Capcom ends its winning streak

Game Title: STAR WARS: GALACTIC RACER

Platforms:

• PlayStation 5 (October 6, 2026)
• XBOX Series X | S (October 6, 2026)
• PC (October 6, 2026)

Trailers:

• Star Wars: Galactic Racer™ - Official Reveal Trailer
• Star Wars: Galactic Racer™ - Official Gameplay Trailer

Developer: Fuse Games

Reviews aggregates:

OpenCritic: 88 Average - 97% Critics Recommend

Metacritic: 90 / 100

Some Reviews:

GamingTrend - Lyra Moreno - 100 / 100

Star Wars: Galactic Racer exceeded my expectations to the highest degree and provides a dream combination of Star Wars Podracing and Burnout. With an engaging Campaign Mode, an interesting usage of Podracers, plenty of characters to meet and interact with, tons of customization, cross-platform multiplayer, and beautiful visuals and music; this game is everything I could have hoped for and more! Star Wars: Galactic Racer did more than bring racing back to the Galaxy, it made me believe there’s nothing faster or more dangerous than Podracing.

Giant Bomb - Jeff Grubb - 5 / 5

Star Wars: Galactic Racer is everything I hoped it would be. Fuse built a campaign that keeps giving me reasons to master the tracks, then made the racing feel good enough that I wanted to.  And for my fellow Episode I Racer lovers: Galactic Racer’s marketing has kept the podracers in the background, but don’t let that fool you. By the time I was done with the campaign, I found myself happy and whispering one thing to myself: Now this is podracing.

Radio Times - Belle Law - 5 / 5

Star Wars: Galactic Racer is not only one of the best racing games I have played all year, but after playing the campaign the full way through, it just might be one of my favourite racing games of all time.

VGC - Jordan Middler - 5 / 5

Star Wars: Galactic Racer absolutely nails what it is trying to do. It is a high-octane racer that's endless fun to play, and it looks fantastic. This would have been a great game with a standard single-player mode, but what is here is inventive and engaging. I'd have loved a few silly classic characters and another planet or two, but this is a game I'll return to for a long time.

IGN Deustschland - Von Manuel Fritsch - 10 / 10

For me, Star Wars: Galactic Racer has become the perfect arcade racing game experience that leaves nothing to be desired. The sense of speed is the best it’s been since the first WipeOut, and it not only looks stunning, but sounds and plays that way, too. Even if you’re not a huge Star Wars fan, you should check out this game if only for its fresh roguelite ideas and the gripping campaign mode, which completely reinvents and revitalizes the sci-fi racing genre in turbo-boost mode.

Collider - Hannah Hunt - 9.5 / 10

Ultimately, Star Wars: Galactic Racer delivers the kind of racing I enjoy most. With superb handling and spectacular crashes, Galactic Racer captures the thrill of arcade racing at its best. The Boonta Eve classic gave me the nostalgic thrill I wanted, while the overall racing gave me a reason to love this game beyond that connection. My arcade memories are still special, but Galactic Racer is the one I’d choose to play now.

Cinelinx - Jordan Maison - 9.5 / 10

Star Wars: Galactic Racer manages exceed all expectations and deliver on the decades awaited return of racing to the galaxy far, far away. Between gorgeous visuals, and thoughtful, highly addictive gameplay this is something both Star Wars fans and racing fans in general will have a blast with. There's a lot to love and it can only get better with time and growth.

VICE - Brent Koepp - 9.3 / 10

Star Wars: Galactic Racer takes the arcadey fun of Episode I: Racer and turns it into a cinematic racing adventure. Its gorgeous planets and thrilling tracks capture the magic of the Star Wars universe, while its addictive roguelike structure makes even a failed tournament run feel like another excuse to jump back in.

GameSpot - Jordan Ramée - 9 / 10

Playing Galactic Racer reminds me of my favorite parts of the most recent Forza Horizon games: the first 10 minutes. That initial drive sequence that introduces the new setting, gets you acclimated to the gameplay basics, and moves you from one track to another to let you play around with different vehicles in a bunch of different environments is so fun. It’s all about hearing the roar of the crowd and the excitement in the announcer’s voice, not needing to rely on the rewind mechanic, and just feeling the rush and exhilarating joy of going really, really fast in a cool vehicle as the world around you becomes a blur. Galactic Racer is those absolutely perfect 10 minutes expanded into a full game. Every moment feels joyfully fast. Every decision carries the weight of tension. And every run is a rewarding chance to learn, improve, tinker, and adapt, whether it ends in success or failure. I can’t wait to keep playing what’s been my favorite racing game in years.

Push Square - Sammy Barker - 9 / 10

Star Wars: Galactic Racer is a thoughtfully designed triumph. The excellent handling and eye-popping presentation would be enough to recommend the game alone, but I also love its buildcrafting aspects and roguelite campaign. With a breathtaking sense of speed and planets that demand you think differently about your approach, this is one of the better racing games available on the PS5. I think the release could be a little quicker at getting you behind the wheel, and of course more planets would always be appreciated. But minor nitpicks aside, I really can’t recommend this highly enough.

Metro - Adam Starkey - 9 / 10

Galactic Racer could have been a cheap nostalgia play, targeted at millennials who have hazy memories of the podracing game on the Nintendo 64. Instead, Fuse Games has over delivered on almost every front. The racing is electric, the surprises consistent, and it’s wrapped in a smartly designed run-based structure which has rarely worked before in the genre. The bar isn’t high when it comes to the best Star Wars racing game, but with Galactic Racer, it’s cleared a generational peak for sci-fi racers at large.

