Ride Reviews
There's so very little to salvage from this wreck, and even less enjoyment to be had. This game is the polar opposite of fun. Avoid at all costs.
All in all, this is a game to buy and then spend some serious time with. Sure, there's a lot about it that's a bit corny but happily the corn is confined to the parts of the game that don't really matter. It's the racing in RIDE that's king.
RIDE was a brave step-forward for Milestone and while the game greatly delivers on content, it has a variety of issues from bugs to crazy-long loading times.
Ride is one of the best bike racing games in years and is much more appealing than the dry offerings of Moto GP or SBK. The bikes are fantastically detailed and there are enough handling options to appeal to any race fan. Moving most events to new road circuits was a great idea too for those of you bored with the Moto GP calendar.
There's the essence of a good game in here - make no mistake about it - but it really is very, very hard to see it with all the problems in the way. We'd like to think that the development team at Milestone is working on patches for the game, but whether that's the case or not with their next attempt – MotoGP 15 – being released in only two months, remains to be seen.
Ride represents an attempt at continuing where Tourist Trophy left off two console generations ago. The focus on more sim-based motorcycle racing and the attention paid to the bikes is great for fans of two-wheeled vehicles. However, its technical issues really hinder the enjoyment, and what's left is further marred by other problems that would turn away any motorcycle game novices. For now, only die-hard motorcycle fans should give this a rental; everyone else should wait until a sequel can hopefully polish up these shortcomings.
Playing and becoming acquainted with Ride, it's easy to figure out what the developers appreciate about riding. They love the freedom. They cherish the focus. But mostly, they honor the craftsmanship of motorcycle conceptualisation, and the unique skill it takes to maneuver a bike under pressure. It's just too bad that the same admiration wasn't applied to characteristics beyond how the motorcycles look and feel.
This spiritual successor to Tourist Trophy delivers exciting and challenging racing action that's thoroughly enjoyable. However, graphics that feel more last generation than this, rather weak sound, and very slow loading times take the edge off the overall experience.