After three closed trial days, doors Republic of Riders Open to the public from 25 to 28 August. It finally let us test this crazy concept, but it sounded too good to be true: a multi-sport racing game including cycling, snowboarding, skating, jet-suit, paramotor and more!

Sharp and refined formula

Yes yes, we know that Riders Republic is not the first game to have multiple sports. decline, the previous game Annecy from Ubisoft, did, but the difference between skiing and snowboarding was rather negligible, while other sports were just tricks Casual (parachute, wingsuit, skateboarding). Riders Republic corrects the shot with the addition of the bike, which gives us a real sense of modernity, not only because the sport is rarely found in games in general, but because it adds a whole new dimension to the game. Play.

BMX racing is often on tight lanes with tight turns, crammed with hardly avoided obstacles, quite unlike snowboarding. We get a lot of tension from start to finish, especially with the first person view, and that’s great.

The same goes for air sports that use the mountain in a completely different way. If flying suitcases are fast and nervous, the suit requires conscious management of our altitude to avoid hitting the ground.

So we alternate between races, ‘trick’ stunt challenges, and other crazy events with a unique concept, through the multitude of sports available. So you realize that there is no time for boredom in this mountain.

Intuitive and malleable control

If you’ve played any racing or snowboarding game, you can rest assured right away: Riders Republic’s controls will be as comfortable as slippers.

The most surprising thing is the choice of landing type. This will allow the largest number of players to benefit from the experience. If you choose the automatic mode, your character will always land on his feet after a stunt, just like barrel rolls that can be done in Mario Kart. This option is for those who are more interested in the racing aspect than the technical aspect. Otherwise, the manual option is there, of course, for which you will have to precisely adjust the angle before touching the ground. Finally, my favorite option: Steep, which straightens your character when you let go of the buttons. Even if it is possible to collapse in this mode, it requires less energy and control, we go more instinctively.

Multisport team racing, the dream

I was talking about adrenaline earlier, but nothing had prepared me for these extreme races, which change the sport during the long race: a huge challenge! We go from skiing, to jetpacking, to riding rocket powered bikes, to avoiding obstacles at the last minute…it’s crazy. Let’s not forget to mention that these mass races are played online, 64 players at a time!

No technical issue with that during testing: 57 players were on the mountain with no slowdowns. hat!

An easy-to-manage open world (finally!)

I had a chance to test Riders Republic on Xbox Series X, and I have to say SSDs are a real savior for these types of games. The fast travel It was instant: no load times slowing down.

There’s that technical aspect, but there’s also the practical aspect of the open world that is frankly put to good use. If you select an event, you will be immediately taken very close to it. Otherwise, we can take out the jetpack at any time and start flying at full speed towards our target.

It’s very different from Steep, where the movements were somewhat painful, due to the current sport which was all more or less sliding downhill. If you want to get to the top of a small mountain, you have to plan your route, often starting from much higher. At Riders Republic you can also go for a walk and a short walk in the woods!

Moreover, the environment is great. Its giant map contains many biomes that vary greatly in experience. Snow is still there, but there are also dense forests worthy of the most beautiful natural parks, more rocky areas, and even deserts. Each sport behaves differently depending on the circumstances, especially when rain or storms occur.

Pink neon, the color of fun

The staple of the Riders Republic is pink. In the world of video games, neon pink seems to be a symbol of fun bordering on madness, carelessness, and freedom. Rose is more punk than ever. Rage 2, Far Cry New DawnYes, but especially sports. All pink colors have the same playful tone, a Play Arcade style and often more fun than the gray simulation around them. Amped 3, Dirt 5, OnRush, Forza Horizon, SSX (Pink is absent, but it is felt) And, obviously, the Republic of Riders.

It was that rebellious and lively tone that I felt throughout the beta version. After the long guided tour of about two hours where you hold your hand so tight it’s becoming numb, we finally got a feel for what our play sessions would be like: jumping from one event to the next without having time to catch your breath.

My only concern is that it will be released only a few days ago Forza Horizon 5, a second open-world racing game likely aimed at the same audience.

Of course, this is all just a preview and not a review, but it bodes well for Ubisoft’s new game Annecy, which brilliantly delivers the madness and variety promised in its trailers. We’ll talk about it again on October 28, when Riders Republic will be available on Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PC.