Mother Ubisoft has produced a new and interesting title dedicated to sport estremi, Riders Republic and we are ready to tell you the details in our review. It is a fresh game, easily accessible and able to give extremely funny moments. In a nutshell, we have one in front of us sort of Open World, in which we can carry out races and events, or just relax with some extreme tricks. No imposition, no limits, it’s up to us to decide how to carry out the gameplay. From the very first minutes, there is strong similarity to Forza Horizon, especially in the basic points of gameplay characterization. Same ability to act freely for the map, same opportunity to take part in events, earn money and change your character. Even the icons on the map and the way to move around it is similar.
Yet, Riders Republic has something to tell us, something to show us to make itself different. So, enough with the presentations and let’s get to the heart of our review.
Riders Republic review: we have never been so free
The the first sensation we have by holding the pad and launching ourselves on Riders Republic is of full and absolute freedom. After an initial phase of explaining the map and features, in fact, we will be completely free to act in the way we deem most appropriate. Not only in terms of exploration, but also in the practical detail of competitions. In fact, in the huge map available, we have the possibility to access different competitions, each linked to one of the extreme sports that we can practice. The scenography is well thought out and alternates excellent snowy landscapes with grassy expanses, with a harmony that satisfies the eyes.
Each valland, full of descents and ascents, offers routes that can be addressed in the way that each of us deems most appropriate. We can accelerate without ever stopping, perform tricks on every little bump present, or we can skid in the mud. Facing a snow-covered descent on skis or on the board, or aboard a bike: we have total freedom of choice. Nothing prevents us from starting a journey with an equipment and, in the course of construction, to change completely. We can reach the top of a hill with our snowmobile and then launch into the void with the wingsuit and fly over the valleys.
As we advance with the “story”, we will unlock different equipments that will allow us to face every route and every challenge to the best of our ability. Although the map is truly immense, reaching the different points will never be too challenging, thanks to the possibility of using the “fast travel”. Nothing prevents us, however, from going to feet, by bike, on skis and so on and so forth.
An immense and always populated world
One of the things we noticed immediately during our review of Riders Republic is the great popularity of the areas. Although, in fact, the map is huge, you practically never feel alone. This happens because the game is always populated by other users. These are not simple AI, but neither are users present at all times. Ubisoft, in fact, records the sessions of other users and uses them so that the spaces are always filled. This happens both in normal exploration and during the races, where we have the possibility to play “alone” or in PvP.
Within the immense panorama offered by Riders Republic, there are many races and events dedicated to different extreme sports. Whether it’s BMX, road bike, ski or snowboard, it doesn’t matter what the category is, there will always be a dedicated event. We range from speed races, to point events, where the maximum is to generate as many perfect stunts as possible. We’ll have to jump and perform perfect back flips, or rotate 360 degrees, land in place. Every jump, every bump and every slight variation of the terrain, will be useful to perform some dangerous and spectacular maneuver. By completing the various events, we will earn points and additional challenges. Each race offers us a basic progression and a “multiplier” for each extra action performed. For example, winning a race without ever crashing could give us an extra bike.
In addition to the classic challenges in single player, we can take part to the “live” competitions“. These are online events that bring together 64 players and all disciplines. These are expiring events that occur approximately every 30 minutes. These are unique challenges, fun, full of obstacles and full of entertainment.
Riders Republic review: a well thought out system
During our review, Riders Republic it proved interesting also from the point of view of movement and physics. Mind you, we are not talking about a sports simulator, yet the whole system is well structured and varied. During the game it is easy to distinguish the different paths we are facing, both in terms of equipment management and in terms of feedback. A steep terrain behaves differently if we encounter gravel, water or mud. The feeling given by the various equipment is also different: a racing bike will give a very different feedback than a road bike.
We are always full of thrills and speed and braking management will always be a detail that should not be underestimated. The feeling of movement management during the tricks is also excellent and allows us to do many interesting stunts in flight. On some occasions, however, control fails and management on the track becomes a bit tricky. We also had some minor interpenetration problems, which, in the end, was solved with a few laughs and a simple rewind.
The possibility of being able to go back over time to repeat a certain action is certainly a great opportunity, at the same time, however, it proves itself not very effective on some occasions. Specifically, during a race, the rewind does not block the time that is running. Therefore, if by chance we accidentally press the button, we are forced to lose precious seconds that will not be given back to us. Also, once pressed, it is not possible to exit the function and you are forced to go back. At certain moments, this resulted in a good deal of frustration which resulted in a restart of the race itself.
Riders Republic Review: We found our fun of the year
The conclusion of our Riders Republic review could only be positive. It would have been impossible to conclude it differently. Let’s admit that although the hype was high, we didn’t have sky-high expectations, yet the Ubisoft home game surprised us in a positive way. It’s fun, full of challenges, with a super large map and full of customization. The shop offers many variations in terms of costumes, equipment skins and expressions. We loved being able to dress up our character in a particular way and then take on an extreme challenge.
Everything is managed in the best possible way, from the movement, to the map, to the proposed challenges. The graphics are great, the views are great and it’s all downright fun. Net of some imperfections, especially on the fret front and some small technical flaw, we can only be fully satisfied with the work done.