Ride 2
- October 7, 2016
- Milestone
- 33h median play time
Despite the similarities, Ride 2 is not as user friendly as Microsoft’s annual racing games. This means players are going to have to really work to ride with the best, and that’s an uphill battle they may not want to fight on your recreational time.
Get on Steam"Ride 2" is a motorcycle racing game featuring over 170 iconic bikes from various brands. Players can collect, customize, and race these bikes on various tracks, including country, city, and GP races. The game offers a realistic and immersive experience for motorcycle enthusiasts.
PC
Playstation 4
Windows
Xbox One
Xbox Series X|S
PlayStation
Xbox
Reviews
- Great graphics and a good collection of bikes.
- Improved physics and handling compared to the first game.
- Fun gameplay with a variety of tracks and events.
- The game can be repetitive due to limited tracks and events.
- Crashes and performance issues reported by multiple users.
- AI behavior can be frustrating, often leading to collisions.
- graphics131 mentions
- 47 % positive mentions
- 47 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game are generally considered decent, especially for its age, with detailed bike models and visually appealing environments. However, many users report performance issues, such as poor optimization and low frame rates even on high-end systems, which detracts from the overall experience. While some players appreciate the aesthetic quality, others feel the graphics are outdated compared to newer racing titles, leading to mixed opinions on their overall impact on gameplay.
“Your graphics are a testament to the beauty of motorcycling, from the gleaming chrome of the bikes to the breathtaking vistas of the tracks.”
“The graphics and detail on the bikes is absolutely stunning and extremely detailed.”
“Graphically, this game is stunning, almost flawless.”
“My graphics card is above the minimum requirements, and even on the lowest settings, I get subpar framerate from a game released in 2016.”
“Unlike gameplay and bike handling, the graphics engine is terrible.”
“Maybe if you really like bikes you could look past the poor optimization, 2002 era menus, 2002 era graphics and 2002 era controls.”
- gameplay58 mentions
- 47 % positive mentions
- 52 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The gameplay in Ride 2 is praised for its thrilling blend of speed and skill, offering a realistic motorcycle racing experience with well-simulated physics and mechanics. Players appreciate the extensive bike selection, customization options, and a variety of tracks, making it engaging for both casual and hardcore racing fans. While some users noted minor issues with sound and graphics, the overall gameplay experience is considered smooth, fun, and challenging, appealing to motorcycle enthusiasts.
“The gameplay in Ride 2 is realistic and challenging, with a focus on simulating the physics and mechanics of motorcycle racing.”
“With its impressive bike selection, customization options, and realistic gameplay, it's a must-play for motorcycle racing enthusiasts and fans of simulation games.”
“Physics and gameplay are top notch; customization and variety of motorcycles with numerous tracks make it fun to play.”
“The actual gameplay consists of finding out which bike has the best top speed for the respective event.”
“My only issue with it is the gameplay is too simple.”
“I understand that it is difficult to make slower vehicles exciting in games but with everything Milestone constantly does wrong it just ends up with below acceptable gameplay.”
- optimization51 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 61 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players experiencing significant performance issues such as frame drops and input lag, particularly on certain tracks. While many users report smooth gameplay and high frame rates on capable hardware, others note persistent stuttering and interface problems that hinder the overall experience. Overall, while the game shows potential with its bike performance and customization options, it still requires further optimization to address the technical inconsistencies reported by players.
“Graphics are great, optimization is great; I only have very few moments of stuttering at high speeds, but that's all, nothing worse.”
“Performance-wise, on my RTX 2080 I am getting 273 fps at 1440p on average, but even on my old GTX 1080 I was getting 183 fps, so it runs blindingly fast with no issues.”
“The game runs smoothly and conveys a real feeling of speed.”
“Other interface issues abound, since the game does not scale performance indexes to the player. Not being able to see the other bikes' performance index prior to upgrading your bike is a major issue.”
“Even at 120 fps, it is a stuttering mess. Why does the rider flash in and out of existence when you have a crash? Is it because it runs like it's only getting 5 fps? I don't think the developers are even looking into fixing this as it's never been updated, and as far as I know, Ride 1 still has the same problem.”
“Well, there is an issue with framerate stuttering, which has been around for some time. Running with vsync enabled does help a lot, but it is something the developers need to address.”
- story13 mentions
- 8 % positive mentions
- 85 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The game's story is largely criticized for being either nonexistent or very short, with some players likening it to a simple endless runner experience. While a few users mention an "epic story," the overall consensus leans towards disappointment, suggesting that the narrative could be significantly improved or even replaced with more engaging content.
“Epic story.”
“Like playing Temple Run for the story.”
“Main story is kinda short.”
“This game has no story.”
“The main story is kinda short.”
“Story = 0/10.”
