Star Wars: Galactic Racer reviews: an 88 and a free campaign
Star Wars: Galactic Racer reviews average 88 on Metacritic. What critics praise, the caveats they raise, and how Prime members can play the campaign on Luna.
Source-based. Written from the documents, reporting and reviews linked in the text. Nothing here was tested hands-on by The Ruling Desk. How we work
Star Wars: Galactic Racer reviews are among the best any Star Wars game has had in two decades: Fuse Games' debut holds an 88 on Metacritic for PS5 as it launches today, October 6, 2026, on PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC. Critics agree on the speed and the run-based campaign; the caveats they raise are about repetition and a steep start. Amazon is also streaming the single-player modes on Luna at no extra cost to Prime members in 14 countries. This is a roundup of published reviews; The Ruling Desk has not played the game.
Key takeaways
- As of October 6, 2026, Metacritic shows 88 on PS5, 86 on Xbox Series X and 85 on PC, with no negative reviews. OpenCritic shows an 87 Top Critic Average, and 97% of critics recommend it.
- The highest scores include VGC (5 out of 5) and GameSpot and Push Square (9 out of 10). Game Informer gave it 8.5 out of 10, IGN 8 out of 10 and PC Gamer 76 out of 100.
- The praise centers on speed, handling and a campaign built like a roguelite, where losing ends your run. The caveats: too few planets, which several reviewers say makes runs repetitive, a steep learning curve, and roguelite systems some critics find clumsy.
- Prime members can stream the Campaign, Arcade and Scenarios modes on Amazon Luna without buying the game or paying for Luna Premium. Multiplayer is not included at launch, and Mexico and the rest of Latin America are not on the list of countries.
- To own it, the Standard Edition costs $59.99 in the US and the Deluxe Edition $79.99, according to the publisher, Secret Mode.
Star Wars: Galactic Racer reviews: the scores so far
When we checked Metacritic's page for the game on October 6, 2026, the PS5 version had an 88, "generally favorable", from more than 60 critic reviews, nearly all positive, a couple mixed and none negative. The Xbox Series X version stood at 86 and the PC version at 85, both from far fewer reviews. Aggregates move after launch as late reviews arrive, so treat these as a snapshot.
OpenCritic tells the same story: an 87 Top Critic Average with 97% of critics recommending the game. By TheGamer's count, that makes it the highest-rated Star Wars game since Knights of the Old Republic in 2003, and the fifth highest ever.
Here are the Galactic Racer review scores from the outlets most readers will know:
| Outlet | Score |
|---|---|
| VGC | 5/5 |
| GameSpot | 9/10 |
| Push Square | 9/10 |
| Game Informer | 8.5/10 |
| IGN | 8/10 |
| TechRaptor | 7.5/10 |
| PC Gamer | 76/100 |
The game is the first from Fuse Games, a studio led by Matt Webster, a former general manager of Criterion Games, according to Secret Mode's announcement. PC Gamer notes that the team includes ex-Criterion developers who worked on Burnout, and the reviews see that lineage in the crashes.
What critics agree on: speed and a campaign with stakes
The reviews line up most clearly on how the game feels to drive. VGC's review calls it a throwback to arcade racing's glory days with a strong single-player offering. IGN's Luke Reilly calls it fabulous looking and frantically fast, and singles out the podracing's sound design as authentic.
The other point of agreement is the campaign. You play Shade, a masked courier trying to win the Galactic League, and the campaign is built like a roguelite: you pick races from a branching map, earn parts and abilities along the way, and too many losses send you back to the start of the act. A few ways critics describe it:
- No restarts. IGN's review says there are no mid-race restarts, which gives every race real risk. Failing in the third act only sends you back to the start of that act, not the whole campaign.
- Builds that matter. PC Gamer's Jody Macgregor compares the event map to Slay the Spire and says shaking up the racing format this way works better than Burnout Paradise's open world did.
- A world between races. IGN and PC Gamer both like the paddock, a hub you walk through between events where rivals and the league's organizer react to how you're doing. PC Gamer says Sebulba, the podracer from The Phantom Menace, steals the show.
- Plenty to do. Game Informer's Wesley LeBlanc, who gave it 8.5 on PS5, puts the campaign at about 20 hours, with Arcade, Scenario and multiplayer modes on top.
The caveats critics raise
Even the high scores come with the same few complaints, and they matter more if you plan to play for dozens of hours.
- Too few planets. IGN calls this the game's core weakness: track layouts, reverse routes and event order shuffle between runs, but the backdrops repeat, and after several runs that becomes tedious. Push Square, which gave it a 9, also lists the limited set of planets as a complaint, by OpenCritic's summary.
- Losing your build. IGN says your speeder is scrapped between tours, so upgrades you liked can disappear and coming back to them is down to luck.
