In the world of motorsport few events have the legacy that the Isle of Man TT has, which sees the bravest of riders in the world throwing their leg over a number of horsepower hungry machines and battling it out to be the King of the Mountain. TT Isle of Man: Ride on the Edge 3 is the third instalment taking to the grid to tackle this institution of road racing.
The Tourist Trophy is praised and feared in equal measure. 265 riders having been killed on the Mountain Course at various events since it was first used in 1911.
New Riders at the Handlebars
Developed by Italian RaceWard Studio this time out instead of series stalwarts Kylotonn, but don’t let this put you off, as they were the team behind the often overlooked RiMS Racing – which was an interesting spin on the world of bike racing.
TT Isle of Man: Ride on the Edge 3 is once again all about one thing and that’s being crowned the King of the Mountain. Or winning the TT if you’re new to this world.
For a series built around a more sim style of racing, this new instalment mostly sticks to those guns.
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However, the game does offer ways to take the somewhat legendarily brutal difficulty down a few notches for newcomers. TT Isle of Man: Ride on the Edge 3 offers a comprehensive set of options for bike neophytes to take off the training wheels.
New Handlebars at the Riders
The game has also seen a few major changes as well, as career mode sees you free to roam the island as you see fit between races, as out with the TT circuit there are some 124-odd miles of the black stuff for you to rip up.
This is needed a bit, as there are only 8 official circuits which do feed from the island’s rich history; for example the St John’s Short Course which was used from 1907 and 1910.
But let’s be honest we are all here to take on the 37.73-mile long Snaefell Mountain Course. This is an epic challenge, and far from a 5-minute blast of fun. And if you want to take on the best, you’re going to have to earn the right first.
Earning the Right
So you must take on 8 different qualifying events across a handful of different race types. From standard starts, to staggered – you have to set the fastest time. Standard races are solid with the AI bringing their A-game, even on the normal settings. Dropping the difficulty sees them braking a bit too early at times, which often ends with you losing the racing line or worse still, running into their backside.
As for bike classes you can ride both Superbikes and Supersports even to the point you can run both “seasons” simultaneously, jumping between each from race to race. This is a plus when compared to other racer’s career modes.
With this being a fully licenced title, you get all of bikes and riders from the 2022 Isle of Man TT; such as Michael Dunlop, Conor Cummins, Davey Todd and Peter Hickman to name a few, plus the legend 23 time winner – John McGuinness.
Super Bikes
The latest monsters from BMW, Yamaha, Honda, Kawasaki, Triumph and Suzuki are here. The game only features the Superbike and Supersport classes. And this is a shame for fans as the depth of Superstock, Supertwin and TT Zero is missing.
The open-world side is a great training ground but it’s a bit dead. There is no other traffic, no racers and no fans at the side. All you get is the odd farmer in his tractor.
The open-world mode is crying out for the Forza Horizon treatment. One where you could spot another rider, drive up next to them and start a short point to point race for example. Or maybe throw in a few nice collectables. These could tell you a bit of history or facts about the island and racing history.
At the Bars
Handling is a bit easier to get to grips in TT Isle of Man: Ride on the Edge 3 than with past titles. A number of settings options can easily match the game to your skills. That said, TT Isle of Man: Ride on the Edge 3 is still a tricky game to master even the basics. Most newcomers will still go sidesways down the road, rather than kissing the apex for a good few races.
But in time you’ll get to grips with the game’s physics. You’ll learn how your bike handles. And eventually, you’ll be tempted to take the training wheels off and experience this take on the RiMS Racing system.
Clean Road
Graphics-wise, TT Isle of Man: Ride on the Edge 3 is a mixed bag at times. The highly detailed bikes clash sometimes with an oft basic-looking world. This is not helped by the environments feeling so empty.
However, things do step up a gear when the heavens open and it rains. Everything looks better wet oddly. TT Isle of Man: Ride on the Edge 3 does deliver the most important thing – a solid sense of speed. And this sense of speed is captured especially well in the first person helmet cam.
The audio of TT Isle of Man: Ride on the Edge 3 has improved over its predecessors. Bikes sound beefy and throaty. Lots of backfire only adds to the sense you are riding something with extraordinary power.
A New Route
Fans of the games of the TT itself will love what’s here and the unique challenge it delivers. TT Isle of Man: Ride on the Edge 3 feels like a passing of the torch to a studio unafraid to try something new. And this move has added to the game and what’s here may hint at the potential of the series.
Newcomers may find it a bit of a rough ride for a bit. Hang on in there though, and that illustrious crown will be all yours.