Developer: Cyanide studio
Publisher: Focus Interactive
Platform: PS4, PC, Xbox One
Tested on: PS4
Tour the France 2016 – Review
Cycling is a sport that is quite popular and there are a lot of fans that are looking forward to the several races that are held during summer. One of these is the Tour the France, which attracts a big crowd. With this game, you can impersonate one of your biggest idols and start racing yourself. See you at the finish line.
Story
As this is a simulation game, you won’t really get a specific storyline. Depending on the game mode you choose, you’ll have a different goal to achieve. For instance, when you’re tackling the ‘Pro Team’ you need to live up to the expectations of your sponsors so you can attract new blood. That being said, this type of game doesn’t really need a profound storyline, as your main focus are the races though it is good to see that there are a few different approaches.
Graphics
We’ve gotten the chance to test this game on the PS4 and although the graphics don’t really use the full possibilities that the console has to offer, the quality will certainly live up to your expectations. The several surroundings you’ll encounter while riding feel lifelike and make it much easier to immerse into the game. Both the picturesque towns as the greenery are really charming.
During your route, you’ll notice supporters standing at the side of the road, cheering you on. These people aren’t that ‘sharp’, which also counts for your cyclists. Everything is nicely finished, but some items seem to be blurred more than necessary at times. Regarding this matter, it has to be said that the acceleration is well finished as you can see your surroundings flashing by faster depending on your speed.
Sound
If you’re looking for an extensive soundtrack and a lot of diversity, you probably won’t be satisfied as the emphasis lies on the voice of the commentator and the little sounds of your bicycle, the chirping of birds and the cheers of bystanders. Everything makes it easier to dive into the game and focus on what is ahead. As expected, the voice acting is quite good. The commentator has a distinctive voice that will certainly get your attention.
Gameplay
Tour the France 2016 is a simulation game where you can compete in several of the tournaments that are held in the Tour. You have the power over one of the cyclists and have to decide when to attack or team up with teammates. In the end, your choices will determine if you win the race or not.
There are four modes to select from, giving you some possibilities. For starters, you can take part in the Tour, the Dauphiné or the Critérium International by taking control of one of the competing teams and lead them to victory. This will give you experience, which will give you the opportunity to unlock more races. If you want to do a bit of managing yourself, you can go for the ‘Pro Team’ mode where you need to select sponsors, live up to their expectations so you can grow and attract new benefactors. The third mode will give you some challenges, which you can tackle alone or with a friend. Finally, you can make your own race parkour by selecting several stages you want to ride.
Depending on the mode you’ve chosen, you can change some settings or choose a rider and then it is time for the real work. There are several things you need to keep an on eye on while racing like the wind, steepness of the road and your energy levels. When you start attacking from the start and you need to keep this pace for the rest of the race, you’ll certainly get a burndown quite fast. You don’t have any time to recuperate and you’re facing the wind head-on, which burns your energy faster. This can be solved by staying behind another cyclist, making it easier and preserving your energy. One other way to gain more speed is when your ascending a steep area, taking advantage of the aerodynamics. When you’re getting close to a burndown or you’ve used some energy to initiate an attack, you can use two different types of gel that are provided at the start. Using these will return some of the used energy. Be careful when to use it as it could mean that you just don’t have enough drive for that essential attack or help you with that burndown. These two creams are refilled approximately at the middle of the race.
When you’re riding, you can see a map at the right hand side of the screen, showing where the next important stage point is at and where you will receive refills for your gels. This way, you can also strategize when to start attacking or when to change the team tactic. This team com is quite important, as it will determine how your team reacts. Even more, you can switch with teammates which can be interesting when he is riding up ahead.
If you’re new to the game, you can go to the tutorial section first as this will give you several exercises. These will prepare you on basic aspects like attacking but also for more advanced elements like the aerodynamics. Also, you can change the colors and names of the different cyclists in the editor section. As last point, Tour the France 2016 has both singleplayer as co-op possibilities, making it possible to compete against a friend in splitscreen.
Conclusion
Tour the France 2016 gives you a fun way to dive into the world of cycling as it gives you the possibility to take control of one of your favorite cyclists. You’ll be able to race in several popular tours or you can edit the characters. Even more, you can enjoy the amazing scenery, while pondering about your next strategic move. Ready, set, go!
Tour the France 2016 - Review,
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