Tour de France | Xbox One Review
There are few events that compare to the level of intense human excellence required for the Tour de France. It’s a sporting event like no other, spanning the course of 23 days and 3500km. It is a true test of a person’s will and endurance. The real question is how well does it translate into the video game world. I recently was given the opportunity to play Tour de France 2019 from Cyanide Studio, and I can say it will test the limits of anyone willing to take it for a spin. Let’s push forward and see if this could be a game for you.
First and foremost, I want to say this is not a bad game, but it definitely pushed my patience to the limit. When you first start up the game you have the option of creating your own rider, or picking from a plethora of world famous cyclists. The training section of the game does a wonderful job of breaking down the mechanics of how to push your rider to finish each section of the race. The race itself is chopped up into its 23 different sections, and are recreated with fairly accurate detail. The amount of work it takes to manage both your rider and your team is astounding. Fans of resource management type games would be hard pressed to find another game that requires this much planning. From constantly adjusting your rider’s effort, to finding the perfect time to try and break away from the pack is truly amazing.
The Long Grind
I spent a great deal of time playing through the first section of the race, refusing to use the fast forward option. If a player decides to take on the monumental task of playing through each area of the game, it would take a great deal of time. I spent a few hours just tackling that first sector.
The team function is truly something to behold, as well. You can use your teammates to protect your position, or even send them to attack the front spot and throw other riders off.. But beware because the endurance you have and use carries over day to day, and could have long term consequences.
Isn’t This 2019?
The graphics are slightly lackluster, feeling more like a late release from the last console generation, or maybe early during this generations life cycle if I’m being generous. The landscapes are beautiful parts of the country, but seem to be very bland and not fleshed out in game. Having been to France and seeing some of the areas where the race takes place, this is a huge discredit to their namesakes. Also, the lack of music during the race is something that bothers me personally. When playing any type of racing game, I would prefer to have something driving me forward to win. While playing I actually found myself listening to music from another source, which was the only help to drone out the constant white noise coming from my TV.
A Possibly Forgotten Series
Unbeknownst to me Tour de France has been an ongoing series for a few years now, and I can understand the appeal for fans of the race. The ability to hop onto a console and test your mettle against the worlds best is a concept that has always appealed to me. Whether it be a racing game, boxing, or any competition, the draw is there for these types of games to be made.
I enjoy playing games of this nature, in categories that I have a passion for. While it may seem that I am putting this game down, it more or less is a game that is not for me because the true love for it is not there. If you are a fan of the Tour de France, I feel that this could be something that would be worth trying to conquer and win your own yellow jersey.
Be sure to check out Episode 252 of our podcast to hear me talk about the game even more.
This review is based on a copy provided to The Gaming Outsider by Home Run PR for coverage purposes and is also available on PS4 and PC.
Tour de France 2019
$39.99
Pros
- Accurate Depiction
- Fun for Resource Management
- Bicyclist Dream
Cons
- Very Grindy
- Poor Graphics