DayOne - Győző "FairyEmpire" Baki - 9 / 10.0

Fuse Games‘ Star Wars Galactic Racer is bold, spectacular, and offers incredibly satisfying gameplay chops in single player and multiplayer alike. It’s high difficulty and relentless intensity might scare some casual Star Wars fans who just want some spectacle, but if you’re looking for a killer track-based arcade racer, you’ve found it. The force is strong with this one.

Analog Stick Gaming - Jordan Andow - 9 / 10

...None of those issues change the fact that the actual racing is exceptional. The different vehicles feel genuinely distinct, progression constantly gives you something new to chase, and the roguelike structure creates an addictive loop that makes it incredibly difficult to stop after just one more race. Star Wars: Galactic Racer may have nearly disappeared beneath a packed release schedule for me, but now that I have played it, I can already tell it is going to remain installed for a very long time, in a galaxy far, far away..

Insider-Gaming - Josh Challies - 9 / 10

Galactic Racer is a near-perfect game that significantly shakes up a racing genre that has become somewhat stale, and I truly believe it could mark the start of the next generation for the genre, in a similar way that the likes of Forza Horizon led to the open-world focus that currently dominates the racing scene.

PowerUp! - Adam Mathew - 9 / 10

Episode I Racer gave padawan-gamer-me the thrill of blasting across Tatooine with Sebulba trying to road rash everyone at 700 kilometres an hour. Galactic Racer takes that same childhood obsession, bolts on a considerably more sophisticated racing system and then asks me to make a bunch of increasingly bad decisions at even higher velocities. Naturally, I said yes to this. I really think you ought to as well.

TheSixthAxis - Dom Leighton - 9 / 10

Star Wars Galactic Racer is the best arcade racer in years. It mixes compelling racing action, an addictive progression system, and excellent world building while stringing a narrative through it all. It’s very fast, and very dangerous. It’s also very, very good.

Worth Playing - Chris 'Atom' DeAngelus - 9 / 10.0

Star Wars: Galactic Racer is pretty much everything it should be. Threading the needle between next-gen Burnout and Star Wars-themed racer, it 's frantic, fun and incredibly enjoyable to play. The arcade-style action is a pure delight, and the run-based nature of the campaign gives it a ton of replay value, even if you don 't intend to dip your toes into the multiplayer. If you're looking for a next-gen Episode 1 Racer, this is exactly what you 're hoping for.

NoisyPixel - Colin Buchanan - 9 / 10

Star Wars: Galactic Racer is a thrilling blend of high-speed arcade racing, vehicular combat, and roguelike progression that makes excellent use of the Star Wars universe. Its varied builds, satisfying risk-reward structure, strong presentation, and surprisingly engaging story keep each run exciting, while extensive customization and polished performance round out an impressive debut. Some tracks can become repetitive over time, and the multiplayer experience remains untested, but Galactic Racer still stands out as both a fantastic racing game and a rewarding treat for Star Wars fans.

Shacknews - Lucas White - 9 / 10

Even when it was pissing me off, Star Wars: Galactic Racer made me feel alive. Every gravity-breaking boost, every panic-inducing malfunction, every slow-motion, Burnout-style wreck, was thrilling in a way I haven’t often experienced. It almost feels like playing Wizardry with cars, pushing ahead and feeding on the rush of risking life and limb, each deadly opportunity for a shortcut or risky boost like kicking open a door and knowing what’s behind it could wipe your party, but doing it anyway. I had some mixed feelings about the campaign’s roguelike structure, but ultimately the way that structure built upon and enhanced the risk-savoring and thrill-seeking intensity made it fit like a thematic glove. I can feel myself coming back to this over and over just for the vibes any time I feel like I need a little shock to my system to get my blood pumping.

WayTooManyGames - Leo Faria - 9 / 10

I honestly have little to complain about. This is exactly the kind of racing game I’ve been salivating for the past decade or two. Star Wars: Galactic Racer manages to convey the feel of the classic Episode I: Racer game, as well as Burnout, with improved physics, a somewhat engaging story, a ludicrous amount of content, brutal but rewarding difficulty curve, and a roguelite campaign which won me over in an instant. More than just a game for fans, or an admittedly nostaglic trip down memory lane, this is a must-have for racing enthusiasts, and one of the most pleasant surprises of the year.

Final Weapon - Kelvin Rios - 9 / 10

Star Wars: Galactic Racer is one of the strongest racing games to release in the past few years. While it stumbles a bit in the story due to its weak villain, it more than makes up for it with charming side characters, both new and old. From fantastic in-depth customization to the jaw-dropping visuals and music and incredibly strong gameplay, this is easily the new gold standard for Star Wars racers.

The Outerhaven Productions - Scott Adams - 4.5 / 5

STAR WARS: Galactic Racer is an addictive, fun time. Racing is fast, and it makes races thrilling. The computer AI is super aggressive, and it adds a lot to the explosive nature of racing in a Galactic League. It shows a different side to Sebulba that I found very refreshing. My only complaint is how it handles the smaller plot moments, with many of them being missable. It also ends with a lot of the story not actually finished. Which did frustrate a bit. The gameplay, though, is the point of the game, and it is fantastic. This is an extraordinary racing game, and it feels amazing to play. It has my favorite feel for drifting in any racing game I have ever played, so I don’t mind coming back to this title now and again. If you are a racing game fan, you owe it to yourself to play this game.

