Tour de France 2023 - Game Review

Channel:

Veteran Game

Subscribers:

198

Published on June 19, 2023 9:00:15 PM ● Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-cpVv36s6Y

Game:

Tour De France (2002)

Category:

Review

Duration: 3:07

63 views

1

Tour de France 2023 - Game Review

Hello, folks, and welcome back to Veteran Game! Today, we're shifting gears and diving into the world of sports simulations with our review of "Tour de France 2023". So, put on your cycling helmet and let's pedal into this review.

Now, sports simulations have often garnered a bad reputation for their annual releases, often boasting minimal changes between iterations. You've probably seen AngryJoe's rants about seeing the same faces in Madden NFL's character editor year after year. However, believe it or not, there's a game that manages to outdo even this level of stagnant development, and that's Tour de France 2023.

Developed by the French studio Cyanide, known for creating middling RPGs and action games, their primary franchise has been the Pro Cycling Manager, a cycling race management simulator. However, since 2009, they've branched into a more casual offshoot - Tour de France, where the focus is on the races themselves.

I'll admit, we decided to review Tour de France 2023 out of academic curiosity more than anything, as cycling races are not exactly our forte. But the game managed to surprise us with the level of aggressive cost-cutting displayed by the developers.

When gamers say a game has graphics reminiscent of Xbox 360, PlayStation 2, or even Sega Saturn, it's usually hyperbole. But with Tour de France 2023, this comparison feels all too real. It's as if the franchise hasn't changed since 2011. The game's draw distance is alarmingly low, leading to entire buildings appearing out of thin air, and cyclists pedaling invisible bikes when they're just 20 meters away from you.

The polygon budget seems to have suffered severe cuts as well, resulting in angular objects and eerily cloned faces on cyclists, reminiscent of PSP-era FIFA, which can give you nightmares. Furthermore, the game seems to lack any form of anti-aliasing, resulting in a final picture that's jarring.

The only noticeable improvement seems to be the increased number of spectators along the track, but that barely impacts the overall experience. In some ways, Tour de France 2023 even feels like a downgrade from its predecessors. One glaring example is the absence of a music player, meaning the races take place amidst deafening silence, occasionally punctuated by crowd noise and rare dispatcher commentary.

In summary, Tour de France 2023 feels like it's stuck in a rut, unable to push beyond the limits of its previous iterations. But hey, sometimes it's all about the journey, not the destination. Unfortunately, in this case, the journey felt quite dated and eerily silent.

That wraps up our review of Tour de France 2023. As always, thanks for tuning into Veteran Game. We'll see you next time for more in-depth reviews. Until then, keep those gaming gears turning!

Other Statistics