Wheel World

This game rocks. The vibes are great, the soundtrack is good, and the art style isn't trying to be some ultra real crap. Instead it's something, you know, artistic. The story is there in the same way the story in an old arcade game is there - it serves as a backdrop, not as an actor. And I think that works fine for what is at the end of the day a racing game. I only had one issue I'd have complained about, but it was fixed before I completed the game, which was the collisions with other riders. Now it's not an issue.

A pleasant surprise! The game description and quite odd theme pulled me in initially, but I still expected very little as I don't love cycling (it's okay), nor have I ever bought a game including cycling. HOWEVER, so far I'm having a blast, there's something quite satisfying about the racing, unlocking the new parts and finding the hidden nuggets in the game both in the racing and free roam. If you're on the fence, I would go for it! Really unique and fun game! EDIT after completing: SOME cons however include: - The AI can be incredibly annoying, especially in later stages, where they constantly ram you off the track entirely. The cars in the game are also quite unpredictable and irritating.

If you are into exploration, this game is so much fun. Wheel World is a small yet surprisingly ambitious open-world game. I had a blast form beginning to end, the cycling itself is arcadey but has depth to it, the art direction is really beautiful and relaxing, and the game progression is surprisingly satisfying. Also, the game has an awesome reveal that I didn't see coming. Honestly there is more to this game that it initially seems. The highlight of Wheel World is the map, each area and town is just so relaxing, gorgeous, and it just feels like a place you want to live in. The writing and characters are full of charm and silly jokes, even if this is the aspect of the game that to me could use the most improvement. I would love to see a game from this studio that leans into the silliness and humor while still telling a compelling human story with more gravitas. As a collectathon fiend I loved the amount of secrets to find in this game, that forced me to really explore each part of the map and get to know each area really well. Additionally, the upgrade system is surprisingly impactful, I experimented with tons of builds and each one felt very impactful and often necessary if you want to be a completionist. My other criticism for this game is its difficulty and the music. The difficulty feels a bit too breezy, even when you are trying to achieve all the optional goals. I think they could've added more challenge while still maintaining the game relaxing. And the music is good, don't get me wrong, but honestly feels a bit generic, and it kind of doesn't match the vibe of the game that much for me. I just wished that the soundtrack was a bit more unique and had more character. Really great game, highly recommend for a chill experience and for fans of exploration games!