Ride 2- Streets, Style and Skill
Ride 2 is a racing simulator designed for the most avid motorcycle racing fan. Built to be for bikes what Forza or Gran Turismo are to the car enthusiast, Ride has a lot of promise and a hell of a lot of awesome bikes.
Ever wanted to straddle that Ducati Monster? Graze your
kneepads around a corner with the power and balance of an Aprilla RSV 1200R?
Ride offers this and much more in a fast paced, skill testing racing game that
is sure to have you leaning into those bends like your life depends on it.
Ride 2 opens with a basic character customisation screen where you can select your racer’s name, gender, country of origin and skin colour. Give them a well thought out name though as it’s one that is sure to hit the history books. Then off you go to your first race. You are set loose on a Yamaha YZF-R1 and it’s a learn-as-you-go experience.
The quick tutorial presented here will clue you in on some most
basic controls but it’s far from extensive and can leave things a bit lacking
if you don’t effectively understand the mechanics behind riding a bike. For the
novice racer, understanding the effects and usability of the rear and forward
brakes, keeping your turns tight but not shifting the centre of gravity too
far, and keeping those powerful wheelies to a minimum is all part of Ride 2’s
trial by fire first race.
But don’t lose heart if you are no pro. Following this intense first race you will be afforded some basic credits as well as your choice of new bike. Here you are able to select between 4 styles and it’s truly up to you which you choose. Personally I couldn’t go past the modified 62.
After you’ve
made up your mind you will have an opportunity to peruse the menus. This is
where Ride 2 begins to open up and show just how much it has to offer. It’s
safe to say you’ll not be left wanting of events or tinkering to fill your
time.
Firstly you’ll see World Tour Events. Under this banner
falls your Season Events, International Events, Championships and Team VS Team
as well as being able to view your World Ranking. These really don’t need much
explaining but there is loads of competition to be had. And for the serious
racer and those keen to pursue their racing career, this is where you will be
spending most of your time.
If you’re looking for a more casual race there are Quick
Modes. Quick Race, Time Trial and Split Screen are found here which gives Ride 2
the ability to be a great couch game between friends without too much at stake.
You can set the track of choice, determine lap number and weather conditions
all of which works to keep things interesting.
You are also given the ability to play around with your
collection of bikes (once you have one), your racer and your own team. Bikes
are able to be customised and parts exchanged and tuned to give you that extra
edge.
Challenges are also offered for that bit more incentive.
Weekly challenges will set you a unique challenge on a predetermined track and
offer you a gorgeous piece of machinery in exchange.
*phew*
Ok, so after all this you can decide to dive back into racing.
After that pretty full on first race you will be relieved to know things ease
off a little. With your new bike ready and rearing to go it’s back to your
choice of track. In game options will be offered pre-race and give you one
further aspect to tweak…race difficulty.
Assists are given and with each assist
that you reduce you’ll be offered a percentage increase on your rewards. Should
you choose to race with all assists removed you will have a sweet income from a
successful race! But racer beware, this isn’t an arcader and assists should be
treated with care. I’m not a huge fan of using assists, but in this game and for
the absolute beginner I highly recommend keeping a majority of those assists
active because that bucking bronco you’re about to ride is going to make sure
you know what it has to offer.
Based on real tracks, there is plenty of impressive scenery
for you to ignore completely as the roads twist, turn and undulate beneath you.
Every calculated lean is a true joy as you move with the circuit or fly over
cobblestones. The engine sounds, be it many bikes or just your own, hum away in
your ears and you can almost feel that wind whistle past your visor.
Accidents are plenty in games like these and what sets
motorcycle racers apart from their car racer counterparts is the real risk of
being thrown over the handlebars. While it’s not the ideal scenario, Ride 2
embraces this and there is plenty of variety in how that racer of yours will
come off their bike. From being propelled through the air long distances to
sliding at top speed across the track, it’s hardly ever boring. Sand, dirt and
walls are certainly not your friends, and it will only take a tap from your
opponent on track to spend you sprawling. I think I managed enough clever and
original dismounts to exhaust even my poor rider...
 |
| "I think I'll just rest here for a bit..." |
If you crash a lot it’s also good to know you have a rewind
feature, so you can re-strategize and attack the track in a different way.
Rewind is able to be turned off under the assist menu, however, if you would
rather be without it.
The HUD is basic and this is a good thing as you won’t have
much time to be watching it. But one nice feature I found was to be able to
change out your track map for this neat diagram. Those familiar with this
feature will know it’s great for understanding where the displacement of your
bike is, how well you are balanced, how much pressure is applied to the fore
and rear tyres, etc. It is great to see just how far you can get those leans into
corners while still having a happy green line telling you you’re sweet.
*Sigh* Oh my pretties…
I will have you one day…
In summary, Ride 2 has something for everyone with even the
smallest interest in motorcycles, but is targeted mostly to the biggest fans of
the sport who aim to be the best.
Published and
Developed by Milestone S.r.l, Ride 2
is available to play now on PS4, Xbox One and PC.