Riders Republic (PlayStation 5) Preview

If familiar with open world games such as Forza then once dropped in, it's easy to feel at home from the outset. The loud supporting cast sprout cool hipster slang that isn't quite understood but gets the blood pumping and leads your rider around the world, taking in all the basic game concepts as they go. Overall, it's a simple premise. Tour the massive open world, partake in various extreme sports activities and gain stars to unlock bigger and better tournaments and equipment. The scope of the world is both impressive and exciting, and with so many different ways to approach a set landscape, a lot of replayability is included by default.

The beta gives you a whistle(r) stop tour (that's funny if you're into Mountain Biking, promise,) of the three major disciplines starting with a quick jaunt downhill. Ubisoft clearly know where this game will shine and lead with the bone rattlers. The mountain biking side of things easily feels like the strongest part of the experience and where the most time has been spent in development. This feels somewhat surprising considering that their previous attempt focused so much on the white powder. Whatever the reasoning, it's genuinely exhilarating bombing down a track, weaving in and out of whatever obstacle may be in the way and then leaping into the air with a flourish.

The hub functions as the main base of operations for riders and Races can be jumped into from here, landmarks visited and objectives set, as well as nooks and crannies to explore. Vehicles are also distributed to give quicker access to events across the landscape although at the moment it's criminal that tricks can't be attempted with the snowmobile. With great engine power comes even less responsibility. One particular highlight was finding a technical bike trail along the top of the arena with tents, vans and participants all going about their business below while bikes carefully navigate the boardwalk above. All tricks and skills can be refined at the hub as well as purchases made for new gear and outfits. It was also quite exciting to see official sponsors on gear as well as real equipment. If keeping a pricey full suspension or a snow deck in the garage from one of the companies represented, it's quite a thrill to equip a gaming avatar with your own home set-up.