For those who haven't been following Ridge TV in recent weeks, Riders Republic is a massively multiplayer (very) multidisciplinary extreme sports game in a vast open world. Unveiled for the first time last year, it appeared at first sight as an improbable potpourri whose only originality was its excessiveness as much on the size of its world as on its very quirky humor. But once controller in hand, it is clear that it is actually much more than that.
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- A varied and fun gameplay with very well transcribed sensations
- A vast open world extremely generous in content
- A real feeling of progression over the events
- A soundtrack sticking perfectly to the atmosphere of the title
- ... But technically quite dated (textures not very nice and important clipping)
- Can quickly become redundant for the uninitiated
- Aerial disciplines less successful than the others
- Controls and a camera sometimes a tad capricious
Test carried out via Ubisoft Connect on PC using a code provided by the publisher. Riders republic is also available since October 28 for €60 on PC via the Epic Games Store, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Google Stadia. The title also supports cross-gen, cross-play, and cross-progression features.
One day I will be the best Rider
This is the general leitmotiv of the title of Ubisoft Annecy, which puts us in the shoes of a young and dashing Rider who seeks to prove himself in the most relaxed Republic in the world. To help us in our quest, we will meet characters who characterize the spirit inhabiting the followers of these disciplines, if not in a somewhat caricatural way. Having been a skater in my early teens (before taking a knee ramp), the cool and crazy attitude of the title struck me as sympathetic, but it will not be the case for all.
Our goal is therefore to prove ourselves in no less than five different disciplines. These include bike, ski, snowboard, jet-powered wingsuit, and normal wingsuit. The disciplines of biking, skiing and snowboarding are divided into two parts: race and tricks. It will thus be necessary to travel through the very vast Republic to advance in each career. I will come back to that later. Advancing in each discipline will unlock events called Big or Boss, which will themselves unlock the ultimate event: the Riders Ridge Invitational, our final goal.
The opportunity to immediately evacuate the Rider dressed as an elephant from the room: the arcade-oriented gameplay of Riders Republic is extremely fun as a whole, provided you play the controller, highly recommended by the developers themselves. The sensations of speed while hurtling down the slopes are constantly there, accompanied by a soundtrack that always hits the mark. For more immersion, it is even possible to switch to a first-person camera to better feel the speed. We almost believe it!
To wallow wickedly to better start again
Arcade gameplay requires, Riders Republic is relatively permissive in its execution so as not to put off neophytes. In the event of a fall, it will be possible to get up immediately in order to start again. If this is not enough, a Back-Track option will allow you to go back a few seconds in order to correct your trajectory. A helpful mechanism, but a double-edged sword, since it risks costing you precious places during the races.
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For fans of demanding extreme sports games, however, it is possible to configure the controls in order to have better control of their character, such as landing after a trick or performing a grind. It is even advisable to eventually remove the small spare wheels that the game gives us in order to establish better performance during races or trick competitions.
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Speaking of drops, Riders Republic is of course not exempt. Starting with a jagged visual appearance. If it spoils us with impressive panoramas magnified by pretty light effects, the game generally displays a somewhat dated technique. Sometimes quite ugly textures, hallucinating clipping when you go down the slopes, the title of Ubisoft Annecy is clearly not a standard graphic meter, even in ultra and 1p, which the configuration of the test allowed. However, it compensates for this pitfall with an exemplary fluidity, which allows you to take full advantage of its gameplay with small onions… with a few exceptions.
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Indeed, we can deplore controls and a camera sometimes a tad capricious which will sometimes make us miss important tricks or send us into the background, costing us precious places in the standings. Similarly, the jet-powered wingsuit proves to be a pain to control. Too bad, since it has been greatly promoted by Ubisoft Annecy.
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A republic based on meritocracy
Now that the basics are laid, you surely want to know how to become the best Rider in the Republic. Hang on to your saddle then, because you won't get bored! As said before, each discipline has different events called events. These can be done solo against the artificial intelligence or in Versus with a group of friends.
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Initially quite easy, these will offer increasingly tortuous routes that will really put your riding skills to the test. Four difficulty levels are also offered, which will have an impact on the artificial intelligence and on the experience gained by completing them.
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Each completed event will allow you to progress in a given discipline, earn equipment dedicated to this discipline, money and precious stars. Along with completing the vent, each also offers three secondary objectives that will earn even more stars.
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A bit like in Mario, these will unlock new elements such as events, disciplines or sponsors. These will ask you every day to accomplish specific objectives in order to earn money and many rewards such as equipment or cosmetic elements. Exploring the vast open world will also allow you to earn stars, money and equipment through various collectables or rather difficult courses called stunts.
