RIDE 4

For a virtual rider, RIDE 4 is like a trip to heaven. Milestone’s latest game is simply what every two-wheeler and video game enthusiast needs, the best in handling, motorcycle variety and selection of tracks. The simple pleasure of driving lies at the heart of a technologically excellent title, that will soon become a much-welcome haven for those who love riding on two wheels. A pity, however, that the purchase of new motorcycles is locked behind progress in a career bound by classic (not to say old) game design concepts; the races in themselves are fun, but penalized by a weak AI and too strict penalties for minor errors. Despite these issues, RIDE 4 is one of the best racing games of the generation thanks to its excellent presentation and gameplay feel.

RIDE 4 retains all the positive aspects of the previous game (like the great riding model and the superb physics), but besides that there is nothing really new in this years edition.

As a complete package, Ride 4 finally manages to deliver with a rounded selection of bikes and tracks. The career mode feels substantial and, whilst the AI can feel a little tricky, the game gives you plenty of room to upgrade your wheels and power past. It's a little rough in spots with some tests adhering to a zero tolerance but the actual riding, on and offline feels fun and challenging.

RIDE 4 is the best entry in the series and fixes a lot of problems that past games had. Its diverse mix of event types in the career mode keeps it fresh even with a few tedious tests dragging things down. The on-track action shines at all times when you have rivals with you, and no matter what track you’re on or what time of day or conditions you’re racing in, you’re in for a fun time. It’s a challenging game, but in a good way as it encourages you to get better and offers a wide variety of difficulty options to help you along the way. Put simply, Ride 4 looks and sounds fantastic and controls like a dream.

RIDE 4 is a great addition to the series that updates the roster of vehicles, the physics simulation, and the AI experience. For fans of true sims, this is the best there is for the motorcycle market. However, RIDE 4 is a hard game to get into and will draw no comparisons to Fall Guys or similarly easy to pick up experiences, and it would have been nice for the tutorial to have a more hands-on approach to coaching players through the game's handling mechanics.

RIDE 4 comes with some new features that make the experience even richer and more engaging. The new career appears to be solid as it leads us through a long path that becomes gradually more complex and multifaceted.

RIDE 4 is the motorcycle racer for motorcycle fans. This is a double-edged sword, of course, because outside of this core audience there won’t be much pickup from non-fans. The demanding physics helps to achieve great immersion in first-person view, custom liveries can easily be crafted, and the career mode gives a nice sense of progression, even if it is very low-profile. This all adds up to a neat package that fans are sure to enjoy.

RIDE 4's excellent sense of realism offers a pleasant experience to anyone with a passion for motor racing. There's quite a bit of content here too, with a diverse set of customization features that will keep you tinkering for a long time. Some hiccups do occur though, chief amongst them a rather unconvincing career mode.

The development team at Milestone did their best to give Ride 4 a fresh look and save it from being repetitive, and they didn't fail. If you are a fan and looking for a good Motorbike game to play in 2020, Ride 4 is not a bad choice.

Ride 4 is more complete than its predecessor in terms of gameplay possibilities, that's a fact. It retains its qualities in the finesse of the grip, will delight fans of the first hour without totally putting off the neophytes, and adds several strings to its bow...On the other hand, Ride does not advance in its staging, tasteless on the track and in the off-circuit events, and even regresses in the career. The latter is running out of fuel in terms of originality, even showing itself to be frustrating in its construction.

Ride 4 has lots of new modes and content, but the same technical issues with graphics and AI.

Overall, RIDE 4 was my first attempt at getting my toes wet for motorcycles both in general and racing wise. While excited going into this new world, I found myself uninterested and not entertained. Most racing games really bring me in and keep me there technically. As someone who works with their hands a lot and wants to know how things work/make them go faster, racing games really get me going. Herewith RIDE 4, I didn’t really fill that. It felt lackluster and just kind of plain.

RIDE 4 isn't the best entry in the series, but it fixes a lot of its past problems. The on-track action is amazing, and no matter what track you’re on or what time of day or conditions you’re racing in, you’re in for a fun time. It’s a challenging game, but in a good way, as it encourages you to get better and offers a wide variety of difficulty options to help you along the way.

Ride 4 offers a tonne of content for those who itching for a deep dive into an expansive career mode. Race all across the world by winning licenses to open up access into better and more advanced events. Gain affinity with various bikes and manufacturers on the way to becoming the greatest rider. However, a weak online mode, a lack of other real features outside of the career mode and having a steep learning curve for beginners prevents Ride 4 from being the complete package. With plenty of bikes on offer, and upgrades on both the 'stock' and 'racing' side of things to allow for vast improvements over the troublesome AI, this is one of the better digital biking experiences out there.

The bottom line is simple: while TT Isle Of Man: Ride On The Edge demonstrates how hardcore, unforgiving motorbike sims can be amazing on PS4, Ride 4 is simply dull. Authentic and capable, certainly, but dull nonetheless. [Issue#182, p.136]

The crux of Ride 4 clearly hangs in the gameplay. Veterans of the franchise and of motorsports will be engrossed with the latest entry in the series. Edging closer and closer to its real-life counterpart, the game is truly the finest rendition of the sport. Featuring a fleshed out career mode, which has choice at the forefront, will please fans who will be eager to do multiple playthroughs. However, the game neglects newcomers to the series and could have included a deep tutorial that would have allowed them to engage and further understand the layers within the mechanics. It is clear to see that Ride 4 has been designed to retain fans rather than gain new ones which is a major speedbump on its way to the finish line.

Motorcycle fans will gorge themselves on Ride 4's 250+ obsessively detailed motorcycles and one of the best track lists to be found in a modern racing game, but the pizzaz needed to keep playing is sadly missing and the career gameplay can be duller than counting your own eyebrow hairs.

For series' veterans, RIDE 4 will be an enjoyable experience, but for newcomers, there will be times where it will feel like the game won't actually let you play it.