Building
on last year's solidly entertaining motorcycle racer, THQ's MotoGP 07 for
the Xbox 360 features a number of improvements and additions that make
this one of the better arcade racers on the market. The most noticeable
changes lie in Moto GP 07's improved handling, which makes for more
responsive and easier to use bikes, which makes racing more accessible and
less frustrating at earlier levels while retaining a high level of
challenge in its later stages. Additional online tournaments, including
slip racing modes add to the excitement. Between its smooth control and
enhanced presentation, Moto GP 07 is another solid racer for THQ.
THQ's
Moto GP 06 slipped under the radar of most gamers and journalists last
year but, this solid racer offered some quite challenging and entertaining
racing for gamers looking for a speed rush. The game's simple arcade-style
approach, stripped down interface, accessible gameplay and slick graphics
made Moto GP 06 a definite winner on 360. This year's installment is
exclusive to the console again and adds to everything that made the first
game great in subtle and significant ways, and this makes for another
challenging game. As in last year's installment, Moto GP allows players to
experience the real Moto GP tournament with all the authentically licensed
riders and tracks you've come to expect plus a few more for this year.
Many of the expected modes are present and the game includes single race,
tournament and career modes in addition to bonus games and challenges to
keep you occupied. There are two basic classes of race you can choose
from: Grand Prix which includes a selection of the real courses and
Extreme, which take place in more exciting, somewhat fantastic locations.
Each mode offers more than a dozen tracks and there are over thirty in
all, which offers plenty of versatility from speed to skill tracks. The
tracks remain similar to last year in terms of structure, but seem to have
been graded a little bit differently so you won't find yourself spinning
out during hairpins nearly as much this time around. There are still
plenty of challenging hairpins and sudden curves, but they seem easier to
take overall, which allows you to concentrate on the racing at hand. The
standard race modes are challenging, but Climax has added additional
post-race categories, such as clean corners, podium finishes and section
leads that add more stats to your characters. As you race, you'll be able
to unlock additional bikes which you can then tweak and adjust in your
garage - this allows you to change the bikes' performance to suit each
track, giving Moto GP 07 more under-the-hood depth than its predecessor.
Once you get on the track, you'll find
that things are just as smooth as you remember in many ways, but there
have been a few changes. While actual racing in Moto GP 07 doesn't feel
materially different, with similar interface and controls, subtle
adjustments have been made to the bikes' performance and realism that
makes them feel both more authentic and easier to control. This makes for
a much smoother gameplay experience on the track which allows you to flow
with the action. This arcade-style approach in the early stages allows
experienced gamers to jump right into the action without missing a beat.
You'll immediately notice the enhanced physics, which results in a
smoother ride overall. The bike physics are quite impressive in their own
right and give you an excellent sense of riding on an actual motorcycle,
especially in the first-person perspective. Your field of vision is
excellent and the game's layout and design is clean and efficient with the
indicators and gauges place unobtrusively off to the edges of the screen.
One minor addition this year is the Telemetry feature that allows you to
call up the results and times of your race while its happening in order to
gauge your time on each section of the track. This adds even more
statistical detail to the game. More important changes are more subtle but
significant. Moto GP 07's AI also seems to be more sophisticated this time
around, since the opposing riders seem less likely to cluster in packs and
become more aggressive when they fall behind. This makes them less
predictable than last year's game and makes the other rivals more
realistic opponents. The increased difficulty adds to the game's realism
and this enhanced fidelity makes each race even more intense. In addition,
Moto GP 07 offers additional mini-game style diversions including a number
of timed challenge and practice modes. Going through these is much faster
and less taxing than the main game, with the added bonus that successfully
completing these adds to your stats. These act as excellent training
missions which allow you to fine-tune your performance and learn skills
while you build up medals and rewards that unlock additional tracks and
riders.
From
a visual standpoint, the game looks solid with excellent bike models and
trackside detail flying by at a speedy, consistent frame rate. It doesn't
look quite as polished or slick as Forza 2 or even Dirt, but it's a big
improvement from last year's installment. The camera was a bit iffy, but
the close-up angles don't feel as jerky or jarring this time around when
you tilt your bike which allows for a smoother experience that allows you
to focus on the action. Trackside details have also been improved
dramatically and this increases your immersion into the game
significantly. Moto GP 07's production values are excellent and this makes
for a more enjoyable experience. Aside from the visual upgrades, most
players will be happiest to learn that the game's single-player modes are
solidly entertaining and Moto GP 07's online features have also been
enhanced and expanded dramatically and this is now a fully-realized,
robust feature instead of an appendix. There are now 16-player
simultaneous tournaments desgined to maximize the intensity as well as a
new one-on-one slip racing mode where you can bet the bikes in your garage
in a single race. These additions add depth and replay value to the game
and make for a racing game with a surprising amount of longevity.
Connecting to the servers and setting up games is simple, quick and easy
thanks to Xbox Live and the game play is remarkably stable and lag-free
when competing online. The online features add to Moto GP 07's appeal and
make this one of the better online racing titles we've played. Overall,
this is a solid package whether you play alone or against friends online.
There are several new game modes online and while the tweaks and changes
might seem minor in isolation, together they create a racing experience
that has been improved dramatically. While there may be a slight sense of
déjà vu at first, the enhancements and additions to Moto GP 07 are
significant enough to merit our recommendation.
- Michael Palisano
Grade:
B-
