Riptide GP: Renegade

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Riptide GP: Renegade is a high-octane water racing game where players compete in futuristic hydro jets across illicit courses. As a renegade racer, evade police, gain fans, and upgrade your ride to climb the ranks of the underground league. With thrilling stunts, intense multiplayer, and a compelling career mode, experience the excitement of illicit hydro jet racing.

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+25

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88%

Audience ScoreBased on 232 reviews

graphics38 positive mentions

grinding9 negative mentions

Fun and engaging multiplayer experience, perfect for casual gaming sessions with friends.
Great graphics and sound design that enhance the overall racing experience.
Intuitive controls and a satisfying trick system that rewards skillful play.

Difficulty spikes in later stages can be frustrating, especially for single-player mode.
Limited track selection leads to repetitive gameplay over time.
AI opponents can feel overly aggressive and rubberbanded, detracting from the racing experience.

graphics
64 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
59%
36%
5%
The graphics in the game receive mixed reviews, with many players noting that while they may not be cutting-edge, they are visually appealing and well-optimized, providing a smooth experience even on lower-end hardware. Highlights include impressive water effects and detailed environments that enhance the sense of speed and excitement. However, some users express frustration over limited graphics settings and a desire for more customization options.
- “The graphics are a bit dated now, but they still look decent enough, even on a big TV, and there’s a real sense of speed and excitement.”
- “The crisp simple graphics that surprise on quality for such a small disk impact, the satisfying gameplay loop that keeps the challenge high right up until the end of the campaign.”
- “The environments and visuals are stunning, and there are a good number of them.”
- “Tried stuff like increasing process priority, switching to single core mode, set the game to the absolutely lowest graphics settings - nothing helped, in fact setting the game to low made it even worse.”
- “You do get some graphics settings, but bizarrely, I dare say insultingly, the only resolution control is a slider!”
- “No actual resolution numbers, no shaders, no brightness or contrast settings, no motion blur or anti-aliasing or literally any real graphics setting at all.”
story
49 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
16%
76%
8%
The game's story, while featuring an interesting premise involving illegal hydrojet racing and character-driven arcs, is often described as repetitive and skippable. Players appreciate the comic relief and character interactions, but many feel the narrative does not significantly enhance the gameplay experience, with some even finding it corny or lacking depth. Overall, the story serves as a backdrop for the racing mechanics rather than a compelling focal point.
- “There's an actual story too with an interesting premise and setting.”
- “The story is like a premise to keep the career going; you're a member of an illegal sci-fi speedboat racing crew and you have to gain respect in this scene.”
- “The game has a story: you play as a racer who was set up and spent two years in prison for illegal racing, and now wants his revenge.”
- “The music is tame, the tricks feel limp, and the story should have been left out altogether.”
- “The story is also corny and laughably lame, but luckily you can skip it.”
- “The storyline is okay for what it is, nothing special.”
gameplay
33 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
49%
9%
The gameplay is generally enjoyable, featuring straightforward mechanics and responsive controls that cater to both casual and competitive players. While the game offers a fun racing experience with a focus on speed and stunts, some players note a repetitiveness in event layouts and a lack of depth in mechanics. Overall, it strikes a balance between accessibility and challenge, making it appealing for a wide audience, though it may not hold long-term engagement for everyone.
- “About 13 - 18 hours of gameplay for 100% achievements, a lot more if you play with a friend in split screen/online.”
- “Incredibly responsive controls, fun upgrade mechanics, and customizations.”
- “The gameplay is solid with few to no complaints.”
- “Not the most mechanically deep game, but everything else - sound, gameplay, design - is just there.”
- “The gameplay is pretty straightforward - no boosts or pick-ups to collect, just ramps and tricks while airborne.”
- “The career mode is a'ight, like the story itself I think is good, hydrojet racing outside of events being illegal trying to gather a group of others together to get to the GP is kind of exciting, it's more about the actual gameplay that keeps it down because you will play multiple events on the same maps multiple times over so you can feel a repetitiveness if you're like me trying to get all 3 stars, not that the game itself gets any less fun, but still you will go 'wait haven't I done this already?'”
music
31 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
48%
10%
The music in the game is generally well-received, with many players appreciating its fitting atmosphere and nostalgic techno vibes reminiscent of the 2000s. However, some reviewers noted that the soundtrack lacks variety, with only a few tracks that could have been more memorable or tailored to specific game environments. Overall, while the music enhances the gameplay experience, it could benefit from additional tracks to match the unique themes of the various levels.
- “Great racing game, enjoyable scenery and atmosphere, great music.”
- “The music fits the game well.”
- “And not only that, but the soundtrack which is being played in this game is just.. amazing!”
- “Honestly, the music isn't the type that I would consider memorable in this game; I would definitely give it a pass because the visuals are awesome.”
