MASS EFFECT
The presence of other players can sometimes be an annoyance when you’re just trying to take in the sights – to which end there’s a Zen Mode that gives you the run of the place, albeit without the ability to make any progress. But there’s value in people-watching: it can be quite instructive or even mildly educational, and certainly amusing when they stack a trick or collide headfirst with a rock. The multiplayer Mass Race events, meanwhile, are Riders Republic in messy microcosm. The way the announcement sends a sudden rush of players to the start line is thrilling; lining up alongside 63 other players equally so. But good luck making out what’s going on when all 64 of you are hurtling downhill together at the same time, and in the same gear.