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Who says better equipment also says better statistics and therefore better performance. It is therefore quite possible to focus on a single discipline in order to really progress in it, but the game encourages us to show a lot of versatility. Some events are indeed multidisciplinary and will therefore require good equipment for each of them.
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As you will have understood, Riders Republic is excessive, but can be quite redundant in length for those who do not like repeating the same things over and over in order to record a better performance.
Being a Rider is all about staying cool
Riders Republic does not forget its purely crazy and social side with in particular the trials of the Shackdaddy Bandits, a group which has a crazy conception of Rider's life. Obstacle courses by bike on frozen roads, descent of a steep canyon on a pizza delivery bike decked out in a giraffe costume… you get the idea.
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Regarding the social aspect, as in any self-respecting Ubisoft game, a photo mode is there to immortalize its greatest moments. It is also possible to record clips of his finest feats, or to create new routes that other Riders can then try.
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We previously talked about earning money by performing various activities in the Republic. For now, it has no other use than to offer us a more precise fast travel in the vast open world or to buy cosmetic elements. As in any Ubisoft game, a shop that is regularly renewed is thus part of the game.
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However, and this is to the credit of Ubisoft Annecy, this store has absolutely no pay-to-win elements such as experience bonuses or the like. It would seem that the lesson of the last Assassin's Creed has therefore been learned. However, some so-called legendary cosmetic elements can only be obtained through a currency available exclusively through an investment in real money. A lesser evil, so to speak.
Friendly competition between Riders
As a massively multiplayer title, Riders Republic obviously has a Riders against Riders game. Via a dedicated menu, it is thus possible to join three specific modes. Each one also has its own ranking in which you can evolve by earning points. Like the different disciplines in the game, each mode also has its own progress bar for obtaining rewards. Completing each trial will of course award a number of valuable stars.
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First we have the Tricks Battle mode, pitting two teams of six Riders against each other. Within a giant park, you will have to enter tricks on each element in order to score it for your team and earn points. The team with the most at the end of the countdown wins the game.
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Then comes the Free For All Race mode, which comes to draw from the various vents of the game, but this time against Riders in the flesh. Finally, we have the Shackdaddy Bandits mode, which takes the same concept, but with the vents of the happy and sassy band.
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Finally, at certain times of the day, all Riders will be invited to an event called Mass Race, the starting point of which will be located at a random point in the world. Gathering up to 64 Riders, it will be a multidisciplinary event in three rounds. The combination of the three will determine the final ranking. This mode is particularly interesting, whatever your final performance, since it allows you to gain experience in several disciplines at once.
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Riders Republic : l'avis de JVFR
Extreme sports games are quite rare these days, and it is sometimes with a certain suspicion that we see young people arriving who think they are teaching an old Rider new tricks. But it is clear that Riders Republic is extremely solid in what it offers. With its arcade gameplay ensuring the show and the thrills, it will undoubtedly delight fans in need of this kind of experience who seek to compete for the best performance, in solo as well as in multiplayer.
However, it is not free from flaws, especially with a half-powder half-pebble graphic part, and unequal disciplines in their quality of realization, especially on the aerial side. Finally, those who are not attracted by basic games asking to do the same things over and over again would do better to move on to another track.
Still, Ubisoft Annecy achieved a solid performance here based on Nosegrab Double Front-Flip launched at full speed at top speed. To avoid spoiling anything, the title will be brought over the months to densify its already particularly substantial content with regular additions of events and other disciplines such as BMX.
If this kind of experience turns you on, welcome to the Republic, Riders! With that, I'm going back to the slopes. Yes, the game is that addicting.
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Worthy heir to Steep developed by the same studio, Riders Republic is even more ambitious than its predecessor by offering a wide range of varied disciplines with very well transcribed sensations. If he does not excel in everything he does, fans in need of extreme sports games will find an excellent outlet rich in content that will become even more dense over time. The uninitiated or those swearing by a good graphic slap, however, may quickly go around (track).Most
- A varied and fun gameplay with very well transcribed sensations
- A vast open world extremely generous in content
- A real feeling of progression over the events
- A soundtrack sticking perfectly to the atmosphere of the title
- Exemplary fluidity and pretty light effects...
The lessers
- ... But technically quite dated (textures not very nice and important clipping)
- Can quickly become redundant for the uninitiated
- Aerial disciplines less successful than the others
- Controls and a camera sometimes a tad capricious
