Metascore
69

Mixed or average reviews - based on 20 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 20
  2. Negative: 3 out of 20
  1. Apr 30, 2018
    80
    It is in the thrill of space combat that Manticore: Galaxy on Fire comes alive, as you get an enemy in your sights and mercilessly hunt them down. It’s not without its imperfections, but genre fans will get more than enough from the spectacle of it all.
  2. Apr 27, 2018
    80
    There are a few problems here and there, but all in all Manticore is a brilliant deep space shooter.
  3. Apr 23, 2018
    80
    Manticore: Galaxy on Fire is an outstanding example of mobile-to-Switch done right. A gorgeous looking, content-heavy slice of space shooting action with a deep plot, set in a lore filled universe that has taken years to mature during a decade since the Galaxy on Fire series premiered in the mobile market. True that just like the games of old within this genre, this remains niche and will possibly only tickle the fancy of a very specific target audience with the whole Switch owner population.
  4. 80
    Manticore - Galaxy on Fire is a simple but very satisfying romp through 3D space. For those like me who were waiting eagerly for this genre to arrive on Switch, Manticore makes a great premiere showing. While its origins on smart phones show through in spots, it still holds up remarkably well on console. Manticore is an easy pick for fans of the genre, and a great premier space shooter on Switch.
  5. Apr 19, 2018
    80
    If taking to space in a starfighter built to send murderous bandits into the cold vacuum of space is your idea of a good time, then Manticore: Galaxy on Fire is certainly worth considering.
  6. May 4, 2018
    79
    With spectacular action, great controls and a lot of emphasis on the story, Manticore: Galaxy on Fire is the best option for those who are looking to bring space battles anywhere on the Nintendo Switch.
  7. Apr 24, 2018
    75
    Satisfying and very attractive shooter/adventure that takes place in a distant universe teared apart by war. Fun and deep enough, especially considering its free to play approach.
  8. Apr 19, 2018
    75
    If you do not expect some kind of playful prodigies, you will be pleasantly surprised.
User Score
6.5

Mixed or average reviews- based on 21 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 12 out of 21
  2. Negative: 7 out of 21
  1. Oct 23, 2022
    7
    Let me start by saying, you shouldn't judge this game as a "typical game." This is what some would call a "filler game" or "loading game."Let me start by saying, you shouldn't judge this game as a "typical game." This is what some would call a "filler game" or "loading game." It's a game you buy when you are trying to kill some time or are waiting for your bigger game to finish downloading.

    In that regard, I have more good to say about this game than bad.

    For starters, the graphics are actually very good. They were so good that I thought this game used the Unreal Engine, but I was wrong. And it runs very smoothly. With all the activity going on, I never experienced any slowdowns with the game in either docked or handheld mode. Kudos to the developers for putting a lot of attention into the details of the game. The ships look good, the astroids look good, the debris in space looks good. Aesthetically, the game passes the test.

    The combat isn't bad. There is very little depth to it, however. It pretty much is the simplest form of a dog fighting game you can find. The developers did good to add in a "break" control as I think that is a missing feature from many dog fighting games. The barrel rolls harken back to another dog fighting game of memory. The battles are pretty one note thought. Find big bad guy, defeat big bad guy, onto next mission.

    The characters have personality and are voiced, so that makes things fun....at least during the story. In battle, your partners are useless. Not almost. They are useless. I can't recall one AI partner defeating one enemy. It would at least be OK if they talked during battle or made comments here or there, but they only talk when the mission starts, the big baddy appears, and when you defeat them.
    The worst part about this game is the hunting for resources parts. To sum it up, when said mission is done, you fly around an empty space and search for a specific number of intel or ship parts. This is annoying for two reasons: 1) It slows down the game totally and takes away any momentum of the flow of the game from the space battles. Not to mention, the droid, which is supposed to help you, is more infuriating than helping because it lights up when you are a country mile away from any resource so you could be far away from the resource and it still lights up, and 2) I feel like this part was "time off work" day because couldn't they have just replaced the resource searching with side missions that were more fruitful to the style of the game? How about a side mission where you have to compete against your fellow pilots? How about a race? How about where you can protect a fellow carrier ship? How about where you help other pilots in another part of the of the squad? And this is just off the top of my head.

    I'm giving this game a 7 because of the value (if you are going to buy it, buy it on sale). And with few dog fighting games out there (especially futuristic ones), this game isn't bad. It's just not special. But there are many worse games you could get for the price and if you go in with low expectations, you can have some fun with this game.
    Full Review »
  2. Jul 25, 2020
    1
    The previous games were great.. open world , trade, freedom and no **** grinding for getting new spaceships. This is linear game and so boring.
  3. Nov 2, 2019
    3
    I played galaxy on fire 1&2 on ios/android so loved the franchise. Hearing it was coming on switch excited me so. knowing they changedI played galaxy on fire 1&2 on ios/android so loved the franchise. Hearing it was coming on switch excited me so. knowing they changed developers made me weary but the reviews online said its still enjoyable.... Such youtubers won't be trusted again. This game is boring, not the same fun, shooting game with side jobs and rogue elements. It's just such a downgrade. It didn't have to be the same game as the phone game but it doesn't add anything unique, challenging or fun. Nothing kept me engaged you are just shooting lasers...... even upgrading your equipment is lazy. Such a lazy disappointing game. I'm glad I got it on sale just a waste of monies. Full Review »