Whilst most gaming petrolheads will see themselves sorted with the likes of the Forza, DIRT, GRID and WRC, for others, especially those who prefer the two-wheeled leather-clad life to that of four-wheels, the motorcycle scene is where it is at. There are a good number of decent bike racers out there too, mostly in the form of RIDE and the MotoGP series from Milestone Studios. But very soon another bike-fuelled adrenaline rush will be hitting console and PC with the launch of RiMS Racing. And it’s looking like Milestone are going to have a fight on their hands to stay at the top of the bike game.
RiMS Racing is the latest bike racer to join the ever-lengthening option list for gamers on Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch or PC, with Raceward Studios and Nacon preparing to push it out to market come August 19th 2021. It’s thanks to those teams too for giving us insight ahead of time, detailing what is going to make RiMS tick when it arrives globally.
RiMS Racing isn’t looking to go straight up against the might of Milestone, and Raceward are keen to stress that they are taking an altogether different approach to the likes of RIDE. You see, RiMS is not just about the riding; it’s also about tinkering with your bikes, learning the ins and outs, and the finer details of how and why the changes you are making to your bike, will ultimately make it faster.
It’s sold as the ultimate motorbike simulation, coming complete with a level of detail that has never been seen before in a bike game. It’s a game in which you’ll be able to buy the very best sports bikes from a range of manufacturers. It’s a game in which you’ll then get to work on your bike, fettling and tinkering until every last screw is optimised. It’s a game in which you’ll race, all over the world, on some of the most famous tracks and circuits from the real world. And you’ll be doing all these across a range of single player and multiplayer modes, with a full career, single racing, private tests, online challenges, online race and cup events and even split-screen opportunities all present.
Working through the three elements and RiMS certainly looks to cover most bases. Bikes-wise it contains machines from some of the biggest manufacturers from the world over. There are names that just trip off the tongue: Aprilia, BMW, Ducati, Honda, Kawasaki, MV Augusta, Suzuki and Yamaha bikes and parts are all promised. And whilst only eight bikes may seem to skimp, from there upwards of 500 spare parts from official brands and licenses will see you being able to personalise your bikes to your heart’s content. Throw in 200 odd customisable options for both your bike and rider too, and well, it’s easy to see how much detail Raceward are putting in.
Once you do have the bike of your dreams, the routes, tracks and circuits you have at your disposal are just as iconic. Silverstone in the UK is in the house, as is the legendary Laguna Seca, Paul Ricard, the Nurburgring and more. Each of these will come with a single circuit route with reverse laps available.
There will also be some of the biggest names in road racing too – the Great Victoria Desert, Passo San Marco, and the Atlantic Ocean Road are just three of the five which will be fully playable in RiMS Racing.
But it’s the finer detail that RiMS really looks to nail. A career is obviously going to be the main draw and it’s in here where you’ll be able to manage your calendar and events, improve your team structure and skills and manage your parts, your inventory and your bike as a whole. In fact, Raceward speak of your bike being your baby, and promise that with time you’ll fully understand how and why each and every part is essential to any bike rider. You’ll need to do this too as an integral part of RiMS Racing will be checking in on your bike via a real time telemetry system that will allow you to optimise nearly every single part.
And then there’s the multiplayer angle, with split-screen opening this up to a wider range of bike racers. It’ll probably be the online challenges and race events that see the biggest uptake, as gamers prove their worth to others across the globe. In fact, the only downside we see with this is the usual Nacon take on cross-gen gaming; with no Smart Delivery and no cross platform play, the separation between Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S; PS4 and PS5 players may mean the online racetracks are bereft of riders. We’ll find out come launch though.
However, if you’re looking for depth to your bike racing, we’re pretty sure that RiMS Racing on Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch and PC will deliver. With the best motorbikes in the world available, a combination of some of the most iconic tracks and circuits, and enough detail and innovation to ensure this could be seen as an educational tool as well as a bike racer, it’s not just going to be about the racing but how well you understand the mechanical side too.
We’ll be sure to remind you when RiMS Racing releases come August 19th 2021. It’ll hit the garages of Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch and PC through Steam.
Huge thanks go out to Nacon and Raceward Studios for inviting us to take a look at RiMS ahead of time.
