I didn’t have driving a fixed-gear bike possessed by an entity named Skully on my listing of video games to play this yr, however that’s a part of the enjoyable of attending occasions just like the ID@Xbox Showcase at GDC – you by no means know what new sport goes to catch your eye. Wheel World, with its mixture of open-world exploration, loot scouring, and surprisingly enjoyable and aggressive racing has put this radical tackle bike racing on my radar because it speeds its method to Xbox Collection X|S and Home windows PC with Xbox Play Wherever assist for launch later this yr.
In Wheel World you play Kat, a motorcycle rider fated to avoid wasting this distinctive realm that’s stuffed with rival riders, spare components, and portal potties — outhouses that work as a fast-travel choice. That hits on one other facet I loved about my time with the sport: its humor. It by no means appears to take itself too significantly, as one ought to anticipate when it incorporates a bike possessed by an entity accountable for marshaling spirits to and from the Moon. Serving to Skully collect these spirits is your central purpose throughout your time in Wheel World, however to try this you want to assemble the most effective trip doable.
Traversing the realm of Wheel World and searching for loot (spare components) is an enormous a part of the enjoyable, as you possibly can uncover this stuff that include a wide range of items to customise your bike – every part from its body, to wheels, to handlebars, and extra are all swappable which have an effect on stats like velocity and dealing with. These components may are available ‘Legendary’ standing and can provide distinctive powers like growing your increase meter to assist throughout races.
One other rule of this world is Repute, wanted to unlock higher-leveled zones, which you’ll be able to achieve by dealing with down different riders you encounter on the street, or while you take down a rival bike gang by – you guessed it – racing. Which is nice, as a result of it feels so enjoyable to trip all through Wheel World.
All of the competitions I attempted out, whether or not they had been up towards a single rider or a pack, had been very enjoyable and flippantly difficult with a pleasant pumping soundtrack working within the background (courtesy of Italians Do It Higher). As I’d glide by way of a pack of rivals, I discovered that each drafting (that’s shifting behind the rider to scale back wind resistance), and using increase on the opportune instances, had been keys to success. Profitable races may internet you coupons that you should use at bike retailers discovered throughout the world, supplying you with entry to much more spare components on your bike.
The physics for the dealing with of the bike additionally felt very pure, as you would need to think about issues like velocity round turns, heavy peddling up hills, or simply gliding downhill, all of it felt very refined – which is nice as a result of the sport depends a lot on this facet. As well as, its cell-shaded world itself is gorgeous to trip by way of, harking back to video games like Sable or Dungeons of Hinterberg.
Impartial developer Messhof describes Wheel World as concerning the pleasure and freedom of residing round bikes – and that feels just like the case right here. From racing, to tinkering, to exploring and even simply going out for a cruise by way of the hills, it captures that spirit of driving a motorcycle and the liberty of exploration that comes with it. Search for Wheel World to return to Xbox Collection X|S and Home windows PC, with assist for Xbox Play Wherever, later this yr.
Wheel World
Annapurna Interactive
Welcome to Wheel World, the place the destiny of the universe rests in your handlebars.
You might be Kat, a younger bicycle owner with one mission: save Wheel World from whole collapse. Discover a shocking open world crammed with spectacular vistas, hidden secrets and techniques, and races that may check your expertise. Customise your bike with an infinite array of components, from glossy speedsters to off-road beasts—there isn’t any restrict to how one can trip.
Wheel World is full of issues to do:
Race and Dominate: Tackle elite biking groups and quirky rivals in high-stakes races the place each second counts.
Improve Your Journey: Scour the world for uncommon components to construct the last word bike, completely tailor-made to your model.
Carry Out Your Future: Get well your stolen Legendary components to finally carry out The Nice Shift ritual and save the world. No large deal.
All of that is backed by an authentic soundtrack from Italians Do It Higher, pumping vitality into each race and moments of breathtaking semi-open world exploration.
It is time to pedal your method to glory, save the spirits of Wheel World, and maintain the universe on monitor. Hop on, trip quick, and do not look again.
