TT Isle of Man: Ride on the Edge | Xbox One | Review

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The Isle of Man TT. Even those with only a passing interest in the world of motorsport will most likely have heard of this iconic event. Now, thanks to the arrival of TT Isle of Man: Ride on the Edge, fans can (safely) get closer than ever to the infamously dangerous race.

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by Liam
​Andrews

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​@liam_andrews5

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Developer: ​Kylotonn
​​Publisher: Bigben Interactive
Platforms: Xbox One, PS4, PC
​Players: ​1 - 8

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For those completely unfamiliar, the Isle of Man TT is an annual event in which riders descend upon the small eponymous island, located in the Irish Sea, to take on the Snaefell Mountain Course. Unlike your standard race track, this course includes regular everyday roads and locations - having been closed, of course - with riders hurtling through narrow high streets and country lanes at incredible speeds, as even the smallest mistake could prove fatal.

​It’s that thrill (or arguably, madness) which Kylotonn have tried to replicate in Ride on the Edge, with mixed results. The developers have nailed the sense of speed, danger and authenticity, but clumsy AI, a few bugs and a lacklustre career mode hamper the overall experience. From a purely simulation point of view, however, Ride on the Edge achieves what it sets out to do - providing players with a perfect replica of the full Snaefell Mountain Course and its landmarks, from Creg-ny-Baa and The Hawthorn to Parliament Square.

The names of these locations pop up as you pass them, helping you to memorise the course whilst racing through it at breakneck speeds. It’s quite a lengthy track, after all - 37.73 miles to be precise - which, even in videogame form, is no small undertaking. If, like us, you’re no Valentino Rossi when it comes to racing, then you’re looking at around 25 – 30 minutes per lap (not including stopping to refuel) with a total commitment of nearly 2 hours to complete the four laps that comprise the TT Trophy.

Despite the ability (at least in single-player mode) to pause at any moment and take a break, completing just one or two laps in a single sitting is a significant challenge due to the level of concentration required; take your eyes off the yellow chevrons showing you how, and at what speed, to best approach a corner and you’ll likely end up barrelling headfirst into a someone’s front garden.

The developers have nailed the sense of speed, danger and authenticity.

Fortunately, the game gives you the option to slice up the large course and enjoy it piecemeal, letting you practice specific sections or simply replay a favourite part at your leisure. If you fancy a break from it altogether, there are also nine fictional tracks much more suited to shorter play sessions.

​It’s these courses, along with the individual Snaefell sections, that make up the early parts of the no-frills career mode, where your goal is to win fame, money and, eventually, the Tourist Trophy (that’s four laps of the full track). This is something easier said than done, as winning races in Ride on the Edge is hard, even on the easiest difficulty settings - crank up the realism and simply pulling away in first gear becomes a challenge.

Without wins, there’s little chance of earning enough cash to buy faster bikes and, therefore, progressing to later tournaments. It’s also frustrating to see what wealth you do have frittered away as monthly bills pile up, though the real problem with career mode lies in the aforementioned clumsy AI that comprises your competition.

These infallible racers stick to the yellow chevrons like glue and streak along with little regard for your safety or ambitions, often sneaking up from behind and running you off the road while you’re just focussed on finishing a perfect lap. It’s a problem that effectively renders mass start races - which make up a large percentage of the tournaments on offer - obsolete, along with a big chunk of potential winnings.

Multiplayer doesn’t fare much better, with the game’s small player base limiting the race options available to those who do choose to venture online.

Unless you’re really into time trials and leaderboards, most will find there’s not much to keep them coming back for more once TT Isle of Man: Ride on the Edge’s initial thrills have worn off, meaning this is one best suited for hardcore enthusiasts only.

Pros
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• Exhilarating sense of speed
• Authentic recreation of the iconic Snaefell Mountain Course
• Plenty of bikes to choose from
• Watching races back in replay mode is surprisingly fun

​Cons

• Difficult to find fully populated online matches
• Fairly basic career mode
• Heedless AI can spoil a race

6/10​