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5 things you need to know about Ubisoft's Riders Republic
Announced at Ubisoft Forward, Riders Republic delivers a massive multiplayer world for players to unleash their skills. Here's all you need to know about Steep's heir to the throne.
2016's ace open-world action sports game Steep was met with strong reviews and a big fanbase. Four years is a long time in video games, so it should come as no surprise that there's since been calls for a sequel, with an eagerness to witness its stunning visuals, snowbound world and idiosyncratic charms again.
Find your competitive spirit in mass races
© Ubisoft
Ubisoft had other, more exciting plans however. Among a slew of titles showcased at the Ubisoft Forward event, including the Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time remake, Watch Dogs: Legion and Immortals Fenyx Rising, Steep's spiritual successor Riders Republic was a surprise of the most pleasant variety.
So, what can you expect from the upcoming "mass multiplayer outdoor extreme sports game"? Here's all you need to know.
1. Massive multiplayer
Most notable about Riders Republic is the emphasis on its multiplayer community, with up to 50 players all able to compete across an array of modes and activities on brilliantly varied terrains. The 50-player mass races are exactly what they sound like – a chaotic rush to the finish that promises some truly anarchic events.
However, if the idea of 50 people all lining up to hurtle down a mountain doesn't pique your interest, there's a number of ways for players to join together and compete within the game's multiplayer playground. Whether you're lining up in PVP events to do battle with races and tricks, teaming up to compete in Team Arena modes, or taking on the best of the best in Cup modes, Riders Republic has a multiplayer world to get lost in. Speaking of which...
Enter a massive multiplayer world
© Ubisoft
2. An awe-inspiring open world
Arguably Steep's most incredible feature was its vast open world, with peaks, valleys and a whole lot of snow becoming the player's canvas. Thankfully, Ubisoft have embraced this with gusto, not only matching Steep's snowy vistas, but building an even bigger world for players to explore, compete within and marvel at.
Now, players can roam across a world comprised of iconic US national parks, taking in the likes of Yosemite Valley, Zion, Bryce Canyon and more to offer a single playground that encompasses scorched-earth canyons, staggering cliff tops and, of course, snowy mountains all in one, seamlessly blended location.
3. Pick your sport
With a host of different landscapes to explore in Riders Republic, progress may well be inhibited if you were forced to drag a mountain bike up a snow-covered cliff, or a set of skis through a thicket of woodland. This, obviously, didn't go unnoticed by Ubisoft, who've offered players an appropriately diverse range of extreme sports to tackle in the world.
Hop on a bike and enjoy some freestyle, enduro, cross country and more on two wheels. Or, you could get gnarly on a snowboard, hitting the peaks however you see fit, including freeride, alpine and X Cross. If you're a sucker for the snow then grab your skis, or, if you’re a true adrenaline junkie, pull on a proximity wingsuit to take to the sky, riding fast and low in epic Rocket Wing Races.
4. Create your legend
While emphasis in Riders Republic has very much been placed on multiplayer, the game still offers much in the way of genuine progression beyond seeing an arbitrary level counter tick into the 100s.
Master different terrains
© Ubisoft
Offering a career mode in which you enter the fray as a talented upstart, eager to build your legend in the world, players are given the chance to start their journey in one of the following races: Bike Freestyle, Bike Racing, Ski Freestyle, Ski Racing, Wingsuit and Rocket Wingsuit. Each of these will offer their own career progression, with challenges and skills learned to take you to the very top. You can also unlock legendary sponsors, including Red Bull, and get yourself invited to compete at iconic events.
Not only that, but through career progression you'll obtain gear to either help you get the fastest time, or just look damn good while doing it, as well as statistics you can tweak to ensure your player is best suited to how you want to take on the world.
5. Brace yourself for next-gen
With a game that'll boast not only a vast open world, but 50 people competing within it, it's no surprise to see that Ubisoft set their sights on the power of next-gen for Riders Republic. Arriving on February 25, 2021 and hitting PS4, Xbox One, Stadia and PC, as well as being optimised for PS5 and Xbox Series X – with gameplay promised at 60 FPS – we can expect an experience even slicker than our moves on the slopes.
