forward to getting back behind that Podracer when the full game launches on October 6.
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