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Intro
I'll admit it: I've never been much for motorcycles, as they simply don't
appeal to me. However, when the chance came to review Riding Spirits, I
jumped at the chance to try out the game heralded as being "Gran Turismo
with motorcycles". It therefore saddens me to say that, for the most part,
the game doesn't stand up to the hype.
Gameplay: 7/10
There are four modes of play worth noting
in this game: the titular Riding Spirits mode, Battle, Time Attack, and
Quick Race. The last two really need no further description as the titles are
very self explanatory, and don't get too carried away when thinking about Battle
mode, as this is just a fancy name for two-player mode. As a result, the Riding
Spirits mode is where all of your time will be spent.
In said mode,
you choose a bike to start with, as well as an outfit and a helmet to match your
stylish threads. You then enter different competitions to earn not only prestige,
but more money as well. It is with this reward money that you can buy performance
upgrades for your bike -- much as one would do for a car in GT3 -- or if
you so fancy, a new outfit to race in, although I fail to see the point in buying
new clothes aside from having different color schemes. Of course, you will eventually
earn enough money to buy another bike from a tremendous selection based upon real-world
counterparts such as Yamaha, Suzuki, Honda, or Kawasaki.
The racing itself
is where the game seems to lose its magic, for even though the mechanics and ideas
are very simple -- accelerate and lean forward on the straight sections, brake
for the turns -- I simply cannot successfully negotiate any turn, which constantly
allows the computer to pull ahead by a good half-lap or so, which is infuriating
to say the least. However, it was nice of the development team to add a license
feature, which is more or less a direct lift of the same mode from GT3,
and essentially just allows you to learn the maneuvers needed to succeed.
Players out there who are good at this type of game will ultimately find
themselves rewarded with access to over 200 real-world motorcycles as well as
14 different tracks. As for me, I'm that grease stain next to the wrecked bike
on turn 3; feel free to say hi.
Graphics: 7/10
Riding Spirits really isn't up to par with other
racing titles on the Playstation 2, which is a shame since there aren't nearly
as many things simultaneously happening on-screen as in, say, GT3. This
shortcoming could have been easily overlooked if there were just a few more things
scattered about the backgrounds to hold interest, or maybe a few more polygons
on the riders or bikes, not to mention more detailed and/or sharper quality textures;
sadly, this problem is left unaddressed.
Sound:
7/10
The music is very forgettable, as none of the tracks have any particularly
memorable beats, and are of a rather odd background, often forcing you race to
tracks reminiscent of Hispanic guitar folk tunes, or operatic numbers, which feel
out of place at times. Personally, I want racing music with a bit more kick and
energy to it, and while there are some techno tracks, they feel rather sedated.
At least the high-pitched sounds of the motorcycle engines seem dead-on. Control:
6/10
Never having ridden a motorcycle, I'm not exactly sure about the realism
of the controls, though this doesn't keep me from marking it down a few notches
for its sheer inaccessibility to new gamers. Turning corners is unfairly difficult,
as more often than not, you will find yourself flying out of control into a wall
regardless of how you time your brake. Thankfully, the programmers have included
the ability to set an "auto-lean" option, making the ride much easier
for those of us not familiar with motorcycles.
Overall:
7/10
Sadly, Riding Spirits is a title best suited for those out there
who already have a love for the crotch-rocket. For the rest of us, this game more
or less proves itself to be not only a letdown, but frustrating as well. So be
warned: if you're expecting just another pick-up-and-play racing game, then you
may want to look elsewhere, as Riding Spirits seems to be made only for
those who know exactly what they're getting into. [
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