MXGP was first released on the last-generation of consoles earlier this year, March to be exact. I will admit, Motorcoss racing is not a specialty of mine, but I do tend to enjoy racing games as a whole. Milestone have decided that there was enough in the original release to warrant a full next-gen release, 7 months later. With this being my first experience with MXGP, would the next-gen port entice me enough to get me interested in the sport? Read my full review below to find out!
Game: MXGP – The Official Motorcross Videogame
Developer: Milestone
Publisher: Milestone
Reviewed on:
GRAPHICS
I have got to say that MXGP on the PlayStation 4 really disappointed me. As a next-gen port of the last-gen versions, I was expecting much more of a step up than what was on offer in MXGP. The tracks and background all look unnatural, with only the bikes and riders getting any sort of visual attention paid to it. I think Milestone should of handled the port a lot better as there are so many racing games out there that look stunning, so it is hard to say why the developers failed to deliver much in terms of the visuals on offer in MXGP.
SOUND
Again, it is more disappointment from me here when it comes to the audio score that presents itself in MXGP on the PlayStation 4. I would of liked more fan interaction from the sidelines watching on. One of the best features sound wise is the commentator, who will take you through each game mode, in case you haven’t played through it before. The noise from the bikes are realistic enough to be pleased with, but apart from that, there isn’t much to make MXGP stand out in the audio department.
GAMEPLAY
I will admit, MXGP offered me a gameplay experience that is quite different to other racers out there, and it was a nice touch to make MXGP a somewhat unique experience. The main part of the gameplay experience is how the players control the bike. The bike is controlled by the use of the analogue sticks on the control pad. Basically, the weight of the racer and bike are completely different entities, and it is up to you in order to steer yourself to success. Luckily, if that last part put you off in any way, the game’s opening offers a variety of tutorial videos in order to get you up to shape with the controls. After you have got to grips with what is on offer, it is then time to take that knowledge in to the actual race.
I will admit that the first few races, I fell off my bike more times than I would actually like to admit too but it is all part of the learning curve that the game offers. Each of the many tracks on offer come including multiple jumps, tight corners and crowded situations, so you really have to make sure that you get to grips with the control scheme pretty quickly for you succeed. Whilst there is certainly a learning curve, it certainly will not take too long before you will find yourselves winning races on the spin. The difficulty, even on the hardest one on offer, can be quite easy still to win races, which I was quite disappointed with. For someone who has never played a Motorcross game before like myself, I didn’t expect to find myself winning every game after just one hour of game time.
LONGEVITY
MXGP offers the standard modes that you can come to expect from a racing title. Single races, championships. a career mode and online play all come included in MXGP. The career mode is the center piece of the MXGP experience and should take most of your time away as you start off as a rookie, making your way up, signing with new teams and eventually getting yourself that coveted MXGP Championship. It is quite an enjoyable career mode, and one that will certainly keep you occupied for quite a while. Die hard Motorcross fans will certainly be in it for the long haul with MXGP, but for a first-timer like myself, game time may be hard to come as it quickly wares and begins to gather dust on your side.
VERDICT
MXGP on the PlayStation 4 fails to really improve upon the last-gen versions. Poor visuals and sound leave quite a bad taste after a while, but there is a fun motorcross experience to be had with MXGP. As stated before, this game is meant for die hard MXGP fans, and those who just casually play racing games should maybe wait for a cut price deal. There is fun to be had with MXGP, just not enough for me with this latest offering.