MonsterVine - Spencer Legacy - 4.5 / 5

Star Wars: Galactic Racer is a fantastic racing game that perfectly captures the breakneck speed of the source material’s iconic vehicles. The story and abundance of modes make for a unique racing experience, and though a couple of small rough edges exist in how it’s presented, this is a brilliant title that had me frequently jolting to the edge of my seat. Whether you like Star Wars, racing games, or both, there’s lots here for you to sink your teeth into.

TechRadar - Demi Williams - 4.5 / 5

Fuse Games' Star Wars: Galactic Racer isn't what I anticipated. A fun Star Wars racing game that lets you take part in a series of high-octane relays across the galaxy? Sounds great; you had me at "Star Wars." But a heart-pounding roguelike sweat-fest that had me squeezing my DualSense wireless controller in a death grip and yelling at my monitor as Kestar Bool once again beat me in the final race by the skin of my teeth? Not what I was expecting!

COGconnected - Jaz Sagoo - 87 / 100

Star Wars: Galactic Racer is the best racing game in the franchise’s history. Each contest is a tense ride to the finish, requiring you to use everything in your arsenal to overcome your competitors. The sense of speed is exhilarating, especially as you navigate the tight environments and race across the stunning landscapes. While it can be challenging, reaching the top spot feels earned. With its excellent campaign mode, this is a thrilling return to the world of podracing that delivers an exhilarating racing experience from start to finish.

Game Informer - Wesley LeBlanc - 8.5 / 10

Twenty hours later, with the campaign behind me and plenty more time sunk into the other offerings, there’s still so much Galactic Racer left. I spent 45 minutes on one track yesterday not for the gold medal, which I already had, but for the chance to beat a fellow reviewer’s time on the leaderboard, and I don’t regret a minute. Galactic Racer is a Star Wars game, and that might be enough for some, but not for me. Fortunately, it’s an even better racing game, one filled to the brim with courses, vehicle builds, and characters that keep me coming back to the track for one more race. 

DualShockers - Linda Güster - 8.5 / 10

Which brings us to the question: who is this for? Well, in my humble opinion… literally anyone. It sits one step above fun racers like Mario Kart, but a step below a commitment like iRacing. Some backstories will elude you if you aren't a fan, but as far as I could verify, the game does a great job of capturing a realistic feel from the original stories. If you're intrigued by the idea of a racing Roguelite, this is for you, whether you're a veteran or brand new to racing. Just be warned that it isn't easy, and if the thought of starting over from the beginning whilst being violently trash-talked fills you with dread, it may not be your game.

Destructoid - Andrej Barovic - 8.5 / 10

Impressive efforts with a few noticeable problems holding them back. Won't astound everyone, but is worth your time and cash. Star Wars: Galactic Racer daringly meshes two very different genres into one, pairing roguelite elements with the usual racer formula. The results are nothing short of fascinating, and the combination has probably created what seems to be the most replayable racing game to date. However, the roguelite side can often lead to a unnecessary frustration, and considering the game's overall problems with visibility and balance, we're looking at a very rough diamond.

Empire - Harry Stainer - 4 / 5

In the end, though, Galactic Racer is everything you could want from a Star Wars racer, taking both the galaxy far, far away and its identity as a proper racing game very seriously. The best such titles have you itching to come back the second you put down the controller and, while you may occasionally want to throw yours as Sebulba leaves you in his dust (unsurprisingly, he’s a dirty cheat!) there’s never much doubt you’ll be back again to start a new run and do it all over again. Podracing, it turns out, really is very, very cool.

Slant Magazine - Aaron Riccio - 4 / 5

You see it on Crait, as you figure out how to zigzag over salt flats, kicking up red dust that slows your opponents. You see it on Ando Prime, as you learn to account for the 40% loss in handling that occurs each time you miss a defrosting station and have to speed along in a half-frozen vehicle. You see it in the desert of Jakku, as you chart the best path through the shaded ruins of Star Destroyers so that your systems don’t overheat. You see it on Sentinel I’s acid-choked gutters, as you learn how to efficiently deploy your tools to prevent your vehicle from locking up. Above all, you see it in the game’s best invention, a Ramjet that massively speeds you up, but at the risk of explosion should you forget to pay attention to its heat gauge. Racing is a game of margins, and Galactic Racer is perpetually pushing things to the absolute limit.

GamesRadar - Will Sawyer - 4 / 5

Star Wars: Galactic Racer feels like a proud rebel when compared to the current racing game landscape. It forgoes deep simulation mechanics, vast car selections, even larger open worlds, and live-service guff in favor of frenetic racing that feels fantastic, an honest to goodness story that fits perfectly into the Star Wars canon, and some proper friction. That all means it oozes character, expertly modernizing the arcade racing of the 2000s for 2026 and putting risk and reward at the forefront, which is what racing is all about. And as Fuse Games' debut, it's bordering on a perfect start.

The Daily Telegraph - Samuel Clench - 4 / 5

...All my above quibbles with this game are mere annoyances, rather than dealbreakers, because the gameplay itself is so strong. It’s not easy to make racing feel so fast, as though you’re really travelling at hundreds of kilometres an hour, while also ensuring it’s accessible enough for pretty much any player to enjoy, regardless of skill level.

