Ride 4
- October 8, 2020
- Milestone S.r.l.
- 9h median play time
A true and gorgeous recreation of motorcycle racing. Scratch beneath the surface though and you'll more than a few chinks.
"RIDE 4" is a motorcycle racing simulation game that features a wide variety of bikes and tracks from around the world. The game offers a realistic and immersive riding experience with detailed graphics and realistic physics. With a career mode, online multiplayer, and various customization options, "RIDE 4" aims to provide a comprehensive motorcycle racing experience for fans of the genre.
Reviews
- graphics409 mentions
- 57 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game have received widespread acclaim for their stunning realism and attention to detail, particularly in the bike models and track environments. Many users highlight the impressive visual fidelity, with some describing it as a significant improvement over previous installments, while also noting that the game runs well on various hardware setups. However, there are some criticisms regarding occasional graphical glitches and the overall optimization for certain systems, which detracts from the otherwise beautiful presentation.
“The graphics are stunning, capturing the thrill of high-speed racing and the intricacies of each bike.”
“With stunning visuals, an array of meticulously detailed bikes, and an unparalleled level of realism, this game is nothing short of a two-wheeled masterpiece.”
“The graphics are a visual masterpiece, and the attention to detail is next-level.”
“Graphics feel forced, is as optimized as an 8-bit arcade game and the physics are oddly worse than Ride 2.”
“The visuals are terrible and look worse than Ride 3, the rider AI is absolutely suicidal and will ride straight into your path in a very non-reactive way.”
“Well what can I say apart from the graphics, this version of Ride is by far the worst of the bunch; everything is terrible, i.e., handling, sound, and the AI riders are pure hell to deal with.”
- gameplay132 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 62 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players praising its challenging and realistic mechanics, which can be rewarding once mastered. However, several users have criticized the controls for being overly sensitive and the overall gameplay experience as frustrating due to restrictive mechanics and a lack of variety in tracks and events. While the graphics and customization options are generally well-received, the steep learning curve and some gameplay bugs have left many players feeling disappointed.
“The career mode in Ride 4 offers a vast array of challenges and events, providing hours of gameplay for solo players.”
“If you like motorbike games, you will like this one. It's as easy or hard as you choose, has great graphics, and the gameplay physics are good; overall a very enjoyable game.”
“Outstanding graphics, gameplay, sound, and driving physics.”
“You can hold the button down to take a turn and it sometimes behaves as if you press harder or it is pressed intermittently, making the gameplay unpredictable and impossible to master.”
“The gameplay is terrible.”
“The difficulty level and the restrictive game mechanics and systems completely suck any enjoyment out of playing this.”
- optimization62 mentions
- 34 % positive mentions
- 48 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is generally well-received, with many players reporting smooth performance across a range of hardware, including lower-end systems. While some users experienced issues with specific settings or performance inconsistencies, the majority praised the stunning graphics and solid frame rates, particularly at 1080p and 1440p resolutions. However, there are still calls for further optimization to address lingering performance issues and enhance the overall experience.
“Extremely well optimized for all kinds of hardware.”
“Graphics are stunning at 1440p max settings with motion blur off; it truly is an amazing looking game. It seems well optimized as well, averaging 90 fps on Ryzen 5 3600, 32GB RAM, and RX5700XT.”
“It's very impressive that they are able to provide such optimized graphics and performance at the same time.”
“They've simplified the performance upgrades massively; instead of all the different individual engine, brake, and transmission parts, it's all bundled into 'engine upgrade 1', which takes away some of the depth of modification.”
“Super badly optimized for PC.”
“Bad optimization; even on all medium settings on an i7 + GTX 1650, it still has issues with the framerate.”
- music48 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the improved soundtrack and menu music, describing it as elegant and atmospheric, while others find it generic or repetitive. Many users suggest that the background music is preferable to licensed tracks, and some even recommend muting the game entirely in favor of personal playlists. Overall, while the menu music is often highlighted as a strong point, the in-game music varies in quality and impact.
