"Two wheels.
200 mph. Two inches from the tarmac."
With a
tagline like that, most gamers will expect the fastest and most exhilarating
ride of their lives. They’ll have visions of intense take-overs, last-minute
wins, and unprecedented crashes.
MotoGP 4,
the latest in a long line of motorcycle racing games, delivers on the promise
of some of those visions – albeit with a little less enthusiasm.
The first
thing you need to know is that this is a simulation racer. An arcade mode is
included, but like Gran Turismo, the word "arcade" is just a nice way of
reorganizing each race. The simulation rules still apply, as do the controls,
which will make or break the experience for most players.
Your initial
run will likely be a disaster, especially if you’ve never played the series
before. The bike and class that you choose won’t matter much at this point.
You’ll take off and drive as fast as you can. That’s what you’re supposed to
do, even in a simulation racer – it’s the only way to tell exactly how much
you’re going to have to adjust your personal racing style before you can start
winning championships.
As the first
turn comes into focus, you’ll wonder, "Should I start braking?" I wondered,
and having played the series before, I knew what to do. I knew I should’ve hit
the brakes a lot sooner, but decided to pass. I kept going, tried to take the
corner sharply, and wound up picking myself up off the ground after having my
biker’s body slammed into a wall.
This was not
unfamiliar territory, but that didn’t make it any easier. Though I practiced
braking sooner with every turn, I still found myself making contact with the
tarmac. Turning too soon caused my bike to go slightly off course; turning too
late all but guaranteed that I’d crash. It only takes a small amount of dirt
for your tires to lose traction. They’re racing wheels, and are not too fond
of anything except a smooth, unaltered surface.
Just barely
cross the line between dirt and tarmac and your bike will lose stability. If
your bike starts to wobble, fight hard to straighten it out. Turning now will
mean certain doom. It wouldn’t be a good idea to get passed by another biker
right now either. But if an opponent approaches, you might want to consider
letting him pass with ease. Should you battle it out and the two bikes
collide, you’re the one who’s most likely to fall off.
If this
doesn’t sound like a game that touts its speed of 200 miles per hour, that’s
because it isn’t. Technically you can go that fast, but it’s rare that you’ll
have the opportunity to enjoy it (given how often you’ll be braking). MotoGP 4
is primarily a game of maneuverability. The guy who knows how to handle his
bike the best is the one who will win. The guy that’s the fastest – he’s the
one who will come in dead last.
There’s a
driving assist feature that automatically cuts back on your speed as you
approach a turn. Multiplayer races might as well come with the feature turned
on, ’cause there’s a good chance at least one of your friends is going to need
it. Even if they don’t, it does make the experience a lot less stressful.
Using it prevents you from receiving the full experience, but that’s a hard
thing to achieve. For multiplayer, quicker and simpler entertainment is best.
After hours
(possibly days) of practice via the Challenge mode, players should be good
enough to dive into the 125cc, 250cc, and MotoGP competitions. The Challenge
mode is a lot like Gran Turismo’s license objectives, minus the completion
requirement. You don’t have to play them. But when you realize that each
challenge demonstrates a different problem with a different part of each track
(and gives you the chance to solve them), you’ll probably want to.
The
objectives sound easy. Win a race. Stop at the designated area. Finish a
quarter lap within the specified time limit. But when the controls and
maneuverability aspect come into play, these challenges are some of the
hardest you’ll ever face.
In the
Season mode, players will get the chance to tweak their bikes and practice the
course before each race begins. The bike handling adjustments are very
straightforward: transmission, handling, brakes, and acceleration. Each
improvement is lessened by the downgrade of something else. Higher brake
values, for example, improve your ability to stop but diminish steering
response.
MotoGP 4
isn’t as memorable as its predecessors. The lack of speed and polygonal
prowess is pretty damaging, especially for a game that touts itself as having
photo-realistic graphics. The controls, no matter how manageable in time, may
be too much for the average gamer to bear.
In spite of
those flaws, MotoGP 4 is not entirely disappointing. If you play the game long
enough to grasp the controls, you’ll find that they can be really satisfying.
The real-world courses provide a near-endless list of obstacles to overcome.
Opponents are smart but forgiving. You’ll have to work hard to pass the and
hold the lead, but the game still allows you to make a couple of mistakes and
finish in the top five. That might not be the most desirable situation, but in
a game like this, you’ll just be glad you’re not dead last.
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Gameplay: 7.0
Gamers who have
conquered Polyphony Digital’s uber-challenging Tourist Trophy will find more
than enough extreme racing content within MotoGP 4 to keep them occupied. The
steering mechanics alone require several hours of practice. It could take much
longer for less experienced players to grasp these subtle and intense
maneuvers.
On the down
side, MotoGP 4’s plain visuals take away from the exhilaration of each race.
Graphics are often secondary (as they should be), but in a racer, the sense of
speed is very important. That’s something this game lacks.
Graphics: 6.9
MotoGP 4 does not
have the most stunning paint job, but there a few things worth mentioning. The
bikers hold themselves in a realistic position, leaning in and out of turns
accordingly. Go off-track and your biker is likely to fall off – hit a wall
and he’ll be thrown forward and land on his back. Tires collect and spread
dirt, leaving behind a trail of your mistake.
Sound: 7.0
Typical
motorcycle sounds mixed with a not-at-all-surprising techno soundtrack.
Difficulty: Hard
Are your thumbs
in need of an exercise? Do you have patience of steel?
Concept: 7.0
MotoGP 4 follows
the rules and regulations of other motorcycle racers. Nothing new or standout
to mention.
Multiplayer: 7.1
Those of you who
are lucky enough to have three friends who can tolerate the game (and actually
understand it) will not be disappointed by its four-player races. Online that
number is doubled, letting you and seven others compete for supremacy.
Overall: 7.0
MotoGP 4’s many
ups and downs keep it from reaching the status of other games bearing the
MotoGP name. It’s fun and frustrating, slow but challenging, and only
semi-realistic. This racer isn’t for everyone, but is worth renting if you’ve
enjoyed Tourist Trophy and/or the other MotoGP releases.