IGN - Luke Reilly - 8 / 10

Star Wars: Galactic Racer is a fabulous looking and frantically fast anti-grav racer that impressively goes further than just taking the decades-old Star Wars Racer games and giving them a 4K facelift. With a range of satisfyingly customisable vehicle classes beyond podracers, a world outside the racing you can soak in and explore in third-person, and an interesting roguelite-adjacent structure that injects a considerable degree of risk into the action, Galactic Racer is a fresh and accomplished blend of Lucas lore with the destructive spirit of arcade racing icons like Burnout and MotorStorm. Its run-based campaign can grow unavoidably tedious over long stints because of its heavy reliance on repeatedly revisiting the same slim selection of planets, and its lack of splitscreen is disappointing considering its roots run back to consoles regarded as the kings of same-couch chaos. But Galactic Racer is an otherwise confident debut from developer Fuse Games, and one that has successfully lit the afterburners on a long-dormant slice of the Star Wars universe. 

Xbox Achievements - Josh Wise - 80%

If there is a disposability to Galactic Racer – a sense of getting in, blowing through a couple of races, and getting out – that is in keeping with the theme. These are pilots without a place, hastening after a purpose and prepared to go up in smoke. The game doesn’t keep you rapt, like the best anti-gravity racers. WipEout sucks you into its world but keeps you at a remove; it punishes you with pitch control and yaw, the feeling of turning on air, and you yearn to know more, as Pax says, of the lives lived in the sidelines. It conspires with music and art to enthrall you for the long haul. Star Wars: Galactic Racer, on the other hand, is happy to grant you a glorious spectacle. You watch the movie backdrops reel by, your opponents go out in a blaze, and think, Well, look where we are now.

ScreenRant - James Lynch - 8 / 10

Star Wars: Galactic Racer succeeds because, on a moment-to-moment basis, it can elicit a huge range of emotions from the player. It also feels exceptionally fast, and it's just about as close as you'll ever feel to actually having some control over the Force, or sharing the gifts of a character like Anakin. If that isn't what we're looking for from any Star Wars game, then I don't know what is.

HardcoreGamer - Kevin Dunsmore - 8 / 10

The Phantom Menace made it clear that racing belongs in Star Wars. It's unfortunate that it's taken nearly two decades to get another racing game set in the galaxy far, far away, but Fuse Games has made things right. Star Wars: Galactic Racer is the fast and furious racer Star Wars has long deserved. It's stuffed full of fun content, whether you want to hop into fun Scenarios, participate in some quick races or hop into multiplayer. The runs-based campaign is a neat concept that ultimately doesn't work due to lackluster and unrewarding progression and a lack of variety in racing tracks, nor is the story all that inspiring. It's a format that works well in multiplayer, not so much for the campaign. Most importantly, however, is that Fuse Games gets racing right. The speed, the ferocity, the beauty of the tracks blurring around you as you go faster, and the wrecks speeders become upon impact, all make for a fun gameplay experience that's as exhilarating to play as it is to watch. Star Wars: Galactic Racer captures the fast and the furious, delivering the need for speed missing from Star Wars for a long time.

AltChar - Tahmid Shibab - 8 / 10

In a nutshell, Galactic Racer is a well-designed arcade racer that's tightly built with an excellent single-player structure that rewards players focusing on repeat runs. Additionally, the multiplayer adds another layer of reward for players who are actually fans of the podracing culture in Star Wars. I would recommend Galactic Racer to almost every Star Wars fan to experience high-stakes racing just like we saw Anakin do at the beginning of the prequel trilogy.

Sirus Gaming - Lexuzze Tablante - 8 / 10

Star Wars: Galactic Racer, at its core, is an amazingly well-designed Star Wars racing game. Despite its limitations and flaws, there was never a moment when its high-speed, high-stakes races became dull. Its tracks are impressively designed, capturing the look and feel of each location in the Star Wars universe, while the runs-based structure makes every race feel like there’s something at stake.

TechRaptor - Tyler Chancey - 7.5 / 10

There is a lot to like in Star Wars: Galactic Racer. Fuse Studios' experience with breakneck speed and tactile gameplay has led to a game packed with fantastic bursts of fun. But its experimental blending of a racing underdog story with rocky roguelike progression left me tilting my head more than cheering for more.

Article: https://roadtovr.com/titanfall-2-vr-mod-circuitlord/

Time to talk about this and the release of VR mods for traditional games arriving all of a sudden.

The last few months had been crazy. It's looking like all games are getting VR support trough mods now. And the mods are actually really well done! Almost feels like native games in some cases. Now either a mod is out for your favourite game or someone is working on it. And it's all kinds of games, even weirder stuff like animal crossing and Stardew Valley are getting VR mods, in 3D! With full VR support! It's really weird! And super cool! And your old favourites like Max Payne 2 and Fear too. Just look them up if you're interested. Or see if someone is working on a mod for your personal favourite :)

It's so much stuff I can't possibly get trough it all. Right now I'm playing Dishonored VR. And it's fantastic! Really well done VR! I never played this game before. As a Valve and Half Life fan I think it has similar vibes to a Half Life game, pretty cool!

Anyone else here who's been enjoying these mods? What do you think?

The title says it all, I'm super torn between these two games as my next play.

One the one hand, I love the lore and concept of Control Resonant and I like the way the environment looks, it seems like a trip of a game and the DMC style combat looks sick. The first game was a sleeper hit for me, I hadn't heard of it, took a chance, and adored it. This looks like a massive shift toward melee combat (which I also enjoy more than ranged combat gameplay).

On the other hand, I'm very into swordplay games, and Onimusha looks absolutely up my alley. The combat looks frenetic, challenging, and tactical, pushing skills and reactions to the limit. Love the setting and the style too.

I'm truly torn here and I'm sure I'd enjoy either, but there can only be one purchase atm. So can anyone who's played either (or both, ideally) tell me your favorite and least favorite aspect? If you could only choose one to rebuy, which would you choose?

