
#Motorbike x game series#
Most of the reason I loved the classic PlayStation series was for the off-track activities, and I often grimaced at the thought of doing the A License, or another Sunday Cup for a Mazda Demio, as a means to an end. TT Isle of Man 2 and MotoGP certainly laid the foundations for a new interest, but it’s RIDE 4 that’s finally converted me to gaming on two wheels.Īdmittedly, a lot of this is to do with those Gran Turismo vibes. I started 2020 without ever truly enjoying a motorcycle racing game, because they always felt like an afterthought when compared to car-racing titles.
#Motorbike x game upgrade#
The fact it’ll get a free upgrade for PS5 and Xbox Series X owners in January 2021 only adds long-term value, especially given how good it looks already.

Yet for its punishing mechanics, getting those occasional wins and gold times is ridiculously rewarding. You just keep coming back.įor all its problems and occasional lack of polish, the greatest compliment that can be paid to RIDE 4 is that it feels like a truly premium product–a racing game that deserves its $50 price tag. It’s something Milestone really needs to tweak along the line. Racing isn’t the only element of the game in career mode, an introductory choice of three leagues (Europe, Asia, and America) opens out to the World League, which also forces time trials on you–that aforementioned “invalid lap” mechanic from the introductory section is so punishing that you learn to loathe the endless restarts brought about by the smallest mistakes. Even grazing a barrier sees you being punted into the stands as soon as you fall, you rarely recover, because it’s often impossible to find your rhythm again. Yet it’s not the AI’s fault for crashing, most of the time you’ll usually catapult off your bike because of that ever-frustrating understeer. It doesn’t help that the ragdoll and crash physics are so cartoonish, reminiscent of the long jump minigame from Trials HD, but without the humor. While you can clearly see the rest of the field strategizing around you, other riders struggle to react to delicate moves and more aggressive overtaking tactics, meaning their somewhat robotic unresponsiveness can lead to inevitable pile-ups in the early stages of each race. In another grateful change since MotoGP 20, Milestone’s heavily promoted AI system–ANNA–makes on-track competition a lot less suicidal, at the expense of responsiveness. However, it’s here where the game starts to lose its polish. Once you’re actually riding them, you really do feel their power and weight, especially down long straights, or at the center of the pack, jostling for position. Milestone has clearly put a lot of effort into upgrading the look and feel of the game, and it shows, particularly on the bike models, which you could gaze at for days in their respective stores. While it reuses a lot of MotoGP 20’s mechanics, it doesn’t share its predecessor’s limitations, which were presumably held back by licensing issues. User-generated content is also downloadable and shareable. Its intuitive suite of tools allows you to customize and edit your entire bike livery, design your helmet and suit, and create stickers. RIDE 4’s incredible editing mode really sets it apart from the competition, even if it’s initially limited to your own collection of machines and outfits. Between its 176 officially licensed bikes spanning over 50 years, its two-dozen international circuits in Europe, Asia and the Americas (both real and created), and an incredible wealth of customization options available on both mechanical and cosmetic levels, it’s hard to know what else it could provide to even the most obsessive bike fan.Ĭhances are you'll most definitely find your favorite ride in RIDE 4.


While the game funnels you straight into its career mode, a quick detour to the main menu soon uncovers just how much there is to enjoy. Once you get it out of the way, the curtain raises, revealing just how much RIDE 4 has in its tank.

#Motorbike x game trial#
It’s a blessing as well as a curse, because you’d be completely wrong to think RIDE 4 is a pick-up-and-play experience–this short trial sets early expectations. You’re forced to keep riding until you’ve completed a fault-free circuit only then are you deemed worthy of the rest of the game. It soon becomes clear that rampant understeer underpins the RIDE 4 experience, and it’s something you’ll simply have to get used to. As soon as you leave the track–and I guarantee you will, on the first corner–your lap’s invalid and you have to go again. Aside from the racing line and braking zone marker on the track, which are frustratingly inaccurate, you’re given no other guidance. You’re tasked with completing a short, one-minute hot lap to get to grips with the game’s unique physics, controls, and handling. An initial visit to Tsukuba proves to be a very frustrating experience.
