RiMS Racing

Milestone is currently the king of the market when it comes to motorcycle games. They have both the Ride series and the MotoGP series, three, if you want to include the Monster Energy Supercross series, which Milestone is also the developer. My main complaint when I reviewed their motorcycle games recently was that they started to feel a little too similar. Which is why it's interesting that there is now a challenger coming from RaceWard Studios, RiMS Racing. Unfortunately, it doesn't quite reach the quality of Milestone's games, and I simply don't get the same pleasure driving in-game.

What RaceWard has tried to do is make a game that is really realistic and focuses on things like motorcycle care. The name of the game is an abbreviation of "Rider and Motorbike Simulator" and it is not so much about being a star in the motorcycle world, but more about what it is like to own a motorcycle. If in career mode you need to replace a part on your motorcycle, such as the brake discs, you need to physically unscrew screws and pull out parts by using the joysticks and buttons on your controller. It can be as simple as two small steps to put a part back together, or rather, over ten steps to unscrew something, take out a part, take it apart and so on. And it's crucial to do it right, as if you replace the aforementioned brake discs incorrectly, the wheels will not be mounted automatically.

On the track, it is also very technical. For example, the front brake and the rear brake are divided into different buttons. However, this can be changed in the menu to have the classic one-button brake. During the pit stop, you are responsible for how fast your tires change and how quickly you refuel. While I appreciate this attempt at something new, I still don't feel that QTE (quick-time events) are something I need in a motorcycle game.

Since the game is not locked to a championship license, it is possible to do different things in the career mode. Every week there are different things you can choose to do. For example, one week you can choose between running in a sponsored event or rather, running a one-on-one race. The week after, it can be a manufacturer's event where you get to choose between different manufacturers and unlock their motorcycle if you end up on the podium. Between races, there is also a lot to do to make sure your bike is in great shape for next week. Buying and selling parts and unlocking new properties in the property trees (which, among other things, can make parts cheaper or unlock weather information) are just two things. The downside to not having a license is that the amount of content feels pretty poor. It offers eight motorcycles and 14 tracks. In addition, there are zero opportunities to tailor your rider's clothes and motorcycle. You can buy new helmets, for example, but it is not possible to change its colour or put any liveries on it.

On the track, it's so unforgiving that I'm surprised my character is still alive after all the flips. But it is realistically unforgiving where the slightest millimetre of error will cause you to fall over. Tilt too much (or too little) and you end up in the grass, brake too much (or too little) and you will fly off the bike. It becomes so satisfying once you manage to find that flow where it almost feels like a dance. One exciting feature is the MSC (Motorbike Status Check). Here you can freeze your race at any time and check the status of each individual part of the motorcycle. Is any part starting to get worn out? Are the brakes too hot? It's very detailed and maybe too much for some, but it's also not mandatory to use.

However, there are some small problems that like to turn off the music for the aforementioned dance, if you get what we mean. The first is that the computer-controlled drivers seem to have received their driving licenses from travelling quacks. They don't slow down, and will hit you if you slow down. In addition, they panic brakes in the strangest places. And on top of that, your driver can take an eternity to lean from one side to another, which means that it goes terribly slowly through sections of a track with a lot of turns. On the whole, however, it is very entertaining out on the tarmac.

It's also possible to take to the asphalt in other game modes than the career mode, but they're not much to harp on about. Single player modes offer individual races, a testing mode where you drive without opponents and the racing academy, which is for learning different things. No full tournaments or competitions outside the career mode. The online part is not much better. There are "Online Challenges" which are time-limited challenges that give points against different prizes and lobbies where you can run individual races or cups. However, there is no mode for ranked multiplayer other than the solo event. Offline, it is possible to for two people to race against each other. The graphics are okay in the game. Nothing that will make you gasp in awe, but not ugly either. Fine across the board.

I'm glad Milestone has a challenger. It is a good game that does not quite reach MotoGP and Ride, but considering that this is only a first attempt, I am optimistic for the future. Especially considering that the game has parts that the others do not have, such as the great focus on mechanics with your bike. A good first step, but it still needs a little more.