Wheel World Review

Wheel World is a semi-open-world biking game developed by Messhof and published by Annapurna Interactive. You might know Messhof for making the fencing fighting game Nidhogg or the frenetic action game Flywrench. This is a significant departure for the dev studio, being its first 3D title with a plot that’s more than an excuse. It was announced as Ghost Bike back in June 2023, sporting a much more sombre tone than what we have right now. I’ve always been interested in riding bikes, but I never learned how to, so this might be the opportunity to finally get into it.

In a world where everyone is obsessed with cycling, you play as Kat, who has stumbled upon the bike daemon Skully. He was supposed to guide spirits along the Chain of Life at Mt. Send. However, all of Skully’s Legendary parts were stolen, and only a legendary bike ridden by an unmatched rider can make the journey. You are now on a quest to find all the Legendary bike parts to get Skully through the Sewer of Spirits to Mt. Send, perform the Great Shift, and move Wheel World forward into the next gear. It's an adventure that will take you all over the world, so your bike better be up to snuff to face the Cyclorp Ambassadors who took Skully’s parts.

Although the story isn’t the most complex, it is nice to have one, and there’s more to Wheel World than just the main narrative. There are tons of NPCs to talk to who will either give you tips on being a better cyclist or reveal more about the world. Turns out, a bike-obsessed society has a lot more going on underneath the surface.

I really liked the cel-shaded art style, reminding me of Jet Set Radio in a way. It’s vibrant and colourful, and there is diversity in each area which introduces new challenges while also providing nice sights to see. I seriously loved the soundtrack that was done by the band Italians Do It Better, especially when you get into races against Cyclorp. It’s calming yet energetic, like something you’d listen to while cycling through nature, and once the lyrics kick in, it makes an already enjoyable track into an absolute banger. A bunch of their songs are already online right now, so give them a listen.

Now, let's get into the gameplay. Anything you can do with a proper sports bike, you can do here in Wheel World, but there are advantages to having a daemon-possessed two-wheeler. You have the unique ability to boost, giving you a little extra speed at a moment’s notice. However, you only gain boost when drafting, getting into near misses, and getting air. It’s a limited resource, but your boost meter can be expanded by ringing your bell at shrines, which also reveals a section of the map.

You can get off your bike if you want to, which is nice, but it’s also painfully slow to walk around. Like, Kat barely goes at a jogging pace if you decide to hoof it. I guess it’s to encourage you to use your bicycle to ride around the world and, if you make a mistake during a race, not to do it again as you position your bike to continue. It’s better to restart than to deal with the hassle of it.

No matter the setup you have, it feels good and natural riding your bike around, and I never felt frustrated with it. The only times it got in my way were when I was trying to walk up stairs. However, the tutorial isn’t as thorough as I’d like, at least when playing on a gamepad. I had to figure out important controls on my own, such as ringing the bell (up on D-Pad) and bunnyhopping (flick left stick up and down).

Wheel World is a cyclist’s paradise, with many sights to see and tracks to go through. You’ll be cycling through the countryside, with dirt tracks and winding roads, and the next you’ll be weaving in and out of traffic, dealing with tight alleyways and even tighter turns. Throughout the world, there are races to compete in and bike parts to find or purchase, so it’s worth exploring the place. It’s really pretty (even if there is a little bit of pop-in), and I often decided to forgo fast travel to just ride around without a destination. But if you want to win back the Legendary parts, you’ll need to modify your bike to handle each area’s unique challenges.

You can customise your two-wheeler to fit the race and turn it into the fastest thing on two wheels in Wheel World. Each part will affect its Power, Aero, Handling, and Grip, either improving one stat at the expense of another. Certain parts even come with perks that can change how you play, such as gaining more boost when drafting, letting you go off-road without losing speed, or allowing you to bunnyhop higher. I really like this system as I found myself constantly switching out parts and figuring out the right combinations I needed to win races and complete challenges. You can also just get really goofy with it. After all, who doesn't want to ride a hotdog?

The game will only take four to six hours if you’re only doing the bare minimum to get enough Rep to beat the game, but there is tons more to do if you’re willing to put in the effort, such as doing all the challenges, collecting K-A-T during a race and beating the legendary cyclist Tom’s times. There are also lots of collectibles, like hidden jumps, paths, and bike shops with exclusive items. It’s actually not as bad as I was expecting, and I was doing my best to complete the game 100% throughout my playthrough. I mean, all you have to do is get a podium finish to consider a race done, but gunning for first place with good times takes some practice and the right gear. I’ve definitely had races where I failed to beat Tom’s time by under a second, but it only encouraged me to try again.

Now, onto its performance, and it isn’t too bad. On High graphic settings, I was keeping at a consistent 60 FPS, but in areas with lots of cars and NPCs around, such as the downtown area, it does dip into the 40s. I did run into a few visual glitches, too. On one occasion, Kat was riding her bike from under it. The camera also does tend to clip through objects, even the one that flies over the course before the race. Otherwise, it was pretty much smooth sailing.

Wheel World is amazing. I never thought I’d like the game as much as I did, being more into skateboards than bikes, but I loved racing against cyclists, exploring the world, modifying my bike, and just losing myself in this cycling-obsessed land. I highly recommend picking Wheel World up. You won’t be disappointed.