“The music is worlds better!”
“So much better than Ride 3 and the music is very good this time.”
“A must-have for any motorcycle fan, excellent graphics, tons of tracks and bikes, awesome soundtrack... watching a replay is fantastic.”
“Overall, muting the game and playing music would be better.”
“The game also feels lifeless with no dialog or anything but elevator music.”
“The music is poorly made and has a lot of instances where the melody is discordant and clashes where it really shouldn't.”
- story37 mentions
- 8 % positive mentions
- 78 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The game's story aspect is largely criticized for its absence, with many reviewers noting that there is no meaningful narrative or character development. While some mention a basic progression system in career mode, it lacks depth and engaging storytelling, making the experience feel dry and repetitive. Overall, players express a desire for a more immersive story, as the current setup is seen as insufficient and uninspired.
“Pros: absolutely amazing graphics, a lot of bikes, challenging races & good story mode.”
“This game is plenty enjoyable for over 100 hours just playing the story mode.”
“Id love to have more of a story for career mode, but it doesn't affect me so much and I still like the game.”
“Story: no story”
“No cutscenes or any kind of 'story' - just dull”
“Also a story-based campaign mode is missing.”
- grinding27 mentions
- 4 % positive mentions
- 11 % neutral mentions
- 85 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game has been widely criticized for being excessively tedious and frustrating, requiring players to invest significant time to progress. Many reviewers noted that the steep learning curve and the need to grind for credits to unlock bikes make the experience feel punishing and repetitive, often leading to boredom. Additionally, some players feel that the game is designed to encourage microtransactions for credit multipliers, further exacerbating the grind.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“Four hours of time investment to not get past the second track; I mean, I like learning curves and entering into a zone, but this is just brutal punishment that has become tedious and boring.”
“The learning curve is steep even to pass the first tests, meaning the majority of the game is locked out via really tedious time trials that are very difficult; I banged my head against the first one for hours.”
“You'll find yourself grinding for credits (yeah, you get 3000 to 30000 per event of tens of minutes) and a cool bike is hundreds of thousands of credits, so you'll find yourself grinding a lot, or at least trying.”
- stability22 mentions
- 23 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 77 % negative mentions
The game's stability has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting significant bugs and glitches that detract from the overall experience. While some users experience smooth performance and high frame rates on powerful hardware, others face severe texture issues and frequent crashes, particularly on specific graphics cards. Overall, the game is described as "buggy" and "broken," with many features not functioning as promised, leading to a frustrating experience for some players.
“Runs great, always 100+ fps on my 8-year-old quad-core i7.”
“Game runs great, ultrawide is no problem and has full support even in the menus.”
“Relatively bug-free.”
“Unfortunately, I was not able to enjoy the game due to severe texture glitches that apparently only occur on Radeon 5000 series graphics cards.”
“It's broken, buggy, with half the promised features, worse specs than on console, and it's like Milestone doesn't care.”
“The graphics might be better, but I get regular FPS drops and split-second freezes without warning.”
- humor17 mentions
- 88 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is often derived from the chaotic and unpredictable nature of gameplay, leading to amusing crashes and unexpected outcomes that players find entertaining. While some players appreciate the comedic aspects of the game's controls and AI behavior, others feel that the humor quickly turns to frustration due to the challenging mechanics. Overall, the game elicits laughter among friends during multiplayer sessions, despite its shortcomings.
“I find it funny seeing all the people giving negative reviews because they claim the handling and steering are near impossible to learn.”
“On a funny note: with one of the riding styles, he throws his rear end harder than I've ever seen, and it was the most entertaining and distracting part.”
“Me and my buddies have been playing it for a day straight, and we haven't stopped crashing and laughing yet.”
“It's not funny that the game crashed as soon as the race started because of stupid AI behavior.”
“You are not funny.”
