Review | Pro Cycling Manager 2021

LifeisXbox’s Pro Cycling Manager 2021 review | The weather is getting warmer and the days are getting longer, which means it is time for a new Pro Cycling Manager game by Cyanide Studios. In the Pro Cycling Manager series, you have control over your own professional cycling team or a young upcoming rider, who needs to be taken to glory. As is the case with most of these simulation games, there aren’t many new features but let’s find out what Pro Cycling Manager 2021 has to offer. So if you’re ready, hop on your bike, and take a ride with me!

We played Pro Cycling Manager 2021 for 11 hours on PC.

What we liked!

  • Graphics | One of the best things in the Pro Cycling Manager series is that the graphics are always on point, and the developers continue to update and optimize them every year so they stay up-to-date. If you look at the cyclists, the jerseys, the surroundings,… everything is spot on. And I admit, when I’m watching cycling on TV, I mostly do it for the surroundings in the mountain stages because it looks amazing. Even though you can’t really compare this, the game still manages to give me a taste of these feelings so they did a good job in this compartment, as always.
  • Sound/commentary | The sound that is playing in the menu of Pro Cycling Manager 2021 hasn’t changed in over 1000 years or so, I think. Still, it’s a relaxed solid track with which they can’t do much wrong. I still turn it off and put on my own music after a while but that’s just my own personal taste. The commentary in the game has also been refurbished a bit. I have the feeling that there is a bit more variety and it’s more spot-on when you compare the game to previous versions.
  • Career | The best features that Pro Cycling Manager 2021 has to offer, and has been for a while now, is that when you start a career you can choose between managing a team or creating a Pro Cyclist. In managing a team you can take a team all the way to glory and conquer the world with it. You are responsible for getting new riders etc. When you start as a Pro Cyclist, you will get the first-hand experience of what it’s like to be a young rider who is ready to get fame. You start off in a small low-ranked team, and by showing yourself to the world and winning races, you have a chance to be noticed by the big teams out there and maybe take the yellow jersey to Paris in the Tour de France.
  • Multiplayer | Another good game mode in the game is the option to play in multiplayer mode. Here you have the availability to join a clan and play online with friends. You can even see clan rankings, and try to improve them. Other things you can do in multiplayer are creating tournaments or just join existing ones, participate in stage races, or sprint around on a track and defeat your opponent by pure strength instead of strategy. There’s plenty of multiplayer content for the players to enjoy, so that’s a plus for sure.

Somewhere between

  • Nothing | While playing Pro Cycling Manager 2021 nothing that I encountered has left me with mixed feelings, since a lot of the features that are in the game have been around for some time now, so they all work properly and not really anything new has been added.

What we disliked

  • Copy & paste | There is one major problem with Pro Cycling Manager 2021, and this has been the issue with this series for a long time now. Except that now it’s even worse than ever. Every new game that Cyanide Studios releases feel just like a copy/paste from last year’s edition with minimal effort to add new features or create new exciting options. Yes, they added the new stage of the Tour de France, a few new races but that’s about everything new that they have added. Of course, there are always upgraded cyclists and brands, but that speaks for itself. I like the game, but to spend money on a game that’s just an exact copy of last year is just not worth it.

How long to beat the story | There is no story
How long to get 100% achievements | 50+ hours
Similar with | Literally every other Pro Cycling Manager game

CONCLUSION

70%

Pro Cycling Manager 2021 is a decent game, and Cyanide proves itself again every year with the basics. Everything works well, the graphics look splendid, it’s as realistic as it can get at this point. The major issue with this game remains that it’s almost an exact copy of last year’s game and so only the die-hard fans who are willing to pay the full price for it should buy it, in my opinion. If you still have doubts buy last year’s edition for a cheaper price and you’ll basically get the same game.
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