MotoGP 2
Moto GP debuted last year with a stunning burst of speed in a successful attempt to do, for a more simulation driven motorcycle racing experience, what F1 did for its patented brand of motor mayhem. A little less than a year later, THQ is releasing Moto GP 2. Based off of real world racers and tracks, is it possible for Moto GP 2 to expand and improve upon the original and be successful on the PC? If not, is it still worth it?
The secret to Moto GP 2 is that you are allowed to customize essentially every part of your racing experience to fit your desires. If you want simulation racing, play the career Grand Prix mode. Are you more comfortable with arcade action? You can compete in stunt mode where you move through the ranks by knocking other riders off their bikes, performing wheelies, endos (wheelie on the front wheel), burnouts, and powerslides.
For singleplayer racing, you have the option of six different modes. The standard Quick Race allows you to choose between the first three tracks from the Championship circuit and any you have managed to unlock during Stunt or Championship modes. Stunt Mode lets you rack up points through both stunts and clearing track sections under predetermined times. High scores will unlock other tracks and highlight videos from the 2002 Moto GP. Time Trial lets you try to break your previous fastest laps without having to deal with bots. The final singleplayer, more simulation portion of Moto GP 2, is the Career Mode that is a complete simulation of the 2002 MotoGP Grand Prix.
When you first start Career mode, you are responsible for creating a racer. Choose from nine bikes, nine different leathers (those cute one-piece jump suits), customizable color combinations, logos, and numbers to create the rider that defines the ultimate champion. Along with the physical appearance of the bike and rider, you are given eighteen attribute points to be distributed among four categories (cornering, braking, acceleration, and top speed) to personalize your bike's performance.
Once your racer is created, you have the option of entering the training mode, which teaches you the basics of motorcycle racing, sort of. This is an opportunity to practice your hairpin turns, wheelies, endos, powerslides, slalom skills, cornering, and other abilities. With each successful completion, you'll be rewarded with an attribute point to help balance out your bike in the above mentioned categories. The problem is that you're not always taught how to perform these advanced maneuvers or given any kind of guidance, rather you're simply told to do it. It's then a matter of trial and error. Some, obviously, are considerably easier than others.
If you feel you have a good handle on how to control your bike, or don't want to pick up extra points, you can head straight to the first circuit, which is the Suzuka track in Japan. At the beginning of each circuit, you will hear a brief description of the area and the history of the race course accompanied by visuals. Once you "arrive" in Japan, or any of the other fifteen locations, you have the choice of fulfilling challenges (each are track specific and will give you attribute points), practicing the course, qualifying for the race (determining your starting position), or racing the circuit. Finishing a circuit in third or less gives you one attribute point, second gives you two, and first gives you three. After you finish an entire season, you have the opportunity to race a second season with the same racer, and if you've finished an entire series you can increase the difficulty level.
Since Moto GP 2 is a simulation of sorts, it is no surprise that the bikes have a more realistic physics system. There is no way to succeed by manhandling your bike around a course (unless you time your turns correctly so that you can force a racer on the outside of you to bring you through a turn). Instead, you must rely on finesse and timing to stay on the track. Aiding you in complete mastery of the bike is a control scheme (the same as in Moto GP) that gives you complete control. It's of paramount importance to invest in a solid analog pad you're comfortable with. Personally, I find my trusty PS2 to USB adapter to work fine. In any event, you're going to need the buttons, the analog sticks and the triggers. It's important to have all of this functionality and placement because Moto GP uses a dual braking system (one for the front wheel and one for the rear) and places a heavy emphasis on proper leaning and bike manipulation. You need to properly utilize all commands at your fingertips if you want to bust the endos, wheelies, powerslides, and tight turns effectively. It is possible to play digital (or half digital if your pad is limited, but I would not recommend it). In this way, since PCs still lack that standardized gamepad Microsoft is so diligently working on, our version can fall considerably short of the Xbox iteration, simply because the raw degree of precise control is not there for us to exploit. But, that's more of a user and system limitation than a game limitation. So...
What good would a realistic physics engine be if it didn't create some spectacular crashes? If you fail to anticipate a turn, which causes you to hit a dirt patch, your front wheel may stop and send you and your bike onto the ground. Also, slamming into other racers or cutting them off can cause them to crash, occasionally taking you with them. So, unless you want to end up with severe road rash, it is best to maintain control of your bike at all times (going off road also significantly slows you down).
