Ride 4: The FORZA of motorbikes on Xbox Series X?

Is Ride 4 the two-wheeler Forza Horizon? Here are a list of pros and cons of the Xbox Series X version to help you decide.

Here at A Tribe Called Cars we don’t discriminate so two wheels are just as welcome as four. Or six. Or eight. You get the point. That’s why I’m bringing you a video about Ride 4, a really rather excellent racer for anyone who likes going fast.

Following on from Ride 3, which followed on from Ride 2, which was the sequel to Ride, insightful I know, Ride 4 takes the series to new levels of simulation. There’s some new stuff and some stuff that’s been taken out, but generally developer Milestone has ensured it’s an upgrade.

So here’s a quick pros and cons snack ahead of the full banquet review. At the very least it will give you an idea of what to expect – especially now that MotoGP 21 is a thing.

All footage is from the Xbox Series X version. Ride 4 is already optimised for PS5, Xbox Series X and Series S next-gen consoles, which means 60 frames per second and a dynamic resolution of 4K. As in, 4K at best but can drop in resolution to keep the frame rate smooth and high.

So as usual get yourself glued to a high-definition display, crank up that YouTube video resolution and prepare for someone to tell you off for hogging the WiFi. It’s show time!

The motorbikes feel real

Simulating motorbike racing is arguably more challenging than for a car because the rider can move around, which obviously affects how the bike handles.

Then there’s the fact motorbikes have obscene power-to-weight ratios and have less cornering grip than cars – partly because humans aren’t shaped like a spoiler. Nor do they have the same stability.

Ride 4 takes the series further down realism street, which means a higher difficulty curve. You really do not want to get braking distances wrong as you will end up in a wall. Or accelerate out of a corner too early unless you like flying.

There’s a weightiness and urgency to the bikes in Ride 4 that’s accurate yet the fragility of two wheels comes across just as convincingly.

One of Ride 4’s greatest achievements is that there’s a fluidity to the racing you rarely see elsewhere. Also nailing the right line consistently feels great – more so than in any car game.

The visuals look almost real

I cannot tell you what this game looks like on older consoles, but on Xbox Series X, PS5 and a decent PC it’s glorious. Replays sometimes look astonishingly real, especially as you now have dynamic weather. More on that later.

Sure, sometimes the next-gen consoles lose a little bit of smoothness – mostly in the replays of the busier road circuits – but the 4K detail of the bikes and scenery is generally great and the sensation of speed is mesmerising.

Load up a race replay and swap to the special rider cam and strap in. If only VR was a thing and motion sickness wasn’t.

Ride 4 is the Forza of bike games

No, I don’t mean Ride 4 is arcadey. My point is that it’s comprehensive. Expect 170 models of motorbike and 30 tracks including Cadwell Park, the Nürburgring circuit and full shebang, Brands Hatch, Snetterton and Laguna Seca.

Also new to the series is rider customisation so you can change the colour of your boots, gloves and a whole lot more, plus bike customisation makes a return albeit with fewer bells and whistles.

Progress is pleasing too, mostly. You have a career mode, which requires you to complete bike licences, Gran Turismo style, and then you can unlock new races across the world. Challenges vary from a standard race and time trial to speed gates and overtaking a certain number of slower riders.

Over time you get to ride faster and faster bikes at more challenging circuits, however there’s usually the option to vary the displacement if you want to mix things up. Or maybe jump into online multiplayer, but sadly not split-screen.

Improvements aplenty

Meanwhile there are other things that make Ride 4 better than Ride 3. Dynamic weather, for instance, means races can turn from lovely and sunny to dangerously rainy in no time at all, adding to the challenge.

Then there’s endurance racing, which adds tyre wear and fuel so you’ll also have to worry about preserving rubber and when to pit.

And the A.N.N.A. artificial intelligence you race against has also been improved and is a noticeable step forward. Although sometimes it can still be a bit kamikaze and take you out when you least expect it.

Ride 4 is no easy ride

Think you’re good at racing games? Ride 4 might make you think otherwise. Even with some assists on and the racing and braking line on screen, you will need to put in some time before you get to the podium routinely – unless you drop the difficulty slider.

It’s not that the controls are bad or the handling is unpredictable. Far from it. In some ways, in fact, the subtle vibrations and jerkiness of a bike as you corner too fast provide serious help in not going over the edge of grip.

It’s that bike racing means turning early, getting into a rhythm and taming obscene straight-line acceleration – all things you can only learn by trying and failing over and over.

Luckily, the consistent and realistic physics makes it feel great when you get the hang. You just won’t be hanging on much initially and that will be a turn-off for some.

In-game purchases are heavy-handed

My next con is that paid content is too prominent for my tastes. Yes, there are free bikes and tracks, as denoted by the bonus Packs, but some juicy stuff such as Valencia and certain vintage bikes require you to spend £3.99 a pop with the standard game.

All of those add up to the price of Ride 3, which is a bit cheeky. Still, most packs add somewhere between 5 and 10 new challenges and new bikes so die-hard fans or those with large piggy banks probably won’t care.

So it’s worth buying?

Look, I’m not going to sugar coat it. Ride 4’s simulator-esque experience makes it satisfying to master. But getting to that point may cause pain. This is not a game like Forza Horizon 4 where fun is handed out to all with little effort.

Like the masters who race these insanely fast bikes in real life, particularly on a road, you will need to practice and then practice some more. Did I mention practice?

In many ways it is commendable that Ride 4 sticks rigidly to its theme of realism. It’s a no-frills simulation racer with just enough variety to keep the dexterous glued to the screen.

But it’s also a negative because if the core racing mechanics fail to excite or bike racing really isn’t for you, there’s not much else to draw you in. At which point, maybe wait until a sale or try Ride 3.

And that’s it for this Ride 4 outing. You can, of course, show your support by liking the video and subscribing to the Tribe. Look after yourself. I shall see you in the next video.