by We've been keeping a close eye on the Star Fox 64 spiritual successor Wild Blue Skies for quite some time now, and the game has literally just released for Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S at a price of £13.99 / $14.99.
So, is it worth it? That's very hard to say at the moment, as the reviews have been all over the place. Some people are really enjoying it, others are really disappointed by it, and the rest are sitting somewhere in the middle.
Let's take a look at what the critics are saying about Wild Blue Skies so far:
GamingTrend (90/100)
"Wild Blue Skies is a fantastic on-rails arcade flight experience. It manages to trigger your nostalgia in all the right ways while setting itself apart as a gorgeous, addictive title. From the smooth shooter action and evasive maneuvers to the bright, vibrant visuals and memorable cast, Wild Blue Skies is an excellent game you’ll come back to again and again. This is an easy recommendation."
Checkpoint Gaming (8.5/10)
"Wild Blue Skies reminds me why arcade shooters were so much fun. It blends the best bits of on-rails action and Saturday morning cartoons into something nostalgic without feeling dated. The basic story and awkward weapon controls hold it back from greatness, but the tight gameplay and gorgeous presentation make this a hell of a pick-up-and-go, replayable joyride. It doesn’t reinvent the arcade shooter, but I do think it nails the landing."
Worth Playing (8/10)
"Wild Blue Skies works extremely well as a homage to Star Fox 64. Its old-school approach is refreshing at a time when so many other games are trying to put their own spin on the formula. The mechanics are excellent, the handling is responsive, and the level pacing works well with the game's replayability. For those looking for a nostalgic experience that gets the important things right, Wild Blue Skies is well worth checking out."
CGM (7.5/10)
"Wild Blue Skies shines when it deviates from the Star Fox formula with some truly phenomenal missions. But its lacklustre story and presentation, and a reluctance to truly step out of Star Fox’s shadow holds it back."
Gamer Social Club (7/10)
"Wild Blue Skies is a solid homage to Star Fox 64 overall. It's visuals are fantastic and it's gameplay controls well and is fun overall. Unlike other recent rail shooters however, the game doesn't do enough to step out of the shadow of Star Fox, nor does it really seem to try to."
IGN (5/10)
"Wild Blue Skies is a decent rail shooter when it finds the courage to be itself, but too often it’s simply Star Fox 64 But Worse – worse flying, worse story, worse difficulty tuning."
ShackNews (5/10)
"The few times Wild Blue Skies showed some ideas of its own were legitimately neat, and showed hints of that promise peeking out from behind the curtain of derivative nostalgia. It made me wonder why the need to just do what was already done before was apparently felt so strongly. We’ve already had a few different versions of Star Fox 64 as it is. We didn’t need another one. Especially not like this."
Game Informer (5/10)
"Bowie and pals’ adventure successfully impersonates the Star Fox 64 experience, but it’s an underwhelming impression. Nostalgic moments and satisfying action appear occasionally, but it pays homage to a fault and doesn’t find space to present its own personality."
As you can see, there are some reviewers who are really enjoying what Wild Blue Skies brings to the table, while others feel like it can't get out of Star Fox 64's shadow and innovate as much as it needs to.
For what it's worth, the Metacritic rating at the time of writing is a decent but not incredible 65.
We'll leave you with more details about the game down below, along with screenshots.
Wild Blue Skies reimagines the classic on-rails adventures of the '90s. Join Bowie Stray and the Blue Bombers as they soar through breathtaking skies on a mission to save the world, battling Grimclaw's forces in this action-packed arcade shooter built for newcomers and genre veterans alike!