Motorbike games have been somewhat of a revelation for gaming in recent years. Cult arcade titles such as Trials and Joe Danger have shown that the genre is for everyone rather than specific audiences. MXGP is the newest title from Milestone S.R.L and the game looks to take advantage of the recent surge of motorbike games to help introduce a fun and competitive sport to the masses.
The release of MXGP comes at a time when many will be expecting games to be available for both the latest consoles as well as the machines from the past 8 years. Unfortunately for PS4 and Xbox One owners, MXGP is only available for PS3, PS Vita, Xbox 360 and PC. As someone who isn’t well endowed with motorbike games, especially motocross, I was experiencing my first two-wheeled racing game in several years.
MXGP takes official licences and sponsorship straight from the real world of motocross and tries to make the game feel as close to the real thing as possible. Containing an Instant Race, Grand Prix, Championship, Career Mode, Time Attack and Multiplayer modes, MXGP seems to have everything in its arsenal which any racing game needs to be successful. As this game was being reviewed on PC, I was hoping that, despite not having a PS4 or Xbox One version of the game released, I was able to experience the best version of the game. What I experienced when I first played the game didn’t seem too promising.
Like many other racing titles, the best way to be introduced to the game is via the Instant Race option which allows you to race almost instantly and pit your skills against 15 other computer-generated racers. When racing for the first few hours at least, the balance mechanic can seem frustrating and unfair at times. If you attempt to perform a power slide, the game will sometimes squirm and throw you off balance which is understandable for newcomers who are playing the game for the first time, but there are other times where it feels very cheap. There were times during my first few hours where I was battling for the lead and being neck-and-neck with fellow competitors and I would seem to get thrown off for no reason. The amount of times you fall off the bike does drop substantially the more time you put into it, much like any other game which you have to learn.
Although it may seem as though I am unfairly picking holes in the game’s mechanics, I am seeing it from a new player’s point of view in terms of motocross games. I have never thoroughly played through a dedicated motocross game before, although I have played a substantial amount of Trials Evolution which made me appreciate how careful you have to be when controlling a bike, I believe that the learning curve for the game may put some players off as playing the demo doesn’t provide a full reflection of the game as it takes a few hours to get to grips with the controls. The ability to ‘pick up and play’ MXGP isn’t relevant in the first few hours, because the game requires patience and a serious mentality instead of holding the trigger down and bombarding opposing racers.
To help new players break the mould, MXGP offers players the chance to learn how the game should be played through a tutorial. Although this may sound like exactly what a newcomer would need, the tutorial doesn’t really offer much and you might be better off playing the game first to get a feel for how the game should be played.
As you soon get used to how the bike performs and exactly how to use your rider, you feel a surge of accomplishment as you begin overtaking your opponents and landing impressive jumps. This is about as good as the feelings get for MXGP, unfortunately, as there isn’t a huge variety of gameplay options. While racing games normally make you feel enthralled as you drift or power slide round a corner, MXGP just makes you feel glad if you’ve maintained balance on the bike instead of gasping in awe at how fast your vehicle has eccentrically slid round a corner.
This apparent lack of exciting gameplay may come down to just how lacklustre the graphics seem to be. Some of the racetracks are hard to tell apart and the surrounding environments require a lot to be desired. The nearby crowd, although small in numbers, all have flat faces and are reminiscent of the PSOne era of graphics and, while the bland colours help to promote the realistic feel of the game, it’s grainy and jagged-looking aesthetics make the game feel instantly dated. When racing in Brazil, there are two elephants standing still next to the race track. They may as well be two paintings as they add nothing to the experience, they don’t move and there are no moments where I was impressed with the graphics.
Again it might seem like I’m picking holes for the sake of it, but the environments are bland and not pleasing on the eye at all. When comparing the game to non-retail releases, Trials looks like a masterpiece and the varying colour palette seems inviting and urges you to play more levels to try and experience more of the game. MXGP all looks far too similar and the tracks themselves are okay as the physics engine greatly improves the feel of the tracks.
As well as the graphics, there is a severe lack of excitement and serious tone from something which you would normally associate with rip-roaring fun. There is music on the menus, but as soon as it comes time to race, the wild and manic attitude, which is portrayed by the attire and sponsors, seems to disappear. There is no real atmosphere surrounding the game. It just seems to be the noise of a motorbike engine and not much else. I don’t think I could imagine a Tony Hawk’s game with just the noise of the skateboard for minutes on end.
Aside from the gameplay, the game modes don’t offer a huge variety either. The main downside to any of the modes is to be found in the career mode. Before each stage, you have to take part in two time trials for each of the two races you are about to take part in. These act as qualification as you get the chance to start higher on the grid. These time trials last for 30 minutes and cannot be skipped if you are aiming to be first on the grid. Often I beat the target time by around 12 seconds or so and I was still forced to wait 26 minutes until the timer reached zero. While you can skip these races, you start in last place for the main race as a result. There should definitely be a function available to skip the race once you are happy with your lap time. There’s no point in qualifying for 30 minutes when the races take less than 10 minutes.
One of the most competitive aspects of the game can be found in the online games. Up to 12 players can compete in a lengthy Championship mode or a single race if you’re short on time. One of the best aspects of the multiplayer mode is that it records your best track times so you can climb up the leaderboard if you so desire. If you are looking for a fun multiplayer mode and you aren’t very good at the main game, the multiplayer may not be for you outside of the Time Trial multiplayer mode. Everyone I came up against online was extremely competitive and had vast experience in motocross games compared to me.
MXGP does have times where you feel as though it’s a unique and rewarding experience. Ultimately, though MXGP is not for casual fans of racing games and instead targets the hardcore audience of the sport. The poor visuals, lack of game modes and frustrating career mode make MXGP hard for anyone to get along with, unless you’re really into the sport. It’s a shame that such a manic and enthusiastic sport can have an associating game which is so flavourless, but there is something to build on here. Hopefully with a bigger budget, Milestone can take MXGP to the next level in the future.
MXGP is available in stores now for PC, Xbox 360, PS3 and PS Vita.