- music11 mentions
- 9 % positive mentions
- 55 % neutral mentions
- 36 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally considered average and forgettable, with some players finding it decent but not memorable. While the background tracks are described as catchy and pulse-driving, many users recommend turning off the in-game music in favor of personal playlists, as the engine sounds can be more enjoyable. Overall, the music does not significantly enhance the gaming experience.
“The music tracks in the menu and during the race are decent, though a little catchy and pulse-driving, but not so obtrusive as to get on your nerves.”
“Music is good but not big hits.”
“Sadly the engine sounds are horrid, but bearable if you listen to music in the background.”
“The bikes sound okay, but get a bit whinny on long races; the music is forgettable.”
“The music sucks and the AI is naff.”
“Bad music (I recommend playing with the music off).”
- stability6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The stability of the game has received mixed reviews, with users reporting significant bugs and issues with controller connectivity and key assignments, leading to frustrating experiences. While some players noted that the game runs well at high graphics settings after adjusting certain features, others encountered persistent stuttering and glitches that detracted from gameplay. Overall, the game's stability appears to be a major concern for many users.
“The game runs great at max graphics all round.”
“Great graphics and runs great.”
“Looks awesome; I was getting stuttering at first, but turned off motion blur and the game runs great now.”
“Whoever designed this never really opened the game, never had to connect controllers, never had to assign keys, and never had to spend 30 minutes between laggy, buggy windows and buttons. Of course, they never had to end the whole session just to assign a different key because you can't access controls while actually playing.”
“This game is very buggy.”
“The game is buggy; not even 2 hours of play in and you start finding issues (as you ride a short straight on Road America before the bridge... what the heck??? Please fix it).”
- grinding5 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be less tedious compared to other racing titles, as progression is tied to skill improvement rather than repetitive tasks. While some users feel that grinding can become boring before fully exploring the content, many appreciate the variety of bikes and the enjoyable nature of racing, which mitigates the grind. Overall, the game is praised for its smoother progression system that allows for a more engaging experience.
“It's about racing in what you like, not tediously climbing some ladder just to stretch gameplay time.”
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“Gets boring and grindy before you've even experienced a fraction of the content.”
“The game runs well, even on my laptop (Nvidia 950M, i7, 8GB RAM) and the progression feels way less grindy and ridiculous than a lot of racing games.”
- replayability4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 75 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game boasts high replayability with over 200 bikes and a diverse range of events and races, allowing players to continually explore new experiences and combinations. Users find it infinitely replayable, especially with the inclusion of many dream bikes.
“With over 200 bikes to choose from and a variety of events and races to compete in, the game offers a lot of replayability and variety.”
“Infinitely replayable.”
“A lot of my dream bikes are playable here.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is enhanced by highly detailed and realistic bikes, complemented by impressive lighting and reflections that create an immersive experience. However, some users feel that Ride 2 lacks the atmospheric elements found in MotoGP, such as circuit intro videos, which diminishes the overall immersion.
“The bikes are highly detailed and realistic, with impressive lighting and reflections that add to the game's immersive atmosphere.”
“Ride 2 is a reskin of MotoGP without the atmosphere (i.e., circuit intro videos, etc.) of a GP season, but instead features lots of road bikes to grind to unlock.”
“The game lacks the immersive atmosphere that makes racing games engaging, feeling more like a collection of bikes than a cohesive experience.”
“Without a strong atmosphere, the racing feels flat and uninspired, making it hard to stay invested in the game.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of the game has been criticized as a cash grab, indicating that players feel it prioritizes profit over player experience.
“This game is a cash grab.”
“The monetization system feels exploitative and unfair.”
“I can't enjoy the game without being bombarded by ads and in-app purchases.”
Critic Reviews
RIDE 2 Review
RIDE 2 is a game for motorcycle enthusiasts without question. However, it's a game that is lacking in excitement for the material it covers. There's a great amount of content and production values, but not a whole lot of hook to the gameplay to keep you drawn in. While die-hard motorcycle racing enthusiasts may find some enjoyment, few else will be enticed.
60%Ride 2 Review
Particularly as the original released so recently, and bearing in mind the very high standards of driving games currently, it just seems that Ride 2 could have hung back for a spell. Granted, updates are coming thick and fast, which adds even more content and also amends some of the early grievances cited with the driving experience. In addition, Milestone should once again be commended for setting its ambition high, but overall, this is another driving experience from the developer that spreads itself out too thinly. Perhaps switching gears and specifically focusing on one discipline within a field of racing might produce a more eclectic driving experience for the next project, since Ride 2 represents one in a string of decent racers that could have been great ones. One thing is certain: Milestone is capable of and has produced drastically better and more authentic racers in the past. As previously indicated, those gems also tend to be the games that received the most breathing space.
60%Ride 2 Review
Despite the similarities, Ride 2 is not as user friendly as Microsoft’s annual racing games. This means players are going to have to really work to ride with the best, and that’s an uphill battle they may not want to fight on your recreational time.
80%
