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 Moto
GP 09/10 (Playstation 3)
Capcom's Moto GP 09/10 for the PS3
delivers a fairly good simulation-style racing title for the platform. It
allows you to not only speed along the usual licensed tracks with
manufacturer bikes, but goes a bit deeper into the realities of the racing
world with sponsors, team management and customization factors which can
play a huge role in the outcome of the race. This deep style of play isn't
for everyone and some players will find this approach intimidating.
However, those with the patience and discipline will find an enormous
amount of satisfaction in completing and winning races. Look inside and
discover how Moto GP's excellent visuals and deep gameplay make is an
appealing title that offers a surprising amount of longevity. |
Taking players beyond the track and into
the actual world of competitive racing, Capcom's excellent Moto GP 09/10
delivers a deeper simulation of the sport. Featuring real-world riders and
courses, the game's authentic approach is surprisingly deep and offers
plenty of challenge. Most of its in-game stats are based on results form
the 2009 season and Capcom is promising even more with additional DLC for
the 2010 season that is promised to be delivered for free. The game offers
several modes of play, including the traditional Time Trial and Arcade
modes. This pair offers exactly what you'd expect, though they can be
challenging in their own right. For example, the arcade mode is timed with
very strict penalties for failure, which leaves you little room for error.
You have three continues, but using them takes up valuable time. Time
trial has you battling only yourself for the best time on the track, and
its fun and allows you to learn the basics of each as a result. However,
the really deep part of the game takes place in its Career mode. Here, you
race a complete season of race events in order, and have to manage your
team as well as other factors such as race sponsors and endorsements. You
can manage your team by choosing other riders to employ, get the best
people and your performance increases, while going cheap means you'll
struggle at the bottom of the standings. The interface is quite smooth in
this area and makes navigation easy. As you go through each season, you'll
earn money which you can to conduct research which can help you along the
way with more efficient engines, better bike styles and other extras.
However, you'll need some patience with these expenditures since they
won't pay off immediately. The rewards for seasonal success adds more to
the game, with other bikes, riders and options unlockable as you gain more
success. It's a fairly slow-burn to complete the career mode and you'll
definitely need some patience, but Moto GP's structure makes it easy to go
in for small bursts and gradually unlock these extras in small bursts.
These modes are all nicely presented,
and the game's visuals and presentation do an excellent job in bringing
you into the action. It's courses are all based on real-world locations
throughout the world and this diversity helps to keep your interest level
high. Players can select from one of several different viewpoints on the
fly. You can also choose to keep the camera level throughout or choose a
tilting mode that mimics what you'd see on a real bike. The game moves
along at a decent and consistent frame-rate throughout. The courses look
realistic along with the bikes themselves, which gives the game an
authentic feel. There are some good weather effects such as rain and fog
present, but its graphics don't really stand out in terms of dramatic
leaps forward. Moto GP's music is pretty standard fare, but its
distracting and most players will probably enjoy the game more with just
the engine and sound effects, which are very nicely done. Unfortunately,
there's an annoying announcer who seems to be the master of the obvious,
which quickly becomes a grating feature that doesn't have an off switch.
On the bright side, Moto GP 09/10 features a slick and simple menu system
allows for easy navigation. On the track, the on-screen HUD and time stats
are easy to read and useful without becoming obtrusive. Moto GP 09/10 is a
very nicely designed game that delivers a competent HD presentation that's
sleek by today's standards. These visuals are nice, but the real test
comes when you leave the menus and step onto the tarmac.
 Once
you get on the track, you'll find that Moto GP offers some surprisingly
intense racing action. You have to keep your wits about you constantly
since even the smallest error can result in severe penalties. The game
takes off many precious seconds if you go off the track and you should
follow the racing lines in order to stay on the course. The other drivers
are very aggressive as well, and they won't hesitate to take advantage of
your mistakes. The game's AI is very good, and the realism can be used to
your benefit, though you have to be very good at racing before you can
truly master the bikes. Their performance depends a lot on which driver
you choose and their skills, but you can upgrade this in career mode if
you want. In addition to the other racers, each track layout presents its
own challenge. Some are more technical with successive curves that are
difficult to maneuver, while others have long straight sections that allow
you to build up huge momentum. You can compensate for these different
course layouts by using the test and practice features to learn their
intricacies and nuances, which helps later on when you need to perform a
qualifying lap and then in the actual race, where your skills and
endurance will be tested thoroughly.
Moto GP's controls are very good and the
game takes good advantage of the dual-shock controller's analog sticks
which allow you to steer with precision. You can also perform stunts such
as wheelies and other maneuvers for extra style points, but they usually
slow you down, so you shouldn't do this too often. One of the key elements
in the game is knowing when and how far ahead of a curve you need to start
breaking in order to stay in formation. Once you've mastered this aspect
of racing, you can then learn to accelerate out of the curve, which really
increases your performance. In addition, you can use the slipstream
technique to ride on another bike's coat-tails which helps to keep you
within striking distance during corners and allows you to leap past them
when the course straightens out. As stated earlier, the game gives you
little room for error, but most players should be able to place high in
the standings once they learn to concentrate on the action. Going through
an entire race season in this mode takes quite some time, so you probably
won't want to try to beat the entire game in one sitting. Using the other
drivers as test beds helps as well, since you can hold back a little in
the earlier laps helps to get a feel for how they react and lets you learn
to keep a safe distance from them to avoid pile-ups. This makes the game
quite a bit more challenging than many other racers, and the balance of
your bike is another factor that you'll need to consider throughout. Moto
GP is definitely not for everyone in this department, but its realism
makes it a bit more intimidating than you'd expect.
Moto GP 09/10's emphasis on simulation
and realism means it won't appeal to everyone. Those looking for a simple,
mindless motorcycle game will probably become frustrated by the game's
demanding controls and steep learning curve. You have to have a little
persistence to appreciate all the game's intricacies but once you get the
hang of it, Moto GP 09/10 delivers a fairly deep recreation of the sport.
This is especially apparent in its career mode, where you have to manage
other aspects of your racing career such as sponsors and endorsements.
This can be a little bit distracting, but the on-track action is excellent
and makes it worthwhile. Control and handling of your bike goes from
frustrating to challenging to intuitive as you learn how to ride the
bikes. Tweaking their performance by adjusting the various aspects of the
bike makes a big difference in how races turn out, so you need to pay
attention to the layout and weather conditions of each track before you
race. Moto GP 09/10 takes more preparation and strategic planning than
most racers, success is involves more than merely pressing on the
accelerator and turning. This approach makes the end results more
satisfying and its achievements feel earned. Its definitely one of those
games that you need to block out some time for, but it offers a deep and
satisfying racing experience that should satisfy those looking for a
substantial racing challenge.
- Michael Palisano
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