Multiplayer Tour Will Keep Star Wars Fans Returning To Galactic Racer

Star Wars: Galactic Racer's Multiplayer Tour Will Be What Sets This Game Apart

Last week, I shared my impressions on the single-player campaign and arcade modes in Fuse Games’ upcoming Star Wars: Galactic Racer. The thing is, that was only the half of it. Quite literally, as the second half of my time with Galactic Racer was spent experiencing some of what its fantastic multiplayer options have to offer.

A solid campaign is necessary if a racing game like this one, with one of the most iconic IPs in the world as its backdrop, is going to be successful at launch. To make sure that success continues for months, maybe even years afterwards, its multiplayer needs to be just as good, if not better. I’m pleased to report that, based on what I’ve played, Galactic Racer’s multiplayer has exactly what’s needed to keep people engaged for a long time.

Galactic Racer Is A Star Wars Racing Game From The Minds Behind Burnout

Before I get into why Galactic Racer’s multiplayer is so good, a quick recap of what exactly this game is for anyone who missed my single-player preview. Galactic Racer is a Star Wars racing game brought to you by new studio, Fuse Games. The studio is made up of developers who worked on Need for Speed and Burnout, so a lot of racing game pedigree, and a lot of influences from Burnout, in particular.

The Burnout influences are so prevalent that Galactic Racer almost feels like a spiritual successor to the dormant series. Clashing with your rivals can and will result in one of you crashing out. If it's your rival, that crash will be showcased via a spectacular cinematic. It really does feel like you’re playing Burnout in a galaxy far, far away in those moments.

As is the case with Galactic Racer’s single-player, multiplayer is split into two categories - speeders and podracers. You can’t race the two vehicle types against each other due to their conflicting builds. We played Multiplayer Tour, and a lot of it, which is available across both speeders and podracers. That’s Galactic Racer’s flagship multiplayer mode and clearly where Fuse hopes players are going to spend the bulk of their time.

Similar to arcade mode, after choosing between speeders and podracers, you will then choose your character. The roster will differ depending on which vehicles you're racing. Each character has different abilities and perks so that they all excel in different areas, whether it be how fast they go or how well they handle their vehicles, that sort of thing. Typical racing game stuff.

Multiplayer Tour Is About So Much More Than Finishing First

That’s only going to get you so far, though. Your build will become more and more unique as you progress through the Multiplayer Tour. Each tour consists of six races, and you will have time to tweak your build between each one. There will be upgrades, parts, and abilities up for grabs, but your options will depend on how many credits you have and how you have performed up until that point.

Your performance is only partly determined by where you finish in each race, as is your credits total. There are other ways you can ensure you have as many options as possible to better your build every time you return to the menus. You’ll predict where you’ll finish before each race. Bet on finishing in the bottom three, and even if you perform poorly, you’ll get extra credits to up your chances of doing better in the next race.

You can also challenge other racers in the lobby while you wait for the next race to begin. Beat that specific racer next time out, and you’ll be rewarded handsomely. If there was someone who finished right behind you in the previous race, calling them out is the perfect way to make them push harder, and potentially crash out, next time. The Hutts and other powerful parties from Star Wars lore will also present you with challenges before every race which, again, if completed, give you more to play with when it’s time to fine-tune your ride.

After five races, you’ll compete in the sixth and final championship race. Even if you haven’t fared well during the series, there are still more chances to win big here. Not only by defying the odds and placing highly, but also by betting big on an underdog. Each racer will have odds based on how they’ve performed until this point. You can back one, and since credits will no longer be of use to you after the race, it's XP that’s up for grabs. Even if you finish last in every single race on a given tour, if you back the right rival in the championship race, then you can still leave with a ton of XP.

Galactic Racer’s Multiplayer Has Enough Going For It To Keep Players Locked In For A Long Time

Although the racing itself is the main course here, it’s the added extras that really set Galactic Racer apart, and that will keep people playing. Each race isn’t just about finishing as high up the pecking order as possible. The Multiplayer Tour’s mechanics mean that in every six-race series, you’re going to meet new rivals and make new enemies. There will be times when it might benefit you more to make sure your new nemesis doesn’t finish first as opposed to you trying to get to the head of the pack.

Much like its campaign, it's the individual elements in Galactic Racer’s multiplayer that blend to make it not just fun, but unique. Both are needed if Fuse is going to keep people playing this for the long haul, and I think both have been achieved. Races are going to be fast and intense not only at the front of the pack, but throughout the field as rival players desperately try to get one over on each other. If there’s going to be matchmaking thrown into the mix to make sure those fields remain competitive long after the game has launched, then I can see Star Wars fans coming to Galactic Racer for its roguelike campaign, but staying to keep the fun going through Multiplayer Tour for a very long time.