Ride Reviews
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.
RIDE's adequate in almost all areas, but it's never going to offer the ride of your life. There's a clear passion for motorcycles on display here, and petrol heads will appreciate the depth of the tinkering that's on offer – but the on-track experience is far too clinical to confidently capture the pastime that the developer is so enthusiastic about. If you want to build up a stable of obsessively rendered motorcycles, each tuned to your exacting tastes, then this may get your internal engine roaring for a while – but everyone else will find a competently made racing game that, beneath all of the gusto of its creepy announcer, never really hits top gear.
Ride has some genuinely good moments going into the corner, but it fails to remember that it needs to hit the throttle in order to power on through ahead of the pack. Competent, but hardly excellent.
A grand idea that gets stuck in first gear
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.
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 of which feeds into Ride's bigger problem. There's not quite enough here to satisfy bike lovers, and certainly nothing to make bike lovers of the merely curious. Ride isn't a failure, but nor is a particularly great game, and like Milestone's previous efforts it's a noble attempt that just falls shy of its targets - even if it does often succeed in scratching an itch you might not have known was there.
RIDE is currently the only motorcycle game that truly embodies the fullness of the world of supersport racing with the perfect blend of motorcycle variety, environments and realistic game play. If only RIDE had a bigger budget along the lines of a Need for Speed or Forza Motorsport, but that doesn't detract from the overall game play whatsoever. RIDE is something that both casual racers can appreciate as well as passionate riders.