Star Wars Galactic Racer is the Burnout revival I never expected, and my inner child is finally happy
12
Oct 26
I’m not big on racing games; I’ll admit it first. While I don’t mind the odd adrenaline rush of driving cars worth a fortune around a tight track and inevitably crashing into the side, you’ll have more luck finding me in RPGs or FPS games. I don’t mind a cheeky bit of Sonic Racing from time to time, but that’s mainly due to the arcade nature. Anything with a little more focus on the actual driving being the required skill? Chances are you can count me out.
That was until I got the chance to play Star Wars Galactic Racer.
Back in the early 2000s, when I was a little kid, Burnout was my jam. Smashing cars at high speeds into other cars and getting the satisfaction of a slow-motion shot to reward you is something that sends a dopamine rush through my body. As a child, who hasn’t simulated toy cars barreling into each other? Burnout was that, and now, 15 years after the last original Burnout game, it has been resurrected in a new shell with Star Wars Galactic Racer.
Taking away the hustle and bustle of streets in favour of wrecked Star Destroyers and desert planets, Galactic Racer’s biggest obstacles are the other racers. While there’s a variety of things that will damage your vehicle if you, I don’t know, happen to crash into them, chances are you’re more likely to be rammed into a wall by a rival. But you can also do that to them, and that’s where the satisfying slow motion comes back.
However, it’s also captured my attention—and retained my interest—thanks to not being simply another racing game. The main campaign is effectively a roguelite, helping you build your perfect speeder with a variety of upgrades and bonuses as you take on the Galactic League and hope to wipe that smile off Kestar Bool’s smug face. Trust me, when you meet him, I’m sure you’ll feel exactly the same as I did.
What makes Galactic Racer special is that it feels like a modernised take on what has come before. Burnout may be long gone, and the likelihood of its revival seems as distant as ever. Things were simple back then, and yet Galactic Racer takes that idea and makes something new of it. If it were a bad experience, I’d simply appreciate it for that. But, fortunately, this new take on the galaxy far, far away is excellent.
It’s one of those racing games that people will talk about with their friends or family, and hopefully, kids who play it will inevitably grow up to do what I’m doing here: discuss a game that is no longer as relevant as it once was, but still had an impact on them.
All that to say—please buy it and have a good time. You’re welcome.
Callum Self is a videogames journalist who has spent more than six years writing about games, from guides and gaming trends to the weird little details that make a game worth talking about. His bylines include GameSpot, Wargamer, PCGamesN, IGN, Gfinity, and Pocket Tactics. When he isn't writing about games, he's probably playing them, collecting Pokémon cards, or wondering why his backlog keeps getting bigger despite knowing full well he doesn't have time to play it.
