PlayStation Magazine - 05.2020

082

REVIEW

INFO

FORMATPS4

ETAOUT NOW

PUBBIGBEN

INTERACTIVE

DEVKYLOTONN

TT ISLE OF MAN:

RIDE ON THE EDGE 2

Looked at the bike? Sorry, you’ve fallen off already

A

fter the surprise brilliance of the

original, a sequel was inevitable.

But what could be improved? Well,

the biggest change from the first

game is in the bike handling, which has been

rebuilt from scratch for better feedback and

‘gyroscopic effect’. On full simulation this

is indeed evident (though slightly shy of

Milestone’s best) but, for the layman, on

default settings it’s actually easier to play,

making for a better videogame. So win/win.

After you’ve fallen off the back of the bike within

the first two seconds from accelerating too

hard, the difference in playability is immediately

apparent. Jumps don’t automatically equal a fall

like they used to, though they’re still punishing

compared to most games, and you can rattle

along the walls a little more than before, though

leaving the track by even 10cm is still 80%

likely to result in a crash, so don’t think this

has turned into an arcade racer. Players lacking

patience will soon be in tears.

Career mode includes a full season of qualifiers

• mostly set on wide roads in Ireland – before
  you can take part in the scarily narrow Isle Of
  Man TT competition itself in year two. Sponsors
  and their targets are mandatory for that first
  season, after which you can choose to go it alone,
  which is a nice touch, and the helpful voiceover,

clear difficulty indicators, and

ultra-cool menu music all make

you feel welcome.

ROAM RASH

However, outside career mode

it’s a very different story. Free

Roam mode feels contradictory

considering you’re limited to

riding on the roads rather than

exploring the inviting tracks

to the side. Challenge mode is

virtually identical; only small

events are present, awarding

perks and upgrades, but the

challenge events feel cheap and

uninspiring, with some abysmal

waypoint marking that doesn’t

even highlight the track route

on the minimap (or the events,

for that matter), making this

great game suddenly feel like a

5/10 racer. Very disappointing.

Graphically, the roads look

better than ever thanks to a

steadier 30fps framerate and

improved lighting, and the

modest draw-in is forgivable

considering the scenic variety

and supreme draw distances.

If you’re brave enough to

switch off the recommended

racing line, the scenery makes

for a wonderfully liberating

experience as you zoom

through tree tunnels and down

coastal roads at 190mph. It’s

gorgeous when it hits its stride.

Barring that unconvincing

challenge mode, and the rather

chromatic-sounding low

engine notes on acceleration,

this is a high-quality package

that encapsulates the sport

it’s aiming to simulate. But

the three main environments

soon become overly familiar,

and when the main pull is still

that rush of danger that the

previous game already delivered

so well, it’s hard to say this

sequel is truly essential.

TWO FOR T(T) @CatGoneCrazy

VERDICT

As you fall off

repeatedly you can

at least agree it’s

a lovely day for it.

The improved handling makes

for a much more playable game

and career mode is satisfying

and slick. It’s a little stretched-

feeling and overly-familiar, but

still a class act. Justin Towell