Ever dreamt of racing the TT, only to discover you're lacking the necessary, girnomous set of cahonas? Not just me then. The TT has forever been a well-rounded event, as fulfilling to watch as is it to participate, and now both perspectives are being blurred out, thanks to the TT Isle of Man - Ride on the Edge 2 game. Featuring lifelike graphics of the entire 60.72km mountain course, plus 27 official TT riders and 13 genuinely good machines to pick up from, this second-gen game is nothing short of spectacular as we have discovered since the lockdown hit us.
If you're familiar with the first iteration, you know this no two-bit stab in the dark. The game is a major improvement and there are additionally 17 road race courses to hone your skills on, plus an expansive proving ground and rewarding challenges to go with it. Machines and components now fatigue over time and there's also the scope to spec up your bike with tuned motors, chassis, suspension brakes and so on.
How is it like to play? It's intoxicating. it had me hooked from the get-go, desparate to get my head around the arcade-like handling, haphazard road surfaces and abundance of blind corners that demand your attention. It's hard work, but massively rewarding and well worth the pain to put your thumbs through as you press for your dear life on the controller. Just like the real course, you have to adapt to the continuosly changing conditions. The lighting changes, addition of fog and the distraction of noises adds to the obstacles and tension. The bikes sound very accurate as well. There are three tiers of rivals as you go through the career mode. It's fun to brush off elbows with the bigwigs on replica machinery. Off track, the workshop keeps you busy plus you get to sign contracts and what not!
If you're into motorcycles, make sure you download the digital copy via Steam, available for PC, Xbox 360 and PS4. Prices start at Rs 4,500.