FIFA 21, Star Wars: Squadrons, Ride 4 — Should You Buy Them?

Between all the big-name sequels, smaller releases, and upcoming exclusives, there have been some massively exciting and highly-anticipated games hitting shelves recently. We’ve got our hands on the biggest new games and put them through the ringer to give you everything you need to know about the current releases in one handy feature:

Star Wars: Squadrons

Available on: Xbox One, PS4, PC

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What is it? For old-school fans of the X-Wing vs. Tie-Fighter spin-off games, Star Wars: Squadrons is an aerial (or space) combat game where you battle it out in iconic Star Wars ships.

Is it any good? While the launch of EA’s other Star Wars titles may have made many doubt how much content Squadrons has, it’s an incredibly robust package. The multiplayer mayhem (which is essentially the meat of the game) is incredibly fun, and the modes on offer are deliver enough variety to capture the magic of those big Star Wars battles from the films, particularly the ‘Fleet Battle’ mode where you’ll have to destroy the other team’s starship while protecting your own. The game does have a single-player campaign which is set after the events of Return of the Jedi, and actually skirts alongside the primary Star Wars narrative really nicely and provides some eye-popping moments for fans who will also love the tinkering you can do on each of the ships. If you’re a Star Wars fan who loves online multiplayer, this is must-buy.

Ride 4

Available on: Xbox One, PS4, PC

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What is it? The fourth instalment in Milestone’s two-wheel racing franchise, bringing licensed bikes, tracks, and realistic racing to petrol-headed fans.

Is it any good? If you’re a fan of motorcycle racing, you’re in for a treat with Ride 4. While it doesn’t carry the MotoGP license, the visuals, physics, and sheer amount of detail attached to the bikes and racing itself is impressive. The AI opponents could use a bit of a tweak, but with Ride 4, you get the most true-to-life recreation and closest experience you’ll find to actually being on the track. While the realism and deep physics-based formula will win over die-hard fans, it’s also accessible enough for a casual audience, making Ride 4 an unsung gem of 2020.

FIFA 21

Available on: Xbox One, PS4, Switch, PC

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What is it? The new instalment into EA Sports’ long-running footie franchise, bringing some small tweaks to a sports-starved audience.

Is it any good? FIFA 21 has opted to not introduce too many flagship changes with this iteration of the annual release, and instead opted for more subtle changes which aren’t immediately apparent. Ball control has been vastly improved, making it feel far more responsive when jostling around defenders, and the pace of the game has been adjusted to resemble more of the real-life speed of modern football. So while the big bullet-point features might seem a little underwhelming this year, FIFA 21 does enough fine-tuning to the tried-and-tested formula to edge closer to football perfection. Whether you think that warrents a purchase or upgrade from FIFA 20 comes down to how desperately you want the new kits, boots, and updates to your  experience.

Will you be picking up any of the games? Let us know by tweeting @MenStuffZA, posting on our Facebook page, or commenting below.