- “The music is tame, the tricks feel limp, and the story should have been left out altogether.”
- “The music is nothing special; it blends into the style of the game really well but also, there are only 3 or 4 songs.”
grinding
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
10%
90%
The game features a significant grinding element, requiring players to invest considerable time to level up and unlock new tracks and upgrades. While some enjoy the challenge and fun of mastering tricks and stunts, others find the repetitive nature of grinding tedious, especially when progress feels hindered by a leveling system that limits access to new content. Overall, the experience can be polarizing, with some players embracing the grind while others may feel frustrated by it.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “Additionally, other frustrations come up, like for example, police targeting only the player, and the leveling system of the game preventing you from winning new tracks unless you do a decent amount of grinding of the previous tracks.”
- “I've spent a fair amount of time grinding races for money - I don't really appreciate you giving me races where my hard-earned upgrades don't count, with the time I'm putting in to make sure I can give myself an advantage over the competition.”
optimization
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
12%
13%
The game is highly praised for its optimization, running smoothly at a consistent 60fps even on lower-end hardware and without a dedicated graphics card. Players appreciate the well-optimized graphics and performance, which also extend to Linux systems, making it accessible for a wide range of devices, including the Steam Deck. While it may not feature the latest graphical effects, the solid performance and enjoyable gameplay make it a standout in the hydro racing genre.
- “Optimization also seems really good, you do not need the best hardware at all to play this and everything stays consistent. The game even runs perfectly under Linux, so if you're using a Steam Deck, this should also be good.”
- “The graphics are great and well optimized too, which is always nice as it will run a constant 60fps on my laptop without a graphics card on ultra settings.”
- “Optimized game engine runs great on older hardware, graphics are great, sound is excellent, sense of speed and water physics are convincing.”
- “As you race, you gain money, which you can spend to improve your hydrojet performance, and skill points, which you can spend to unlock new better stunts.”
stability
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
60%
Overall, the game demonstrates solid stability across iOS and PC platforms, with an optimized engine that performs well even on older hardware. While some users report occasional bugs during stunts, the gameplay remains enjoyable and engaging. Initial impressions may suggest a ported experience, but the graphics, sound, and physics contribute positively to the overall performance.
- “It runs great on iOS and PC — I've played both myself.”
- “The optimized game engine runs smoothly on older hardware; the graphics are impressive, the sound is excellent, and the sense of speed and water physics are convincing.”
- “At first launch, it seems a bit like a buggy port from a console or phone/tablet.”
- “Sometimes performing stunts is a little buggy, but it's always fun and you have to concentrate.”
- “I really liked Beach Buggy Racing on Android, and am happy to see other interesting titles come out of the Vector Unit team.”
atmosphere
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere in the game is highly praised, with users highlighting the enjoyable scenery, fantastic music, and engaging dialogues that enhance the racing experience. Specific courses, like the forest fire map, are noted for their stunning visuals and immersive ambiance, though some players express a desire for more atmospheric tracks. Overall, the game's atmosphere significantly contributes to its appeal.
- “The forest fire map in particular is beautiful—the orange sky and atmosphere of that map is fantastic.”
- “Great atmospheric courses that are very fun to race on; I just wish there were more of them.”
- “Great racing game, enjoyable scenery and atmosphere, great music.”
humor
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is generally light-hearted, with some amusing character traits that contribute to a fun atmosphere, though it may not evoke strong emotional responses. Players appreciate the comedic elements, as evidenced by their enjoyment and laughter during gameplay, regardless of winning or losing. Overall, the humor adds to the game's charm but is not its primary focus.
- “My boy has been laughing merrily whether he wins or loses, which is pretty rare for him!”
- “Funny story, challenging, great on water racing mechanics, awesome variety of race styles, and I really love the UI!”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
100%
Players note that the game's replayability is enhanced by its diverse content, multiple game modes, and engaging soundtrack, making it more than just a one-time experience. However, some feel that once the career mode is completed, the game's longevity may diminish, potentially leading to it being overlooked in their library.
- “The game offers a lot of content, different game modes, and a fantastic soundtrack, which greatly enhances its replayability.”
- “Would also increase the replay value a bit because after you're done with the career mode, the game would otherwise just sit in your library.”
- “Would also increase the replay value a bit because after you're done with the career, the game will be rotting in your library otherwise.”
- “The game has a lot of content and different game modes, but the replayability is lacking.”

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72%Critics’ scoreBased on 14 critic reviews

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16h Median play time

14h Average play time

10-18h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs

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