Tour de France 2017 PlayStation 4 Review

Creating a video game for cycling is an ambitious task. It is less accessible to the general public and would not be as straight forward as a soccer or basketball game. Nevertheless, Cyanide Studio’s Tour de France 2017 is immensely fun and acts as a benchmark for cycling games moving forward.

If you’ve ever watched a cycling race, you will know they are long and very tedious at times. It seems like an impossible task to make a fun game out of it, however, Tour de France 2017 is exactly that. Players have endless gameplay, as they can choose to take part in the Dauphine, the Triptyque Tour, or the better known Tour De France, all in full. Players can choose to control any one of the 22 teams, and all have different goals and objectives: one may be to place in the top three of the yellow jersey classification, while others may want you to win the sprinters green jersey. Or challenge yourself in the ‘Pro Team’ mode, which allows you to “meet the desires of your sponsor, improve your team and take part in new races across the seasons.”

Adding to the fun, you can take part in challenges solo or against a friend where you descent from mountains as fast as possible and attempt to set online records. Adding to customisation in the game, you also have the option to create your own tour; just select the stages you want to ride in order.

What struck me at first was the sheer effort required to succeed in this game. Other than a few basic tutorials, the learning curve for many players who do not follow cycling would be high. Great strategy and tactics are required for this game, and players who persist will feel a sense of accomplishment. When you finally bridge that gap on the leader of the general classification during a mountain stage, the satisfaction is real.

The Pro Team mode is essential, as statistics seem far too important in this game. It is hard to succeed with lower teams in Tour mode, and at times it seems statistics outweigh tactical prowess and decision making. The Pro Team mode however, allows you to build your team over a period of time and aim for those riders with top stats.

If you choose not to utilise the ‘quick stage’ feature, you may find yourself fast-forwarding many of the boring bits of each stage, however if this game has taught me one thing, it is to not take your eyes off the action. It is a game that surprisingly keeps you on your toes and rewards close attention and tactical decision making.

During the race, you are responsible for delegating instructions to each of your riders, while generally controlling one and having the option of switching between them. Going for breakaways and springs is riveting, however, controlling your cyclist for long periods of time can be awkward when not using the ‘follow’ feature. Less clunky controls for greater precision and direction over your rider when traversing the mountains would not go astray.

That being said, when you do pull off a perfectly timed attack, or superbly manage your energy bar throughout a stage, you do feel a great sense of joy.

Adding to further awkwardness: team commands can be rather unpredictable. There are certain points in each race when you need to make a split decision, but it is arduous trying to issue commands on the fly. And once you do issue the right command, your team member may not carry it out or end up doing something else. This latter issue is only occasionally however; generally, the system results well, just needs some cleaning up in the useability department. The game should be a test of your tactics and judgement, not your ability to navigate the in-game interface.

The visuals are excellent and immersive. Sitting back in the saddle and cruising through many beautiful landscapes of the French countryside is deeply satisfying. Piercing through rows of shouting crowds on steep mountains pumps you up and feels like you are right there. Immersion is sometimes overlooked in sport games, however, playing Tour de France 2017 is a grossly immersive experience.

The inclusion of a local co-op feature is very pleasant and is vital to match other sporting games. Local co-op on console games is mostly dead except for in sporting games, and it is good to see Cyanide Studio following through with this. You are able to compete in a whole tour in split screen, thus not relying on online to have fun with your friends.

Tour de France 2017 is a tidy game that ambitiously tackles the sport of cycling and succeeds. While it may not be as accessible as FIFA or NBA 2K, those with a keen interest in cycling and enjoy having their strategical minds challenged will be able to able to experience endless hours of this game. Once you overlook the sometimes clunky controls, this is a game no cycling fan wants to miss.

Gabriel Polychronis, NoobFeed