- monetization8 mentions
- 13 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 63 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of the game has been heavily criticized for its reliance on microtransactions, which many players feel disrupts game balance and detracts from the overall experience. Users express frustration over the abundance of in-game ads and the perception that the game is designed primarily as a cash grab, with limited content unless additional purchases are made. Overall, the monetization approach has left players feeling dissatisfied and misled.
“I dislike microtransactions because they mess with the inherent balance of a game.”
“Hella microtransactions.”
“It just doesn't make any sense why anyone greenlighted this horrendous excuse for a cash grab.”
“Another cash grab by Milestone with no real intent to make the game better.”
- emotional8 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players express a mix of guilt and sadness in their emotional experiences while racing, particularly when witnessing crashes that result from minor mistakes, such as touching the grass or kerbs. The game's handling mechanics contribute to a sense of frustration, as players feel that their actions can lead to devastating outcomes, both for themselves and other racers. Overall, the emotional impact stems from the combination of intense racing moments and the consequences of seemingly small errors.
“I killed more people in this game than in CS:GO... mostly myself... but softly touching the guy next to you in a corner and watching him die in a 100+ km/h crash is kinda sad... I feel guilty...”
“It’s a sad truth that Milestone is one of only two developers who care about making competent motorcycle racing games, since Polyphony and Turn 10 seem to show no interest in ever touching this form of vehicle.”
“Touching the inside of a kerb might launch you off your bike for no good reason at all.”
- replayability4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
Players find the game highly replayable due to its diverse collection of tracks and bikes, which encourages multiple playthroughs. Adjusting the physics settings to realistic further enhances the gameplay experience, making it engaging for repeated sessions.
“Infinitely replayable (or almost).”
“A good collection of tracks and bikes makes the game very interesting and replayable multiple times.”
“Set physics to realistic to make it more engaging.”
“The game lacks meaningful choices, making replayability feel pointless.”
“Once you've completed the main story, there's little incentive to play again.”
“The limited variety in gameplay mechanics really hurts the replay value.”
- atmosphere4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -25 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in the game is highly praised for its realism, particularly in the sound design of the bikes and the immersive experience of the track environment, including stunning sunsets and dynamic lighting. Players appreciate the improved details of both the bikes and tracks, along with a relaxed ambiance in the menus, though some find the music to be repetitive. Overall, the atmosphere contributes significantly to the enjoyment of the game.
“The atmosphere and the sound of each bike is very realistic and immersive.”
“The atmosphere around the track is really engaging, and it is an experience watching the sunset/sunrise and witnessing the track lights come alive.”
“The good: great atmosphere in the menu and excellent, though repetitive, music; greatly improved bike and track details compared to the previous ride games.”
“The atmosphere around the track is really decent, and it is an experience watching the sunset/sunrise and witnessing the track lights come alive.”
“A very chilled atmosphere.”
Critic Reviews
RIDE 4 Review
Outside of its great use of the DualSense, RIDE 4 is a frustrating and disappointing experience. The lack of a meaningful tutorial, an aggravatingly difficult and boring campaign mode, the absence of local multiplayer, and the greedy credit system all equate to a game that feels like it was rushed for people hungry to get a next-gen motorcycle experience. RIDE 4 feels like a tech demo of the DualSense and nothing more. For an immersive racing experience on PS5, it is better to switch gears and look forward to Gran Turismo 7.
40%Ride 4
Lose yourself in the beautifully realistic world of Ride 4. Take part in the action packed career mode, or challenge people from around the globe online. Customise your bike and gear, and become the next big thing + Stunning graphics and attention to detail. + Energetic audio. + Challenging controls and handling fundamentals. + The best bike game I've experienced. + Plenty of replay value. + Custom options are vast and excellent. - The audio lacks the boring and realistic sounds. - Possibly too difficult for some. (Reviewed on the Xbox Series X. Also Available on PC and PlayStation.)
80%Ride 4 Review
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.
70%