Be the king of illegal hydro-racing, cutting through the water at top speed on your jet ski in Riptide GP Renegade. In this sequel of Riptide GP Racing, you’re a hydro-racer that was kicked off the circuit, and now you’re trying to make a comeback and reclaim your spot on top of the hydro-racing scene.
General Gameplay
The game is all about hydro-racing in a futuristic world. You have a jet ski that you race throughout different courses and in different racing styles of events, from stunts, knockout and a general race. You earn prize money and experience points that you can use to upgrade your jet ski. Also, during the races, you can do tricks to get a speed boost to use in the race. The game is divided into sections in career mode; you’ll work your way up to a “boss race” to progress further into the story/career mode.
Audio
Everything from the sound effects of the hydro jet engines to water splashing sounds great in the game. The game has a techno style of soundtrack which is a catchy tune for the game settings. The game does not have any audio dialog so for parents there is nothing offensive with the in game audio. Also the game is in 5.1 surround sound. The audio can be adjusted for gamers that are using headsets to play the game, but as always please monitor your gaming family members extended use of gaming headsets.
Visuals
Riptide GP: Renegade’s visuals are very sharp. From general settings of the racers to the backgrounds and even the water, it’s all well-done. You can really get the feeling that you’re actually racing on waterways and areas that are sectioned off for those types of races. One of the noticeable things that caught our eye was the impressive level of detail on the jet ski. In our playtest with our gaming family, we didn’t see anything that would be considered offensive to any members of your gaming family, except some dialogue (the same language that you would hear in a PG-rated movie, but no curse or swear words). The game doesn’t support a colorblind mode, but we do not feel it’s needed as the game’s graphics, visuals and menus are easily seen while playing.
Controls
As with any racing game, you have your triggers that are speed and brake; in Riptide GP: Renegade, there is a turbo button, too, and when jumping in the air, the thumbsticks are used to do tricks. The game is designed to do in-air tricks to get your boost meter filled… this is the only thing we saw that was different from other racing games. In playtesting the game, we did not see any issues with the controls, and even our special needs gamers were able to play without any issues. As the game is a racing game, there is no need of any type of special controller or other accessories to play the game.
“Riptide GP: Renegade is a great hydro-racing game that is like the Fast and Furious series but without wheels”
Delivery
What makes Riptide GP: Renegade special is that it is one of those racing games that you will not find often on the consoles, and it is a fun game to play. It is unique in its style of racing, it is very easy to pick up and play and the soundtrack is actually a decent one. For special needs gamers, the controls, visuals and general gameplay are fun and not frustrating for gamers at any skill level. With that said, there were some concerns that did come up, but we will cover those in our Family Friendly Section.
Family Friendly
While play testing Riptide GP: Renegade, one of the major concerns that came up was the longevity of the game. There are different types of races in the game, and you can customize the Jet Ski, but with a predictable story we do ask how long someone can play the game before it feels repetitive. One of the many curses of all racing games is that to keep the player engaged, the game has to have new courses, types of races and other things that will keep the gamer playing but sadly, Riptide GP: Renegade does not have much of this at all. After the first set of races and getting upgrades, you may get the sense that there isn’t much else to do. During our playtest we did see some tracks get tedious quickly, as they were in circulation for the majority of the game, and with the same music playing. The only break from the racing was the story, which most of our gaming family found to be a bit predictable at times – but again, it is a racing game, so this is common. The boss races were either very easy or very hard; there was no middle ground. Also, some of the stunt races seemed too much of a grind to keep people engaged. Now, is that saying that Riptide GP: Renegade is a bad game? No, but it is a game in which some of your family gaming may get bored of, unless they are a racing fan – then they should be ok. If anything, the game should be looked at as a good break from other gaming, as it is a unique game that anyone in your gaming family can pick up and play. Will the game replace other racing titles in your digital library? No, but it is still a fun game to add to it.
Closing
Riptide GP: Renegade is a fun water racer, but with a limited set of levels and soundtrack choices, the game can eventually stall… but when you first get it going, it is a fun ride! It’s definitely a must-have for racing fans or those looking for a break from playing the types of games that take 20 hours or more to play through.
