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BMX hand it… over to you! 5 Standout aspects of BMX in Riders Republic
Ubisoft Annecy recently dropped the Freestylin’ Season 4 update for Riders Republic, introducing the BMX discipline to the game. Here’s what you can expect…
It might not seem like adding BMX to a primarily mountain biking (MTB) experience in Riders Republic would be all that difficult. “A bike’s a bike,” you might reckon. But ask any professional rider from either discipline and they’ll talk to you, or maybe even at you, at length, about the differences between each sport. Not forgetting the subtle divides that exist within as well. Not all flatland/street riders are into vert or park, and then there’s the differences when bringing jumps and dirt courses into the mix, as well as race and… well, you get the idea.
So no, the addition of BMX into Riders Republic, as trivial as it might seem, is anything but. And for how the studio has landed (heh) said addition, we’re comfortably all-in on. It’s not seamless, and definitely needs some love post-release, but what’s here is fresh and new and exciting for the open-world jaunt which, honestly, was kind of in need of some new juice.
We’ve taken the new content for a ride and have a handful of takeaways to best arm you with when answering the question: “Do I wanna pony up for Rad: The Game?”
BMX doesn't wholly feel at home on the base game map
© Ubisoft
5. Culturally Significant
Just as Riders Republic managed to nail its 80% focus on the world of MTB and what that culture looks like (it won’t admit this, but one session with it will affirm it is mostly MTB-focused, and that’s OK), the addition of BMX has allowed Annecy to really dig deep into the world of BMX. From aesthetic stylings in clothing and gear to how its discipline-specific playspace, Area 52, is presented, BMX is an all-in affair for the developer.
That said, that “all-in” isn’t a whole-of-game “in”, per se. Rather, as an addition to the base game it feels very much like an add-on, but in being represented like this the BMX content stands less as “hey let’s just shrink mountain bikes and put tuffs on ‘em” and more in the park of getting the little things right and making it stand out above all else -- something we can definitely say the team has done here.
Good lookin' out, yo
© Ubisoft
4. Cine
One of the most heavily-touted aspects of Riders Republic has been its first-person camera. And while the viewpoint existed before in the studio’s other effort, Steep, in Riders Republic specifically it adds wholesale to the MTB tilt the game leverages heaviest. This is in large part because of the first-person POV work that goes into exhibition and competition coverage of the sport IRL, something we know all too well at Red Bull as you can watch below.
In the Freestylin’ BMX update, however, that first-person stuff comes second to how the new content plays when switching to the game’s “Cine” camera mode. This gives off a stylish side (or quarter) on view of your rider in third-person and while jarring at first, quickly becomes the go-to camera position to get the most out of the BMX update. It switches seamlessly on transitions to a whole-on view, which is arguably the strongest part of the BMX experience, and also adds to ease-of-grinding and overall park riding throughout.
3. It’s Tuff
It’s not a pushback to tell you that Riders Republic lives by the timeless “easy to learn, difficult to master” adage. There’s a lot to remember and Annecy has made total use of all controller face buttons, plus those in the back in ways that sometimes feel convoluted.
Challenges in the specific tricks and combos department come in thick and fast and aren’t easy by any measure...
Hard-edged wheelies will tell you to stick with it, and when you master the full control aspect of Riders Republic it really does become something else. With BMX this aspect remains true, though the studio really rips the training wheels off early, assuming you’re already pretty familiar with how things work. Challenges in the specific tricks and combos department come in thick and fast and aren’t easy by any measure. And that’s not a bad thing. Just don’t go in thinking that just because you’re the king of Red Bull Rampage that you’re gonna immediately dominate Red Bull Uncontained.
Be ready for a challenge.
Fat tyres make the world go round
© Ubisoft
2. Bespoke(y doke)
We’ve touched on it already, but the “add-on” aspect to what BMX truly is has ultimately allowed the full experience to exist with its own air. There’s an obvious “wait and see” component from the developer side, in terms of how much people invest in the new content, but we’re hoping it’s successful enough to warrant further expansion.
We’d be remiss, however, to not to warn you that it’s still a bit rough around the edges. We clipped into the environment a lot, sometimes falling right through walls and finding ourselves stuck inside cavities, prompting Fast Travel to different destinations. The camera, while mostly good as mentioned earlier, still doesn’t like tight spots (sometimes triggering said clipping). So there can be moments of struggle and feeling hung up on the world.
That said, none of the challenges or tasks around BMX, nor the discipline’s specific playspaces, feel rehashed or reskinned. This is all designed from the ground up to be about BMX and as a result, it feels unique, albeit in need of some post-launch love.
This roof's opening feels right
© Ubisoft
1. Vert-tastic
Area 52’s playspace is a creative overall filled with hidden gems when it comes to lines and gaps and awesome grinding opportunities. But it excels at transition. Spines permeate the map and with a simple push forward of your controller you can transfer and tailwhip or barspin your way to trickster glory across so much transition. And if you love vert, as we do, forget about it -- BMX has all the vert, halfpipe and bowl coverage you could want.
What stands out most of all with the vert and halfpipe aspect is how easy and rewarding it feels to ride it. There’s nothing complicated about pumping or airing out of any of the game’s lips and if you can learn -- and nail -- the heady trick manifest embedded within, you’ll feel like an old-school vert god in no time.
Riders Republic’s Season Four: Freestylin’ content is available now as part of the game’s Year Pass or in standalone form from the Ubisoft Store, or your respective platform’s marketplace.
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