Motorstorm Review

When I decided to buy my PS3 I was largely buying it on the strength of the games predicted for the future, hoping as with the PS2 that with time the real quality games would come out. However, I had heard that Motorstorm was a strong title and made sure to pick it up when my console arrived.

I must say now that racing games aren't usually my favourite genre, but I have had enjoyed some of the classic titles in the past and from word of mouth it seemed that Motorstorm might deserve a place alongside them. However, I did have some concerns as launch titles are seldom remembered, usually being surpassed by the inevitable sequels which will follow. So, when I loaded the game up I was unsure of exactly what to expect.

Firstly, there is a lot that this game does right. My first reaction was for my jaw to drop at the simply incredible graphics that this game has, when I was certain that it wasn't a cut-scene I must admit I let out a satisfied sigh. The wafer thin plot of this game is that there is some sort of racing festival held in Death Valley in America, although a racing game with a story is like a monkey with a moustache: it simply doesn't require one.

What this means is a stunningly realistic set of tracks which are staggering in their presentation. The immaculate sunny weather leaves beautiful blue skies with wisps of white clouds. Bushes and oil drums line the tracks and the tall desert towers dominate the landscape. The graphics really excel in the race itself, with mud realistically spattering the screen and your vehicle in real time, which is something I can't recall being handled better anywhere else. If this is one of the release games for the PS3 then it makes you wonder what other graphical achievements future releases might have.

Sound wise the game is solid with sound effects being good but never really noteworthy, though the roar of your engine is satisfying especially when jostling with other racers to get off the starting grid. The game also features a range of licensed songs which play whilst racing, although it is possible to turn them off easily which is a pleasant change from making things awkward (Burnout games, I mean you!). The songs are generally what the back of the game box would describe as "pulse pounding" and they generally fit the mood of the adrenaline orientated racing, but I can see them not being to everyone's musical tastes.

The gameplay itself is standard "beat everyone else across the line" as with virtually every racing game ever, but Motorstorm brings some new ideas to the table. Each of the tracks has multiple routes depending on the class of vehicle you choose. The game has a number of different racing vehicle classes, from motorbikes and racing trucks to buggies and modified cars with multiple examples of each. Each handles differently and there are pleasing but subtle distinctions between the individual vehicles. There are plenty of unlockable vehicles too, so there is plenty of incentive in going through the single player races.

Part of the art of the game is learning to use the different classes, but also in discovering the best routes for them. Using a quad bike? Go high up using the narrow cliff top routes and metal ramps to gain a lead. Racing in a big rig? Stick to the valley floors and use your size to knock the competition out of the race. Discovering new ways to gain sneaky advantages is fun and helps to make Motorstorm just another racer with a different setting and fancy graphics.

However, the slow-down-crash-camera-from-virtually-every-racing-game-from-the-last few-years-ever-since-Burnout� plagues Motorstorm. If you crash into one of the numerous rock formations, drive off one of the gigantic cliffs or are obliterated by a competitor then expect a slow motion break down with zooming camera to go on to show off the game's impressive physics and effects, but it does start to grate after it happens to you 10 times in a row from some merciless kamikaze AI on later competitions. Although when you see a huge multiple car pile up flip into the air whilst you cruise underneath it, you can't help but smile.

However, whilst this game does some things right, there are a lot of niggles with it. Whilst each of the game's tracks is different and takes some time to learn all of the different routes through, there are only a paltry 8 of them, which is a small number when compared with many other games in the genre. I found the difficulty very tough in some places with your opponents seeming to possess miraculous abilities and at times you can feel victimized when opponents all seem to go for you, though I must admit I am not the best game player.

The single player race campaign can feel a little repetitive with the limited course selection and the fact you have to repeat many races with a limited choice of vehicles whilst your opponents have free reign sometimes feels like a cheap attempt at lengthening gameplay, but it is generally perfectly fun to do and trains you in the use of different vehicles.

However, the greatest flaw in the game is the complete lack of any offline multiplayer. This is just beyond belief, how can you release a racing game that you can't play in a living room with your mates? For me, the joy of racing games like Motorstorm is to get together and have a good 4 player blast on split screen, have a good laugh and end up ganging up on someone until they get annoyed and insist on playing a new game. However, Sony saw fit not to do this and instead offer online multiplayer which lacks the same immediacy as split screen.

However, online content is continually being made available so there is a slim chance that Sony might release offline multiplayer in the future, which would add a point to the game. Denying people the chance to enjoy a game clearly designed for casual fun gaming is an odd choice and it seems to me the developers have shot themselves in the foot.

Motorstorm is an enjoyable racer which offers next generation graphics and some fun elements, but the majority of the gameplay never really impresses and it lacks the addictive nature of some other games in the genre. The lack of split screen does it no favours and the single player soon becomes a bit dull, even the online multiplayer is only enjoyable if you have some friends with PS3 on the buddy list. If you are a racing fan then Motorstorm is worth a look and if anyone is looking for a fun but fairly conventional racer with good graphics then you aren't likely to be disappointed, well, at least not until your mates come round.