Wheel World Review: A Scenic Ride Derailed by Repetitive Gameplay

Welcome to Gaming News’ comprehensive review of Wheel World, the latest title from developer Messhof and publisher Annapurna Interactive. This visually striking game, which pedals its way onto PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One, promises a captivating journey through a world obsessed with bicycles. However, beneath the alluring exterior lies a gameplay loop that quickly becomes tiresome, hindering what could have been a truly memorable experience.

A World on Wheels: Setting the Stage for Adventure

Wheel World immediately throws players into the role of Kat, a protagonist who unexpectedly stumbles upon a spectral bicycle. This isn’t just any bike; it’s a conduit for guiding lost souls to the afterlife via the mysterious Great Shift. Kat’s mission is clear: aid this ghostly steed by locating legendary bike parts scattered throughout the land. This quest sets the stage for what initially appears to be an engaging open-world adventure.

The game world is segmented into visually distinct zones, each offering a unique aesthetic. Imagine traversing a verdant forest reminiscent of the Pacific Northwest, exploring sun-drenched Tuscan vineyards, or cruising along an autumnal coastline. The developers have clearly invested in creating diverse and appealing environments. The vibrant color palette and distinctive character designs further enhance the game’s visual appeal, drawing players into its whimsical world.

Ringing the Bell: Unveiling the Open-World Structure

Wheel World’s open-world structure is reminiscent of Ubisoft’s familiar “tower” formula. Players must locate bell shrines in each region, ringing them to reveal points of interest on the map. These question marks typically lead to one of three activities: races, Cyclorp drone challenges, or bike part vendors. While this system initially provides a sense of direction, the limited variety of activities soon becomes apparent, leading to a sense of déjà vu.

The Grind is Real: Unpacking the Gameplay Loop

Wheel World’s core gameplay loop revolves around completing races to earn reputation, which then unlocks the ability to challenge each region’s top cyclist for a legendary bike part. While the premise is straightforward, the execution leaves much to be desired.

Racing to Nowhere: Lack of Challenge and Variety

The races themselves are disappointingly simplistic. Despite the visually diverse biker characters, their racing styles offer no unique challenge. We consistently found ourselves easily outperforming the AI opponents, making the races feel more like a chore than an exciting competition.

Bonus Objectives: A Fleeting Distraction

The inclusion of bonus objectives, such as collecting hidden “K-A-T” letters throughout each race, provides a temporary distraction from the monotonous gameplay. However, these objectives are not enough to salvage the overall racing experience. The level design is uninspired, with few opportunities for creative maneuvering or strategic decision-making. Even the shortcuts feel lackluster, failing to add any real excitement to the races.

The final area introduces urban environments filled with traffic, which only serves to exacerbate the game’s frustrating collision physics. Colliding with other racers, vehicles, or even buildings often results in unpredictable and jarring consequences.

Physics Fails: Biking Through Slime

The bike handling in Wheel World is serviceable at best, but often feels clunky and unresponsive. It can feel like biking through slime. Collisions are particularly problematic, often resulting in abrupt stops or unpredictable bounces that throw the player off course. These issues detract from the overall sense of control and immersion, making the racing experience more frustrating than fun.

The game offers a wide array of bike parts to collect and customize, theoretically allowing players to fine-tune their ride to suit their playstyle. However, despite experimenting with different combinations of parts, we noticed minimal impact on the bike’s performance. Stat boosts seemed to have a greater impact than any specific build, diminishing the value of customization.

Legendary Letdowns: The Hollow Promise of Rival Races

The races against each region’s legendary bicyclists, hyped as the ultimate test of skill, prove to be just as underwhelming as the standard races. These supposedly elite riders often struggle to keep up with the pack and are prone to comical blunders. The lack of challenge and the underwhelming nature of these encounters further contribute to the game’s overall sense of disappointment.

Technical Troubles: A Rough Ride on PC

During our time with Wheel World on PC, we encountered numerous technical issues, including egregious pop-in and erratic lighting. We experienced other issues, including weird and erratic lighting, and more. While we hope the console versions offer a smoother experience, these issues detracted from our enjoyment of the game on PC.

Narrative Missteps: A Story That Goes Nowhere

Wheel World’s narrative is as thin as its gameplay. The dialogue is riddled with tired puns and pop-culture references, but lacks any real depth or substance. The characters, including the legendary bicyclists, are underdeveloped and forgettable.

The interactions with these legendary riders are particularly disappointing. After defeating them, their dialogue is often generic and uninspired, failing to convey any sense of accomplishment or reward. The game does little to establish their authority or importance in the world, making their defeat feel inconsequential.

A Disappointing Climax: An Unfinished Finale

A last-minute twist attempts to inject some excitement into the narrative, but ultimately falls flat. The new setting introduced in the final act is uninspired, and the activities remain the same repetitive races, drone challenges, and vendor visits. The game’s finale is abrupt and unsatisfying, leaving players feeling like something is missing. The credits rolled after just four hours, leaving us wondering if the game was truly over.

A Soundtrack Savior: The One Bright Spot

Despite its many shortcomings, Wheel World does boast one redeeming quality: its phenomenal soundtrack. Curated by the independent music label Italians Do It Better, the game’s soundtrack is a highlight of each legendary race and a true standout. The music perfectly complements the game’s visual style and adds a layer of depth that is sorely lacking in other areas. It is one of the best soundtracks of the year.

The Verdict: A Scenic Tour With a Flat Tire

Wheel World presents itself as a charming and engaging open-world adventure, but ultimately fails to deliver on its promise. The repetitive gameplay, uninspired races, frustrating physics, and lackluster narrative outweigh the game’s unique visual style and excellent soundtrack. While the game may offer a brief respite for those seeking a laid-back experience, its many flaws prevent it from reaching its full potential.

We are excited to get off this bike for good.

Final Score: 5/10

Wheel World is an amalgamation of boring races and exploration, poor storytelling, and often clumsy gameplay that never felt great. Its unique art style and excellent soundtrack feel wasted on what’s here, and the premise of the game is more exciting than anything that actually happens.