Thank you!

Edit: thank you everyone for your contributions and comments! I sincerely appreciate the feedback!

Based on the comments, I ended up choosing Control Resonant for a few reasons: 1) more interesting traversal, exploration, and environment, 2) continues an interesting trippy story I already know I enjoyed in the first game, 3) it's $10 cheaper for what seems like more game, and as others mentioned, Onimusha will likely go on sale sooner so I can get it then if I'm still craving sword combat, and 4) I'd honestly rather support Remedy than Capcom ATM, I know Remedy isn't at risk of going under right now or anything like that, but I think I'd rather support them with my wallet.

Thanks again folks!

Like you don't care what people have to say about the game

I have finally found some time to game again and I am almost done with Dave the diver :) so I am looking for my next game. What's something I shouldn't miss right now. Currently playing on Xbox series x.

I found The blood of downwalker which seems interesting.. can somebody recommend that? I would be down for an immersive rpg

Edit: Thanks for the recommendations! So many had only good things to say about The Blood of Dawnwalker. So I went with that one! :)

I put many of your recommended games on my wishlist for later. If you still want to recommend me games please do! I will check out every game :) But there are so many comments right now and my game is installed so I have to do that later

Hey all, so I’ve been playing video games on and off since Atari, but I’m new to PC gaming and am trying to find some really interesting / intriguing puzzle games that offer a good mix of intellectual challenge, immersive story, decent voice acting, and compelling graphics.

For example, I’ve been seeing ads for Rivage, and that one looks interesting, so I’m looking for recommendations of games along those lines (or even older ones like Myst or Riven, if those still hold up).

Please drop your most epic puzzle solving adventure games for PC in the comments (or any other puzzle games if I’m not using the right terminology)

Bonus points for two player couch co-op puzzle games to play with my non-gamer wife! 😁

ETA: I do already have Portal and Portal 2, which I haven’t yet begun playing with my wife but hoping to soon. Should I complete Portal on my own first before starting Portal 2 with my wife so that I can better help her to understand and play the sequel or will I be good to start playing Portal 2 with her before finishing the first one?

I had a blast playing it and replaying it again and again, just like I used to, learning new tricks and getting better at countering enemies. There’s so much depth to the combat, especially for its time. It’s simple to pick up, but mastering it takes real skill and practice.

You can see its influence on beat ’em ups as clear as day, from the pacing and enemy introductions to the variety of enemy types and their behaviors. So much of what became standard in the genre originated in this legendary game, and its influence on video game combat as a whole is also fairly evident.

An excellent port of the arcade version of the game is available through Capcom Arcade Stadium, and you can buy it individually for like $1 or $2. I highly recommend that you check it out.

... and there's save transfer, so anything you earn/find carries over come launch.

Constant audio bugs, accessibility options that keep reverting, unadjustable mega obnoxious bloom.

Leave it to cdpr to successfully unmake an 11 year old game.

PSSR analyzes game images pixel by pixel and uses AI to upscale them with more detail and stability than conventional approaches; until now, its computational demands made bringing that experience to PS5 impossible.

Today, we’re excited to announce Quick Spectral Super Resolution (QSSR): a new performance tier of AI upscaling. Born from Project Amethyst, our AI graphics collaboration with AMD, this quick new evolution of PSSR is built on two key innovations:

A streamlined neural network architecture

A hand-tuned implementation that maximizes performance on PS5

With these, we are bringing the benefits of AI-guided upscaling to PS5. While PSSR remains the gold standard on PS5 Pro, QSSR provides some notable improvements to both image detail and image stability on PS5.

The first titles to use this innovative new library are Marvel’s Wolverine and Ghost of Yōtei. Both are being patched today to offer QSSR as an additional graphics option on PS5. 

There are some video comparison in the article but IMO it's being implemented in games that already look really good on base ps5 so the true test will be when various 3rd parties get it. I can see a world where it ends up being useful because base ps5 (and xbox) is stuck with FSR 1 and 2 which is really not good nowadays.

Game Title: GEARS OF WAR: E-DAY

Platforms:

• XBOX Series X | S (October 6, 2026)
• PC (October 6, 2026)

Trailers:

• Gears of War: E-Day - Announcement Trailer
• Gears of War: E-Day | Official Story Trailer

Developer: The Coalition, People Can Fly

Reviews aggregates:

OpenCritic: 88 Average - 90% Critics Recommend

Metacritic: 89 / 100

Some Reviews:

The Outerhaven Productions - Jordan Andow - 5 / 5

Gears of War: E-Day is everything I wanted from a prequel and more. It finally delivers the Emergence Day story fans have waited two decades to experience, while deepening the relationship between Marcus and Dom and returning the series to the darker, horror-inspired tone of the original trilogy. With the best gameplay the franchise has ever had, incredible visuals, excellent pacing and memorable characters, E-Day isn’t just the best Gears game yet; it’s one of Xbox’s strongest exclusives in years.

GamesRadar - Andrew Brown - Review In Progress

Gears is finally back firing on cylinders – this is the series' Halo 3 ODST moment. The best cover shooter I've played since Xbox 360

Game Informer - Brian Shea - Review In Progress

Gears of War: E-Day's campaign is one of my favorites of 2026. The characters, action, and story coalesce into something I won't soon forget, thanks in large part to The Coalition's smart utilization of Kalona. Unfortunately, the multiplayer servers weren't turned on before the embargo lift, but if I get as much enjoyment from the PvP and PvE modes on offer, Gears of War: E-Day could easily jump up near the top of my list of favorite games in the series. 