- A steep start. Game Informer says the early difficulty spike comes with little guidance, and that the lack of a minimap and busy environments make it hard to see where the track goes at speed. It also says mandatory podracer events in the campaign can be frustrating and can cost you a run.
- Rough edges in the roguelite layer. TechRaptor (7.5) and CGMagazine (8) both find the roguelite systems awkward next to otherwise excellent racing, according to OpenCritic's review summaries.
- Takedowns are a side dish. PC Gamer says crashes matter less than in Burnout 3, and that after a takedown's slow-motion camera the game sometimes points you straight at a wall.
None of these sinks the game in the Star Wars: Galactic Racer reviews we read. But if repetition wears on you in long runs, IGN's and Game Informer's reviews are the ones to read first.
How to play Galactic Racer free with Prime on Luna
Amazon is streaming the game through Luna, its cloud gaming service, from launch day. Wccftech reports that Prime members get three single-player modes at no extra cost, and do not need a Luna Premium subscription:
- Campaign: the full single-player story as Shade.
- Arcade: short, focused events.
- Scenarios: longer events with their own challenges.
Multiplayer is not part of the Luna offer at launch. Wccftech says cross-platform multiplayer support on Luna is coming later, with no date. Amazon's head of gaming, Jeff Gattis, told the outlet that "Luna players deserve to be in the action from day one."
Which countries and devices
CGMagazine lists 14 countries: the US, UK, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Austria, the Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, Portugal, Belgium and Luxembourg. Mexico and the rest of Latin America are not on it. The same report lists Fire TV, select Samsung and LG smart TVs, Android, iOS, PC, Mac and Chromebook as ways to play. In the US, Wccftech adds, Fire TV owners can also reach it through the Prime Video app.
Is there a time limit?
None of the reports we read gives an end date. iPhone in Canada says access lasts as long as you keep an active Prime membership. We found no statement on whether a Luna save carries over if you later buy the game on a console or PC, so don't count on it.
Galactic Racer multiplayer, price and platforms
If you want to own the game or play online, Secret Mode's release post gives these suggested prices:
| Edition | US | UK | Eurozone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | $59.99 | £49.99 | €59.99 |
| Deluxe (three bonus vehicles, Arcade events, liveries, art book) | $79.99 | £64.99 | €79.99 |
| Collector's (physical, landspeeder model) | $159.99 | £139.99 | €159.99 |
The Xbox store listing shows the same $59.99 and $79.99 in the US, rates the game E10+ and lists online multiplayer for 2 to 12 players with cross-platform play. On Xbox, online play requires a Game Pass Essential, Premium or Ultimate membership, according to that listing.
What it means for you
- You have Prime and live in one of the 14 countries: start on Luna. The campaign, Arcade and Scenarios are the parts critics praise most, and it costs you nothing extra to find out whether the roguelite structure clicks.
- You want to race friends online: buy it on PS5, Xbox or PC for now, since Luna's multiplayer has no date.
- You're in Mexico or elsewhere in Latin America: Luna isn't an option, so the choice is the $59.99 Standard Edition (in the US; local prices vary) or waiting for a sale.
- You dislike repetition: read IGN's review before buying. Its complaint about recycled planets is the one most likely to decide whether the game lasts for you.
For other big launches this season, see our look at Gears of War: E-Day on Xbox Series S, or browse our video games coverage.
Bottom line
Star Wars: Galactic Racer launches with an 88 on Metacritic for PS5 as of October 6, 2026, and the reviews behind it praise its speed and a campaign that makes every race count. Those are the critics' judgments, not ours; we haven't played it. The caveats are consistent: a small set of planets that repeats, a punishing start and roguelite systems not every reviewer liked. If you have Prime in one of the 14 supported countries, Luna lets you try the single-player modes at no extra cost; if you want multiplayer, or you live in Latin America, you'll need to buy it.
FAQ
What is Star Wars: Galactic Racer's Metascore?
As of October 6, 2026, Metacritic shows 88 on PS5, 86 on Xbox Series X and 85 on PC, labeled "generally favorable", with no negative reviews. OpenCritic shows an 87 Top Critic Average, with 97% of critics recommending it. Both can move as more reviews arrive.
Is Star Wars: Galactic Racer free with Prime?
Partly. Prime members can stream the Campaign, Arcade and Scenarios modes on Amazon Luna at no extra cost, in 14 countries including the US, UK and Canada, according to reports from Wccftech and CGMagazine. Multiplayer is not included at launch, and owning the game still means buying it.
Does Galactic Racer have multiplayer?
Yes, on PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC: online races for 2 to 12 players with cross-platform play, per the Xbox store listing. On Xbox, online play needs a Game Pass Essential, Premium or Ultimate membership. On Luna, multiplayer is listed as coming later.
How long is the Galactic Racer campaign?
Game Informer puts it at about 20 hours. Because it is run-based, how long it takes you depends on how often you lose and restart an act.