Ubisoft’s new and great extreme sports game Riders Republic has not yet come out. But yesterday, Ubisoft opened the beta to everyone. So I was able to jump in and experience some of its open world multiplayer action before its release later this year. I walked in waiting for big jumps and fun tricks. Instead, I found a terrible cover of “Gangsta Paradise” that stopped my virtual avatar.
Last night I focused on cycling through the mountains of Riders Republic, still trying to figure out the controls and know how these virtual bikes work. I was so focused that I almost didn’t realize I had started playing a new song in the background. It was until a part of my brain recognized the letters and made me lose control of my biker. I got up and stood there, startled, as I listened to a popular acoustic cover of Coolio’s 1995 classic, “Gangsta’s Paradise”.
Dear readers, let me tell you that I was surprised by how I felt. Until then, the soundtrack to this game was yours would wait. Fast rock, some EDM and some generic instrumental tracks. So this cover totally surprised me. I’ve played more of the beta since I heard this song and haven’t heard it again. Maybe there is a lot of music in this game? Maybe I’m going crazy and that never happened? But you all feel it too, right? So I don’t get drunk. That’s one thing. It was done and then put into this game for … some reason.
I have contacted Ubisoft about this cover and who has interpreted it, as I cannot locate this version online. I found other folk and acoustic covers of the song that were equally horrible, but they didn’t find this particular disaster. Rider’s Republic. In addition, white people (especially white women who own acoustic guitars), we understand that they do not each the song must be given the treatment of Mumford and Sons. Please.
I take a look at the Weird Al parody because it’s so much fun and slapped.
Rider’s Republic the open beta ends on August 28th. The full game premieres on October 28, 2021 on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X / S, Xbox One, PC and Stadia. Will “Gangsta’s Paradise” be in the full version? I hope not!