What do We expect from a motorcycle game? Is Super Bikes Riding Challenge (we will from now write SBRC) fitting the requirments? We tested the PS2 version of the game. It's also available for PC.
We want tracks and bikes.
There are more than 40 bikes, including bikes we don't often ride in a game like Voxan, Benelli or Ghezzi Brian. The 3D models are not that accurate, but you easily identify each bike. Textures are... well... PS2 textures. On the TV, it looks nice enough anyway. A bad point is that there are some slightly blurry gauges textures when playing in the cockpit view, BUT all the gauges are running perflectly and are readable, unlike (for example) Tourist Trophy.
There are 3 classes of bikes: nakes, Sport, and super bikes.
About tracks, there are 3 categories of tracks: Race tracks, country tracks and town tracks for more than 30 total tracks. The graphics are nice enough: when you ride fast, you don't have the time to contemplate threes or flowers. Race tracks are quite conform to their real life conterparts.
All tracks get a wet condition variant.
We want nice graphics.
Well, we tested a PS2 version... So we got PS2 graphisms.. Overall, the game is no as nice as Tourist Trophy which is for me the absolute (for now) reference about graphics, for a PS2 game.
Anyway, SBRC is far from ugly. The PS2 power dedicated to physic and Ai can't be used for graphisms...
There are two weird issues:
the rider animation and 3D model are not famous. Personnaly, I never change my posture on my GSX like that virtual dude.
When I first played the game (chasing view) the bike seemed to fly just above the road. I guess this is related to a motion aliasing issue with the rear wheel. Honestly, after a few races, I didn't noticed this anymore.
I didn't noticed major slow downs or frame rate drops, expect on one tracks, in one curve, when all the riders are grouped and desperatly trying not to bump each others. And also sometime when watching replays.
We want Realism.
Here we are...
I hate these bike games (who said MotoGP?) where you just keep the throttle wide open, do some left, right, right, left adjustments to finally win the race.
My absolute reference games are the very old MotoGP-500 (PC) and Superbike 2001 (PC)...
The first thing I made when playing SBRC was to unckeck engine, braking and posture helps. I want to controle my bike and my rider: there are separate controls for the bike and rider position, and separate front/read brakes controls.
So? My first laps where... well, awfull. After one hour, my joypad had been very often close to be trown in a wall. I may resume SBRC with four words: No Pain: No Gain.
The bikes physic is way better than Tourist Trophy. You have to be carefull with the throttle, with the rider posture on the bike, with the front – rear braking, and cornering.
The physic is really accurate. In a few word: if you don't do it in real life, don't do it the the game.
I guess each bike is note accuratly simulated, but handling, weight, accelerations and overall feeling seems ok
Engine sounds are not so good, but I enjoyed the R6 sound, really nice. Twins sounds are awfull.
A good idea is the use of skills. You rider starts with zero skills (for example: accelerating, cornering, braking, falling without being to much injured, stress resistance). After each race, depending how you rode, you get experience and can grow the skills of your choice.
I really like how stress (a bad guy trying to overtake hardly, hard cornering etc...) is rendered in game, you hear the rider heart beats and breathing and if stress is to much, controlling the bike is more difficult.
Well, about realism, SBRC is very good, hard, but DAMN GOOD!
We don't want dumb AI.
The AI is weird and wonderfull in the same time. Very unlike Tourist Trophy where the other riders are just « foolowing » the best path and not carring about you,
In SBRC, the AI is persistent: the game features recurring opponents as you advances through the game. Your skills grow, their skills grow to.
Depending on their skills, you opponents will try some stupid or glorious actions, but they are not often predictable. They are noth always following the best path: they try to intimidate you, they loose control of their bikes, they make mistakes, they fall. They absolutly don't act as robots.
The counterpart of this AI, is that they are also often doing some very human-like stupid things... As if they rode thinking they are better than they really are.
The bikes are undestructible, but the riders suffers from injuries...
Conclusion
Games modes? Single races, seasons, unlocking bikes and rider accessories (Dainese). Nothing new, but I don't care: it's a race game, I only want to race.
I didn't try the game helps: for me, SBRC is meant to be played without helps.
The game is hard, and the graphics are not as brilliant as Tourist Trophy, but don't become discouraged: it's worth the pain.
The Game Intro Video
One of my replays
The official website
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7 votes
(not translated yet) Le temps