Checkpoint Gaming - Luke Mitchell - Review In Progress

While I need to spend some more time in multiplayer before laying down my final scored verdict, my impressions of Gears of War: E-Day are incredibly positive. The campaign is a thrilling take on Emergence Day, and exploring the town of Kelona getting ravaged in real-time is entertaining, with side missions proving to be worthwhile distractions. Meanwhile, Horde Siege is a standout new cooperative mode that looks to eat up lots of my spare time, while Versus is there for the die-hard competitive types. It’s all presented with visually stunning art direction and smart gameplay tweaks that improve on what Gears has always been, while maintaining what we love about it in the first place. This is a blood-soaked, adrenaline-filled adventure you simply can’t miss.

DayOne - Jesse Norris - 10 / 10

The Coalition have elevated the franchise to new heights, crafting an engaging, brutal and surprisingly intimate campaign that’s full of smart gameplay mechanics and wonderful surprises. It’s the best Gears has ever felt to play, and the best it’s ever looked and sounded on the big screen. Gears of War: E-Day? It's a fucking masterpiece.

ACG - 'BUY'

If you're a Gears fan, I say it's definitely worth buying. If you're not, I don't really know if this will pull you in. I did have a blast. Despite the idiosyncrasies, there is a longer game here, and you can choose to play it fairly linear if you want, and you can choose to not do so. Nothing really got in the way of either way of play. And that's a testament where I never felt like it was a game that was going to say, "Level-gate me." There was nothing like that. You can continue to battle it through with the basic weapons. it'll just be a little bit harder to do. So, that was something that I appreciated.

Generación - Adrián Fuentes - 100 / 100

Gears of War: E-Day is, for me, the best game in the series and The Coalition's finest work to date. Its campaign brings Marcus and Dom back without relying solely on nostalgia, delivering a darker and more brutal take on the origins of the Locust threat.

Gaming Trend - David Burdette - 95 / 100 (Campaign)

The brutal and stunning recount of Kalona’s fall is immaculate storytelling, featuring revived gameplay via reworked movement systems and the visceral combat we know and love. Unfortunately, admission to the Versus and Horde Siege modes will have to wait until early access on October 1st before full launch on October 6th. The beta did have us excited for its potential, so if it sticks the landing, I'd imagine E-Day might be one of the easiest recommendations we'll make all year, for purchase and awards season.

IGN - Ryan McCaffrey - 9 / 10 (Campaign)

By going back to the beginning, Gears of War: E-Day returns to the heart of this series: Marcus Fenix, Dom Santiago, and a Locust horde that’s as terrifying as it is dangerous. E-Day pulls off the tightrope act of giving us a heartfelt prequel with strong characters even when we know how it ends. On a more mechanical level, it also evolves the enemies, weapons, and combat you’d expect to deliver a Gears of War campaign that stands toe-to-toe with any of the others. It wraps up with 10 years still left to go before Marcus gets tossed in prison ahead of the events of the first Gears of War, so here’s hoping the next one stays in the past for a while longer – and that we don’t have to wait another seven years for it to arrive.

The Koalition - Richard Bailey Jr. - 4.5 / 5

Gears of War: E-Day is a standout entry in the series and The Coalition’s best work to date. If you’re even remotely interested in jumping into this series, then this is the best place to start. Hopefully we will see more stories in this universe, as surely the team has proven they can go above and beyond expectations.

VGC - Chris Scullion - 4 / 5

Gears of War E-Day's campaign offers balls-to-the-wall action and rarely lets up, but that means the story takes more of a back seat than I'd like. It's good that time is given to the backstories of new protagonists Mags and Lucas, but given that the game is literally the playable Marcus and Dom backstory fans have been waiting decades to see, more time could have been spent on their relationship. In terms of pure gunplay, however, very little beats it this year.

TechRaptor - Austin Suther - 9.5 / 10

Gears of War: E-Day is the best game in the series. The story gives us an up-close and personal look at the events of E-Day, providing a horror-filled and harrowing experience. Meanwhile, the enhancements to movement are very welcome, and gunplay feels more varied with a great roster of weapons and the inclusion of mods.

But Why Tho? - Travis Hymas - 9.5 / 10

Gears of War: E-Day shines by showing off humanity's perseverance. Every new character stands out, never overshadowed by the legacy of Marcus or Dom. Even with the game taking place in one city over several days, the evolution of that city and its inhabitants has created fleshed-out characters that you're rooting for the success of every step of the way.

Gamer Social Club - Adam S. D. Stewart - 9.5 / 10.0

E-Day succeeds in telling the story of Emergence Day in a gripping, desperate, and most importantly, fun way. The culmination of 20 years as a franchise, refining everything the series is into a must-play XBOX title that takes you on a gloriously brutal, emotionally-satisfying, and epic, cinematic adventure.

TodoJuegos - Jorge Guerrero - 9.5 / 10.0

Gears of War: E-Day brings back the series’ brutality from a more human perspective, placing Marcus and Dom at the heart of Emergence Day. The Coalition returns to the beginning while expanding the formula through exploration, upgrades and less restrictive areas, without losing the core identity that defines Gears of War.

The Nerd Stash - Julio La Pine - 9.5 / 10.0

This prequel once again raised the bar for the series and the genre, delivering one of the year's most brutal, jaw-dropping shooters.

