Trials Rising Review πŸ‘

4min read

Trials Rising, and the Trials series as a whole, fully embraces the "Easy to Learn, Hard to Master" motto as a core game design pillar and provides an experience that is easier to get into for new players while providing the challenging gameplay that the series is known for.

In Trials, players are tasked with riding a motorcycle from point A to point B on a 2D track as fast as possible without crashing. The player controls the bike and the rider with the left analog stick for leaning the rider back and forward on the bike, the right trigger for gas and the left trigger for reverse/brake.

Trials games are easy to learn due to their minimalist control scheme. It is so simple that one might think that Trials games have no depth… However, this couldn’t be further from the truth.

The depth and complexity that make Trials games hard to master reveal themselves when players attempt to beat tracks as fast as they possibly can and when playing difficult tracks which require extreme precision, reflexes and the use of advanced techniques to get past.

For example: - “Bunny hop” - “Back wheel hop” - “Stationary Bunny hop” - “Endo hop” - “Switch Hop” - “Fender grab” - “Squishy” - “Front/Back wheel” - “Reverse climb” - “Fapping” - “Slide”

… Just to name a few.

Performing these advanced maneuvers consistently and using them at the right time while maintaining finessed control of the bike and rider lies at the heart of the deep Trials gameplay experience.

Watching the best players blitz through a track as fast as possible or getting through extremely difficult tracks is an inspiring experience that can easily encourage a player onto their own journey of achieving Trials mastery due the easy to learn nature of the game.

The latest game in the series is the recently released Trials Rising; it’s exactly what you’d expect; the biggest Trials game yet with changes made to the core formula to broaden the appeal of the game for a wider audience by making it easier to learn than ever before.

A Trials game has never been more welcoming to new players than in Trials Rising due to several key additions:

A fleshed out tutorial system teaches the fundamentals and more complex aspects of Trials gameplay. A beloved community member known for teaching players how to play Trials games, Professor FatShady, was heavily involved in the development of the tutorial system and his positive influence shines through.

Extensive customization options allow players to truly personalize their rider and bikes. You can mix and match pieces of clothing as you would expect however players can now customize each piece of clothing to create their own unique look.

Contracts are tasks that require the player to play through a particular track respecting certain constraints like beating the track within a certain amount of time. These contracts give the player in-game currency, stickers and gear as a reward for completing them and act as a diversion from the regular Trials gameplay.

The new tutorial system, the expanded rider/bike customization options as well as the contracts system help all players, but new players specifically, to continuously overcome challenges suited to their skill level while remaining invested in the game.

Existing fans can look forward to official ninja difficulty level tracks as well as an improved track editor which coupled with the cross-platform support for custom tracks will improve the longevity of the game and keep the player-created track ecosystem healthy for everyone.

If you’ve never played a Trials game then Trials Rising is the most welcoming by far for new players. If you’ve played a Trials game in the past then Trials Rising is unlikely to disappoint you.

For Trials players old and new, I recommend Trials Rising strongly however given that the game is currently plagued with bugs I would recommend waiting a couple weeks or months for patches to be released unless you are extremely enthusiastic about jumping into the game right away.