RIDERS REPUBLIC

Extreme sports with 50-plus riders to push PlayStation 5 to its limits.

“BALANCING ON A THIN PATH WITH MASSIVE DROPS ON EITHER SIDE.”

“MASS STARTS

ARE RULE-BENDING, CHAOTIC RACES WHERE 50 PLAYERS COMPETE AT ONCE.”

also 6v6 PvP multiplayer arenas; online tournaments that’ll highlight the best players; and ‘mass starts’ – rule-bending chaotic races where more than 50 players (yes, more than) all compete at once in what can only be described as a swarm.

Those huge races are one area where Ubisoft Annecy is really pushing the limits of the next gen, as in the PS4 version those races target “more than 20”. In addition, the game is aiming for a butterysmooth 60fps on PS5 while it does so, which could make it one of the best games to showcase the evolution of online on PlayStation 5.

Really, Riders Republic is all about playing how you want to play, and if it’s anything like Steep it’ll do a great job catering to that. If the larger multiplayer events don’t do it for you, there’s plenty to experience solo. You can also enjoy quite a lot of interaction with other players without having to compete with them, such as meeting them in the social hub, getting inspired by their outfits and their skills, or just taking part in your own challenges near others doing the same. You don’t need to be on a solitary hilltop to get zen – you can achieve it by sharing a passion for extreme sports gameplay.

It’s also up to you whether you specialise in a single discipline or go for a jack-of-all-trades approach. Skis, snowboards, and wingsuits

(with rocket variants) return from Steep, with bikes being the big new addition. Two-wheelers include road, freestyle, slopestyle, enduro, and downhill models, all suited to different types of event. When you’re balancing over a thin path atop a mountain with massive drops on either side, you’re going to want to have brought the bike you trust the most.

The gang’s all here, and Dave even turned up in his acid panda outfit. Lucky us.

Right Play in first-person and get your barf bag at the ready. Dizzying, dangerous stunts look stunning on PS5 and maybe too realistic.

Left Escape the crowds of bikes to… join the crowds of paragliders. The skies aren’t the limit in this game.

Above Snowboarding is a trick-heavy discipline in which maintaining balance is key. Everything’s customisable too, so you can look good doing it.

Above Bikes join returning disciplines from Steep: wingsuits (including rocket variants), skis, and snowboards.

Above The game will push PlayStation 5 with over 50 players at once tearing it up at 60fps. That’s extreme, erm, dude.