I am the type of guy who kinda-sorta likes to work on his own vehicles. Not necessarily because I like to tune or customize, but primarily because I like to save money and see what I can fix on my own without having to shell out big bucks to mechanics. I’ll tend to do the more straight-forward stuff: brake pads and rotors, alternators, radiators, even window regulators and various body parts. Of course, all of that is on cars. But I have had motorcycles in the past, and a few required me to clean and tune carbs, replace clutch assemblies, and reseal forks. The rewarding feeling of taking an ill-working vehicle, and making it run with a little elbow grease and some aftermarket parts, is unmatched.
So, it was with little hesitation when Motorcycle Mechanic Simulator 2021 came across the Game Chronicles desk that I jumped at the opportunity to see what I could learn about some of the deeper workings of the motorcycle and maybe get that same rewarding feeling without the bloodied knuckles and grease-stained clothes.
Obviously, with the name Motorcycle Mechanic Simulator 2021, this game (if you want to call it a game) may be new to the console universe, but it has been out in the PC world for nearly four years. This means the developers have had ample time to work out all the bugs and deliver a quality product that should run without error. Sadly, this doesn’t seem to be the case, as I had numerous issues that left me having to start levels over – which as I will explain later, is a rather tedious task.
But first I want to start with the good stuff, because Motorcycle Mechanic Simulator 2021 actually has some very solid presentation. The loading screens are all very elegant and the menu is reminiscent of many top-shelf games. The music is an interesting blend of ambient electronica. The game starts you off in a rather shoddy garage – which makes sense as at this point you are just getting started as a freelance mechanic. There are a few scattered appliances and tool cabinets, and in the center of it all a repair stand upon which the motorcycle le to be repaired will appear upon accepting a job. As you progress in the game, you will be required to purchase new and better equipment with which to fill up your workspace. This will require cleaning and decorating, and soon you have a shop that any mechanic would envy.
The game presents the player with jobs that they can accept. Each job is very detailed in their tasks: change a tire, check the oil, repair the brakes, add a fender, and so forth. Once accepted, the bike appears on the stand, and you can freely walk about highlighting and focusing on various parts that need to be removed to access the part(a) that need repair or replacement.
Early on, the game does a pretty good job providing instructions for accessing the part in question – compress the brake caliper, remove the axle, remove the brake pads, etc. However, the game slowly weans the player away from instruction and it falls on them to figure it out on their own. It’s definitely a learning experience, but it can be quite frustrating given the somewhat unwieldy controls that come with the use of a console controller rather than a mouse and keyboard that the game was originally designed to use.
That being said, it all looks really impressive, but ultimately the experience isn’t all that satisfying. It’s not always clear which buts and bolts need to be removed, and the actual process of doing so is unnecessarily slow. I get that the developers were looking to provide a simulation, but I began to dread the fact that removing bolts could actually be done as quick even quicker in real time then they are in the game.
Additionally, it wasn’t always clear as to how the inventory system worked – as it all came across as clunky and confusing. Even in the opening training job, I somehow lost a necessary wheel from my inventory while mounting it to the tire balancer I had just purchased, leaving me with not enough money for another wheel and therefore no way to complete the mission. I tried a new game, but the balancer was still there, and I had no moment, so I eventually had to delete the game and game data, then reinstall – only to have to tediously repeat all the same boring steps like slowly removing all the bolts and components. It was so defeating it took me a good week to get back into the game and give it another go.
I attempted a couple other jobs on the list, but they became infinitely more complicated, and just as nebulous as the previous jobs, so I pretty much decided I was not cut out to be a virtual motorcycle mechanic and took a few days of personal time.
Motorcycle Mechanic Simulator 2021 is a neat concept for a game – but it’s not for everyone, and definitely not a good fit for a console. I really wanted to enjoy it, but after three attempts, it is doubtful if I’ll ever open it again. I am sure there is a community of gear heads who will enjoy Motorcycle Mechanic Simulator – and even probably learn a thing or two – but for the traditional gamer like me, it’s a big no-go.