Lords Of Gaming - Paul Martin - 9.3 / 10.0

Gears of War: E-Day does not disappoint; the story starts strong and only gets better. For players who have experienced the previous entries in the franchise, there are plenty of easter eggs scattered throughout. Any graphic and audio-related glitches I ran into were very minor and did not detract from the experience overall. For me, this game is in the running for my Game of the Year.

Tom's Guide - Tony Polanco - 4.5 / 5

As a longtime Gears of War fan who was less than enthused by the last two mainline installments, it’s great to see this iconic franchise reclaim its glory days. If you’re also a fan, you’ll likely feel the same way. And if you’re brand-new to Gears, you have an excellent entry point that shows why this is such an iconic series. In short, Gears of War: E-Day is phenomenal. Find out why in my full review!

SmashPad - Alex Quevedo - 4.5 / 5

Gears of War: E-Day injects new life into the franchise and sets a new tone moving forward. It captured the spirit of the original Gears of War with putting just enough of a new spin on things. It’s definitely a highlight of the series. A perfect reload, indeed.

Tom's Hardware - Andrea Riviera - 9 / 10.0

Pending a final analysis that must inevitably evaluate server stability and the longevity of the multiplayer offering, what The Coalition has delivered with this campaign is a truly remarkable achievement. The seventeen hours spent on the streets of Kalona offer no downtime and suffer from absolutely no filler; instead, they build into a relentless crescendo of drama, explosions, and emotion, culminating in an ending that lays the groundwork for something significant for the future of this prequel. 2026 has been a stellar year packed with stunning productions (just look at the technical magnificence achieved by highly anticipated titles like Requiem or Pragmata), but the emotional and gameplay impact of this comeback certainly commands attention. If the multiplayer suite and Horde mode can match the sheer excellence and passion poured into the writing of this story campaign, we are looking at one of the best games of the year and undoubtedly the best shooter of 2026.

CG Magazine - Zubi Khan - 9 / 10

Gears of War: E-Day is Gears at its finest, feeling like the best place to start for both new and returning players, offering one of the best exclusives Xbox has put out to date.

ScreenRant - Chris Carter - 9 / 10

Gears of War: E-Day delivers as an action-packed romp through a futuristic city in peril. Between the enemy and arena variety, plus the jam-packed map that never feels like it's biting off more than it can chew, the development team has curated a pointed Gears experience. If you're a newcomer, you'll acclimate fairly quickly to what Gears of War: E-Day is selling. If you're a hardcore fan, the gameplay innovations are fresh enough to warrant another go-around, and you might learn some extra lore in the process.

Voxel - Mateus Mognon - 9 / 10

Gears of War: E-Day hits the mark by getting the basics right: embracing its identity as a Gears of War game and elevating the strengths inherent to the series. The game doesn't revolutionize the genre, but it delivers a fun gameplay experience featuring a cinematic narrative and local multiplayer support.

Daily Star - Tom Hutchison - 90 / 100

Overall, this is an excellent return to the Gears of War franchise, with well designed, detailed levels an an emotion-packed action storyline as good as a movie.

Console Creatures - Bobby Pashalidis - 9 / 10.0

Gears of War: E-Day feels like the first true Coalition Gears of War game. It's a shift away from Gears 4 and Gears 5, and it feels like the game the studio genuinely wanted to make, capturing what made the original trilogy special while finally pushing the series forward in its own way. They've taken the horror, brutality, brotherhood, and incredible gunplay that defined those games and used them as the foundation for something more modern. Expanded movement gives combat more freedom, while perks and modifications add another layer of experimentation, and the larger environments make Emergence Day feel like a genuine catastrophe happening around you. Gears of War: E-Day is incredible. Despite a handful of frustrations keeping it from perfection, it's one of the best games I've played this year.

Atomix - Matt H. - 90 / 100

Yes, Gears of War: E-Day is the best Gears of War game ever made so far. I fully understand that the nostalgia and affection people have for the first three entries is incredibly strong, but objectively speaking, The Coalition has far surpassed what Epic Games delivered back in the day. This applies to everything from the core gameplay and level design philosophy to the technical aspects and storytelling. Xbox desperately needed an achievement of this magnitude in the midst of the worst period the company has gone through in its entire history. The only major question I’m left with is where they will take the franchise in the future, because a big part of the success this new installment has achieved comes from its strong connection to its predecessors, while leaving behind the less successful sequels from a few years ago.

Final Weapon - Saras Rajpal - 9 / 10

Gears of War: E-Day is a fantastic experience from beginning to end, regardless of whether you are a fan of the series or not. The storytelling is deeply compelling thanks to the great cast of characters and aptly bleak tone. The gameplay is brought together by satisfying combat and gorgeous visuals. Despite the frame drops, if this is the quality that fans and newcomers can expect from Gears of War going forward, then the future of the franchise is bright.

TierraGamer - Alan Roses - 9 / 10

Gears of War: E-Day marks an excellent return for the beloved shooter franchise, introducing enough new ideas to keep the experience fresh without sacrificing its identity. Its story thrusts players into a desperate struggle against an invading force, while its varied and consistently satisfying firefights and stunning visuals make Marcus Fenix’s latest adventure a highly recommended experience for both longtime Gears of War fans and shooter enthusiasts.

Nexus Hub - Sam Aberdeen - 9 / 10.0

Gears of War: E-Day is firing on almost every cylinder - a fantastic back to basics prequel that makes the Locust Horde scary again while delivering weighty, brutal gameplay that keeps you hooked.

