Depending on the viewer, Ubisoft’s “UbiForward” showcase during E3 2021 was either a hit or a miss. On one hand, the publisher didn’t have all that much to show in terms of new and exciting projects. On the other hand, though, fans got a much better look into the likes ofRainbow Six Extractionand Riders Republic. Thanks to a particularly well-donedeep dive trailer,the latter game may actually have wound up being the showcase’s strongest title. Riders Republic isn’t just another bike/snowboard racing game, it’s a world tailor-made for all riders out there.
For those who weren’t already aware, Riders Republic is a combination of a few different kinds of sports game. Players have their pick of bikes, skis, snowboards, wingsuits and rocket wingsuits among other things. It involves straightforward racing, but also competing for high scores via tricks and even just plain exploring a seemingly massive environment. There’s a lot to check out and it’s all accessed from the very first location shown in the trailer: the “Riders Ridge.”
“Riders Ridge” will look familiar to anyone who’s spent time inDestiny 2’s Toweras it serves a similar function: a social hub wherein players can access and manage just about everything to do with their game. In this space, one can pick up new cosmetics, check out the news, meet other players, manage their career or make their way to one of the main game modes like “Free For All” or “Tricks Battle.”
Tricks Battle takes a standard form trick-based mode and adds a territories-esque component to it. Players compete as teams of six, and their goal is to not only land more tricks, but to land them in a way that makes it more difficult for the other team to score. See, landing a trick off of a module wins it for one’s team, and winning all the modules in an area captures that area for the team. This increases fellow teammates' multipliers in that section and decreases the multiplier for opposing players. It’s ingenious in theory, so hopefully it’ll work out well in practice too.
Another highlight is the inclusion of notable, real-world events like the Red Bull Joy-Ride, which can be played either solo or against one’s friends. Events like this might not be unlocked at the outset though, as the video made sure to stress that career progression and unlocks are tied to earning stars. It may very well be that events like this are among Riders Republic’s unlockable content.
This probably won’t be too disappointing though as it looks like there will be plenty of content to enjoy within the game’s renditions of the United States' national parks. Riders Republic will be offering fifty-plus player races and trick competitions, multiplayer arenas, online cups and special “Community Jam” events that pop-up randomly on the world map. These may or may not involve multiple types of vehicles too. There’s all kinds of wild, manic energy in Riders Republic and it will be very surprising indeedif the game fails to impresswhen it launches on September 2.