Bike handling is also affected by weather conditions. When the track is slick with rain, steering and cornering becomes much easier as you slide across the road surface, but this also leaves you vulnerable to spinouts and it takes a lot less force to send you onto the ground. Personally, I love slick races in pouring rain, where I can go nuts and muscle through straight-a-ways with heavy braking at the last seconds to save myself from untimely death.
Of course, all this simulation fun must be shared with your friends. That's why Moto GP 2 offers multiplayer support. In multiplayer, all modes are available for play, including a multiplayer only mode called Tag. Tag divides the course up into segments and whoever finishes a segment in the fastest time "owns" that section of the course until someone beats that time. Tag is divided into three games. Monopolization is where you can gain points by completing a section you already own in a faster time. King of the Corner gives you points for maintaining possession of certain segments. Winner Take All is where you steal points from other riders by capturing sections they own. As fun as this all sounds, unless you're a whiz at remembering IP addresses, have a jumping LAN, or have a third-party server browser such as GameSpy Arcade, you'll discover that seeking out people to play can be somewhat of a burden. But really, what PC gamer doesn't have one or all of the above going for them?
In terms of aesthetics, Moto GP 2 is damn pretty. The motorcycles and racers are all beautifully animated and modeled, which makes the whole experience seem like a real life simulation. Your rider shifts in his seat as he takes turns and leans forward at your command. If you bump into another rider, your opponent will shake his fist at you in anger. The colors are bright and spot on, the use of advanced special effects is abundant, and the game runs incredibly fast and smooth at maximum settings on reasonable system configurations.
The most stunning visuals are the crashes. Watch in horror as your racer contorts in all sorts of ways by somersaulting, flying through the air, or rolling across the ground. It truly looks like a form of painful acrobatics (and sounds like it, too). When you once again mount your bike, you'll notice parts where your paint has scratched.
Detail wasn't just given to your focal point, the racer, but also to the environments. Granted, there isn't usually much more than the road, grass, and the occasional tree, but backgrounds never seem totally flat. No, they seem realistic and believable. Everything from the clouds in the sky to the tire marks burned into the pavement creates the illusion that you're on a real course. To further the illusion, your tires will leave black streaks when you skid around a turn that will stay there throughout the race. When you head off-road, your tires will cut a line through the grass or kick up gravel or sand.
Even the rain is incredible. Droplets form on the screen when you follow too closely behind other racers. The wet surface causes water vapor to trail behind your bike, and the sky is reflected on the road. Overall, Moto GP 2's visuals are unbelievably stunning. The only questionable graphical touch is the blurring of the scenery and other racers at top speeds, which, although somewhat creating a sense of speed, makes steering and avoidance rather difficult. Aside from that and a couple of stiff reactions (no substantial accumulated player damage), Moto GP 2 just shines.
What did you
think of Moto GP 2?
With all the effort put into the gameplay and graphics of Moto GP 2,
the sound stands out as being its weakest attribute. Yes, there are the sounds
of revving engines, squealing tires, and crashing bikes, but it doesn't do
enough to make it sound like you're on the track.
Your aural experience is also hindered by a generic rock soundtrack that does little to aid the game's atmosphere. Fortunately, Moto GP 2 does include the option of using custom soundtracks, so you at least can find something appealing to listen to compensate for the comparatively weak sound effects, but why the hell does the music have to be in Ogg Vorbis?
The real test of any sequel is how it improves upon the original. Sadly to say, in this regard, Moto GP 2 fails miserably. There are a few more tracks, unlockable highlights videos, improved graphics, and better crash visuals, but Moto GP 2 is in most respects the very same game as Moto GP. Hopefully, if THQ plans on rolling Moto GP 3 onto the track, there will be some notable additions.
Now ask yourself, do you own Moto GP or Moto GP 2 on the Xbox? If the answer is no, this one will surely satisfy you. In fact, Moto GP 2 is a game that will satisfy anyone's crotch rocket or simulation fantasies. The detail paid to both the physics engine and the graphics is remarkable and worth seeing if you crave realism and speed. The fact that Moto GP 2 is essentially a Moto GP 1.5 means that those that already own the original have no reason to upgrade to the sequel. If you failed to pick up Moto GP, Moto GP 2 is a worthy addition to any racing fan's library. Of course, it does suffer from typical PC port problems (the meaty configurations being all out-game, for one).
Screen Shots
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