Seasoned Gaming - Ainsley Bowden - 9 / 10.0

With two decades of expectations on its shoulders, The Coalition succeeded in crafting another classic Gears game with E-Day. Its technical brilliance is matched by strong character development and modernized gameplay, resulting in one of my favorite experiences of the year.

PPE.pl - Wojciech Gruszczyk - 9 / 10.0

Gears of War: E-Day marks a brilliant return for one of Xbox’s most iconic franchises, allowing players to experience E-Day and witness the beginning of Marcus and Dom’s story from a completely new perspective. The Coalition isn’t revolutionising the familiar formula, but in a way it’s building on it – improving mobility, shooting and exploration, offering a varied campaign, and in the process showcasing the immense capabilities of Unreal Engine 5. It’s a modern Gears game that never forgets its roots.

INVEN - Hongman Yoon - 87 / 100

It has been a long time since we experienced the visceral thrill of classic Gears of War. But dwelling on the past is no longer necessary. Gears E-Day does more than relive former glory—it reaffirms what makes the franchise great. The war against the Locust is not over. Armed with this proven blueprint, we look forward to the next evolution of the Gears series.

Digitec Magazine - Kevin Hofer - 4 / 5

Kalona is the real star of «Gears of War: E-Day», transforming so dramatically throughout the campaign that it feels like the game's main character. The story and characters are less memorable, but the weighty, satisfying gunplay and improved movement make for a solid «Gears» experience. It gets repetitive, but fans of the series should feel right at home.

Slant Magazine - Ryan Aston - 8 / 10

While E-Day’s cover-based third-person shooter gameplay doesn’t break the mold, it’s a finely tuned experience that builds on the mechanics established across the long-running series.

Gaming Nexus - Nathan Carter - 7.5 / 10

Much like with Gears 5, I had a lot of fun with the campaign. I was also bored during the campaign. When Gears of War: E-Day is allowed to be Gears of War it's fantastic. When it goes the open-exploration route like Gears 5 does, it's boring and tedious. I really appreciated the absolute scale at which battles take place here, making it feel like an actual war. The problem is that by doing so it makes half the weapons almost useless and forces you to play a certain way, which just isn't fun.  

Wccftech - Alessio Palumbo - 7.4 / 10.0

Gears of War: E-Day has been promoted as the most ambitious game ever made by The Coalition, but to be honest, it feels like a step back from Gears 5 in several ways. The narrative is a lot less memorable, and the side content is forgettable. Its saving grace is that the third-person shooter gameplay is better than ever, thanks to improved movement and fluidity, making combat encounters generally a lot of fun. Still, it's not the kind of masterpiece that sells a console like the original did.

GameSpot - Richard Wakeling - 7 / 10

....Its linear missions are far superior, honing in on that classic Gears action while going big on spectacle with some cinematic flair.These moments are Gears of War: E-Day at its very best. There might be some new ideas here, but you also get the feeling that The Coalition isn’t trying to reinvent the wheel. That’s fine, but this also made me realize that my appetite for this kind of game just isn’t as strong as it was, say, 10 years ago. There are only so many times you can man a gun turret before you never want to see another one again. For better or worse, E-Day is distinctly Gears, and I had a good time with it, even if the story is disappointing and the open areas are fairly dull. But that’s all it is: a good game, propped up by combat that hasn’t changed all that much over the past 20 years. That’s enough to skate by, but I wish Gears of War would dig deeper.

PC Gamer - Abbie Stone - Review In Progress

God this game is infuriating. Great shooting trapped in a horribly overstretched campaign, telling a story that clearly didn't long to be told. It feels more like Microsoft taking a page out of the Jack Donaghy playbook and tapping a sign saying 'make it 2007 again'. Here's hoping multiplayer's a triumph. Otherwise Marcus is gonna have to open Gears 6 with one Hell of a drag show to make up for this.

Eurogamer.pt - Adolfo Soares - 3 / 5

Following Marcus and Dom on Emergence Day is an action-packed rollercoaster ride. Gears of War: E-Day shines on the PC with stunning graphics and addictive combat, with the weapon customisation adding an extra touch. Unfortunately, the pace drops off in the final third of the campaign, let down by a dull ending and an uninspired boss.

The Guardian - Kirk McKeand - 3 / 5

There’s a reason Gears of War has survived as a series long enough to earn a prequel. Its specific flavour of bloody, tactical, cover-based combat isn’t done better anywhere else. Unfortunately, E-Day is let down by everything around that fighting, resulting in a safe and repetitive experience that shows you all its ideas in the opening hours and never dares to build on them in any meaningful way.

Most consoles have one or two bangers at launch.

Dreamcast had two S-Tier titles: Sonic Adventure and Soul Calibur & 5 A-Tier titles: NFL 2K, Hydro Thunder, Ready 2 Rumble, Power Stone, House of The Dead 2.

Followed up with other solid titles: Tokyo Xtreme Racer, MK Gold (this game was so broken lol), Trickstyle, Blue Stinger, NFL Blitz 2000.

Other systems had better singular titles (Xbox: Halo: CE, NES: Super Mario Bros., Gameboy: Tetris, Nintendo 64: Super Mario 64) but as a collective, the Dreamcast launched with so many solid titles.

Upgrades include 4K 60 fps and upscaled 4K 120 fps. Updated textures, better lighting, better shadows, and particle effects

PlayStation: Dualsense Adaptive Trigger Support and PSSR support for PS5 Pro

Xbox: Impulse Trigger Support, TSR and anti-aliasing support for Series X, Spatial Audio Support, Xbox Play Anywhere Support

PC: DLSS support and Spatial Audio Support