RIDE 5 Review – Solid, But Could Use a Tune-Up

Sports series in the video games world are a dime a dozen these days. Many of them entertain annual releases like Madden or FIFA. Each new year brings an updated roster, stats, and hopefully a graphical boost however small that might be. What these series have shown us, however, is that the game never changes and players have little incentive to pick up each succeeding entry. Sports like football are the same that they always have been. However, recently these series have offered fresh options with each new entry developing satisfying career modes with storylines or interconnected progression like F1 World in F1 23 and other such niceties to make the purchase of a new full-fledged entry feel worth our time instead of total re-hash of last year.

While RIDE might not be an annual franchise, modern platforms did receive RIDE 4 in 2021. With a little over two years apart, the hope would be that RIDE 5 goes above and beyond. In certain design elements, that is absolutely the case. However, career mode leaves much to be desired in comparison to advancements in other titles like F1 23.

"With a little over two years apart, the hope would be that RIDE 5 goes above and beyond. In certain design elements, that is absolutely the case. However, career mode leaves much to be desired."

RIDE 5 is notably the first current-gen only title in the series. That’s important as we move further into the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S life cycle. Developers have clung to the past in hopes of retaining the largest audience possible while hindering their efforts by basing development on an outdated generation. RIDE 5 is visually impressive in some aspects, and lackluster in others. In terms of performance, however, the game is solid and runs at a high framerate. The bikes and circuit designs are flashy, vibrant, and detailed. The gravel and grass are notable both in their detailed textures and distinctions from the track and through the haptic feedback in the DualSense controller, something RIDE 4 did well, also. Everything looks all well and good until your rider removes his or her helmet. Human facial models are stiff, off-putting, and awkward. So, maybe just skip through those cut scenes and you’ll never have to see them.

The game’s presentation goes a step further with dynamic weather which you can switch on and off. The weather shifts organically and adds a stellar visual layer to each of the tracks. The water, the clouds, and the sky are all brilliantly realized as this weather system takes hold. It’s a slick new feature in the series – at least from a visual standpoint.

From a gameplay perspective, RIDE 5 endeavors to reach out to newcomers with substantial difficulty options and tutorial components. I noticed a significant difference in the mercy of the physics and the racer AI when switching between difficulties. Earlier this year, I reviewed another motorbike racer, TT Isle of Man: Ride on the Edge 3 – a painfully difficult motorcycle racing experience. The development team made it clear that TT was meant to be unforgiving to reflect the harrowing nature of the annual event. But in comparison, RIDE 5 is thankfully far more accessible to fans breaking into the motorcycle racing niche genre.

"RIDE 5 is visually impressive in some aspects, and lackluster in others. In terms of performance, however, the game is solid and runs at a high framerate."

There is a wealth of Riding Aids available to help newcomers get a handle on the gameplay. Players can activate auto-braking to help with taking curves and turns much less haphazardly. Furthermore, there’s always the “ideal trajectory” along the road for the best path to follow with regards to the flow of the circuit. The menus are simplistic and easy to follow. Nothing in regard to the layout of the options feels overbearing. There’s off-track assistance, the option for semi-automatic transmissions, and even a rewind feature. If you make a blunder taking a corner and you’d like to give it another shot immediately, you can hit the L2 button to rewind and do the moment all over. It’s a helpful way to practice and hone your skill level.

The game offers a wide range of customization options with several brands and bike models to shop for (or earn in competitions). Take your favorite bikes to the garage and upgrade parts with your earnings for a better shot at the gold. As you race and progress through your career, you’ll earn plenty of in-game currency to customize your rider and bike the way you want. I never really felt like I was lacking funds to do what I wanted to do in the moment. Also, you can edit plenty of details including your rider’s gear both inside and outside of the racetrack as well as liveries for your bike. But at the end of the day, I get it. This is all pretty standard fare. However, in comparison to other modern racing sims the most hardened players may still find that the customization options, and least where the bike hardware is concerned, aren’t quite as extensive as other titles in the racing genre.

Perhaps the game’s biggest fault, however, lies in its lack of a storied career mode. Sure, a career mode exists with some rather dull, monotone narration. But it’s far from the gripping drama we can watch unfold in other sports games’ career modes these days. In the racing genre alone, F1 23 features a killer narrative that highlights a specific team with great voice work, cinematics, and a look at their dynamic as they set out to achieve their hopes and dreams. It gives players something more to invest in that just the simplified structure of a race followed by another race in yet another championship. This is becoming an antiquated structure for seasonal or career mode play in sports games as gaming fans want more from the overall experience. Of course, I’m not speaking for everyone, as there are those who are perfectly fine just hitting the pavement one race right after the other endlessly. But in terms of keeping a brand fresh, modern, and inviting to newcomers beyond the addition of Riding Aids, RIDE 5 suffers in that regard. Its oversimplicity could make the experience feel rather stale for some who are looking for more than just another simulation in favor of a wholistic experience.

"In terms of keeping a brand fresh, modern, and inviting to newcomers beyond the addition of Riding Aids, RIDE 5 suffers."

Many fans want a reason to put down RIDE 4 and pick up RIDE 5. With the fifth entry in the series, it’s not enough to tweak the graphical presentation, the motorbike physics, the weather system, and add accessibility options. Potential buyers want to be enticed by a fresh gameplay experience. Racing is racing. That part will never change. But how it’s presented, and the mode of play offered to players through progression structures, further management options, or cinematic storytelling with a modicum of choice will all go a long way to keeping fans engaged in the long term and invite newcomers simultaneously.

This game was reviewed on a PlayStation 5.