I reviewed F1 23 recently. Moving from one racing simulator to another, now it is the turn of Ride 5. However, let me give a spoiler before I dive into the detailed review of this motorcycle racing simulator. While on the surface both these games might look similar (except for the vehicle type), my experience with both was drastically different. Moving along, Ride 5, as the name suggests, is the fifth instalment in this game series, which started back in 2015. The game will be released on August 24th and lets you race on over 44 real and fictional tracks and collect more than 250 motorcycles from world-renowned manufacturers.
While there are several car race simulation games in the market, Ride 5 caters to a niche audience that is interested in motorcycle racing simulation. As the Ride series has created a loyal fanbase over the years, every iteration is eagerly awaited by the fans. I reviewed the game on PlayStation 5 but it will also be made available on PC (Steam) and Xbox Series X/S as well. If you’re wondering whether this motorcycle racing simulator deserves your attention, read my full review down below to get your answer.
Graphics and gameplay
As far as graphics are concerned, Ride 5 cannot be described as a massive upgrade over Ride 4. The latter was already a visually stunning game, so there won’t be any complaints from my side in this aspect. One of the areas where there is a clear improvement over the predecessor is the switch from 2D to 3D procedural clouds, which now change shape and interact with lightning on the basis of their density as well and put on a great show while you are zooming past other riders on race tracks. The rain effects in the game are also now more prominent than ever and make it feel extremely authentic. While some of the tracks come across as a bit mundane, there is plenty of variety on offer and as mentioned earlier, you get to choose from more than 44 tracks in different countries.
Moving on to the gameplay, in Ride 5, each and every element of the game has been designed to make you feel like you’re riding a real bike. The game lets you ride true-to-life motorcycle models and with a DualSense controller, you get to feel different surfaces, along with the acceleration and braking. The haptics allow you to experience even minor variations when it comes to the engines (which vary from bike to bike).
In this iteration of the game, there are multiple improvements to ensure that the bar for realism is raised even higher. Whether it is the top speed of bikes, revised suspension system, or different lean angle speeds for each category, the game aims to offer you the best motorcycle simulation experience that you can find on any console.
While enthusiasts are bound to pick up Ride 5 for the realism and the authentic motorcycle handling experience, newcomers are bound to struggle to find their footing in this game till they spend a few hours playing it. This is precisely where the game is drastically different from F1 2023, as I mentioned earlier. While playing the latter, I could sense that even someone who has never played a game from that series would still manage to learn the handling in that game fairly easily, and then the game is all about improvements in different areas. In the case of Ride 5, a new player could easily succumb to the tight turns as the learning curve is quite steep. However, once you put in a few hours and learn the basic mechanics, the game feels immensely satisfying.
One of my only qualms with this game was the presentation style, specifically the menus. Not only does the menu looks a bit dull but also turns out to be confusing at times. While most other games invite you to check out different game modes in exciting fashion these days, Ride 5 feels rather passive in this regard.
Game modes
Career Mode
The standard career mode in the game has been divided into two parts:
Primary Group: This is divided into four acts, including single races, time attacks, and even championships. In this group, you have to achieve a particular score in each act to unlock the next one.
Secondary Group: This group is unlocked once you reach a particular score in the primary group. As the difficulty level increases in this group, the acts in this group offer bigger rewards as well.
In the career mode, each player has to face 10 rivals, each of which comes with a unique identity including name, nationality, 3D model, preferred bike and accessories. You will have to face all these rivals as you progress through your career.
Endurance Mode
If you are someone who enjoys long bike-riding sessions that don’t have any time restrictions, this mode should be ideal. You can race for hours, make pit stops, and even make use of the new in-race save and rewind features. If you have had a tense day at work and want to just chill, this mode can prove to be really relaxing. Notably, you can even play this game mode online with your friends.
Online Multiplayer
With cross-play support, you can play Ride 5 with your friends who own a different console or use a PC. The online leaderboards are shared across platforms, so if you want to flaunt your high scores in front of your friends, this is the mode for you.
Split-Screen Multiplayer
If you want to play locally with your friends or family, you would be delighted to know that on popular community demand, for the first time since Ride 2, the split-screen local multiplayer game mode is back with Ride 5. Honestly, I had the most fun playing Ride 5 when I was playing in this game mode against my cousin. At home parties, this game could become a go-to choice for many gamers.
Race Creator and Director
In the Race Creator mode, you can choose to create your races and decide everything from the competition name, the number of riders that will be participating, and the competition logo to the bike types, number of laps, AI difficulty, and even Riding aids (Brake input modulation, automatic steering, and acceleration input modulation). You can even share your presets with your friends online and with the Director mode, which will be made available later, you can get even greater control and you can set the rules by altering the starting grid, assigning penalties, and even banning players.
Sound
Sound is one of the most crucial aspects of any racing simulation game as any deviation from the real-life experience can take you out of immersion right away and stick out like a sore thumb. Thankfully, the Ride series has mastered this art over the years and in Ride 5, everything from revving, idling, and popping to gear shift sounds authentic to such an extent that you’ll find it hard to pinpoint any inaccuracies at all.
In-game photo mode and other features
As in-game photo modes are getting more and more popular, Ride 4 also allows you to pause and click pictures of your best moments. As you might expect, this game mode allows you to click pictures while moving around the camera in whichever way you want. Notably, the game also features ‘Automatic Shots’ in case you don’t want to spend too much time finding the right shots. With this feature, you are presented with shots of key moments after each event. To ensure your bike shots look amazing, the game even lets you create your own stickers.
Verdict
Ride 5 takes the torch forward in the series but it isn’t a game-changing instalment in the series by any means. With refinements in bike physics and authentic vehicle models, the game is a treat for motorcycle racing fans who want a realistic simulation experience. However, if you are new to the series, be prepared to put in a good few hours before you can get a good grip of the game.
Editor’s rating – 7.5 / 10
Pros
- Authentic simulation experience
- Good graphics
- Wide range of customisation options
Cons
- Steep learning curve
- The presentation style is not the best
