Manticore: Galaxy on Fire Reviews
A fun experience full of space battles and a good plot for an experience that feels long enough on its genre.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Manticore Galaxy on Fire is a rather solid entry into the Sci Fi space shooter genre on the Switch. Everything is solid enough and there is something for everyone, dog fights, boss battles and some calm exploration parts. For me it was missing that extra magic to make it truly essential. The sound is good, the visuals are nice and the story is ok but rather uninspiring with characters needing more development. Put it all together and you get just that, a solid game which is probably just about worth your hard earned cash if you’re into these types of games and one that if you are I am sure you will enjoy.
Manticore Galaxy on Fire is a fun game and is definitely worth the £17.99 price tag at launch, but the lack of multi-player and the repetitiveness of the missions doesn’t give it that replay appeal that it should have. But nevertheless this is a solid game and for the price is definitely one to pick up for your Switch.
As a total package if you enjoy space combat there’s quite a lot to like about Manticore as long as you reign in expectations you may have from other series...
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.
If you are itching for a new space shooter on Switch, you may be able to squeeze a bit of enjoyment out of Manticore – Galaxy on Fire, but you are probably just better to wait until Everspace or a new Star Fox comes to the system. If the game still interests you, it's probably best to just check it out on mobile, where it is available for free. While I do see the potential in bringing mobile games over to consoles like the Switch and improving upon them, Manticore – Galaxy on Fire's mobile origins still hold it back in too many areas to make it a proper example of what can be done with that transition.
Manticore: Galaxy on Fire is an enjoyable third-person space combat game set in a well thought out universe, pitting you as the newest member of a mercenary team investigating a horrifying event.
Manticore – Galaxy on Fire is a straightforward and diverting Space Shooter with a solid gameplay that gets repetitive from time to time. Even with some missed opportunities in the story department, Sci Fi Fans will get some fun out of this.
Review in German | Read full review
Manticore: Galaxy on Fire is a solid but unspectacular space shooter.
If you like these kinds of games it's still worth checking out.
Manticore is a fun and simple space combat game that feels unfortunately marred by a genre that still doesn't understand its audience.
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. If you happen to be one of these individuals, jump right in and be prepared for some great space antics ahead, hunting down alien criminals we are very sure were named by the developer's cats running wild in their keyboards. Plus on top of it all: It is an exceptional tease and proof-of-concept for the up and coming conversion of EverSpace to the Switch. See you, space cowboys.
MANTICORE DOESN’T JUST THROW IN A STORY MODE JUST BECAUSE THE PUBLISHER PUSHED IT – IT REALLY DOES DRIVE THE CAMPAIGN AND ADDS TO THE INTENSE SET OF EVENTS
All in all, Manticore: Galaxy on Fire is a very traditional arcade-like space battle title that often tries too hard to stick to conventions rather than to push the galactic boat out – Missions feel repetitive, enemies offer little variety, and locations feel samey, however when taken in short bursts, this game is a delight – Marathoning Manticore is probably the biggest disservice you can give it, as you will most likely get bored after an hour. Manticore: Galaxy on Fire isn’t bad by any stretch of the imagination, rather it’s not amazingly good either – It’s almost stuck in the middle, in the endless void of ‘just better than average’, much like the ships you’ll spend hours piloting.
"Turns out you can turn mobile games into fine console experiences."
Review in Finnish | Read full review
Visually impressive, but contentless, soulless spaceballing without pretension, which is only suitable for short sessions between two stops.
Review in German | Read full review
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.
Before we go deeper into my thoughts on gameplay, a quick thing you should know: This is one of those "premium mobile game ported to Switch" situations. Now, like a lot of the ones of these I've actually sat down and played, this is a pretty solid port, with solid graphics, and with all of the microtransaction stuff chopped off. This doesn't leave a perfect situation, with some of the seams of old mobile-focused content still showing, but it holds together quite well...and quite frankly, almost certainly ends up working better and less expensively than the original free-to-play form.
While it shows some of its mobile roots, Manticore: Galaxy on Fire makes for a pretty fun flight combat game on the Switch.
Overall, Manticore: Galaxy on Fire is a Nintendo Switch title that space game fans and fans of shooters will definitely enjoy. It’s not an Elite: Dangerous or Everspace since its far more arcade in nature but it’s still great.