MotorStorm is a very fun game that's as fun to watch as it is to play. It's just a shame there's no splitscreen.
This game reminds me of a game released a couple years ago on the PS2 called Jak X: Combat Racing. This game, like that one, features brain-rattling offroad racing, turbo boosts, and incredibly detailed slow-motion crashes. But enough of that.
+Story+
The game contains no actual story that takes place, so the score I give it will not go to the overall.
The game is set at the MotorStorm Festival in Monument Valley, Nevada. From watching the ENTIRE (very long) sequence that plays during menu screens, it is some sort of raucous music festival with added dirt racing. (I want me tickets NOW.) You play as a driver who noone ever sees who is hopelessly fast and has no fear. I've nicknamed him 'The Stig'. However, during actual gameplay, there is no actual indication of actual people...although considering the content of the races, I can understand why they're not at the actual events.
STORY/SCORE: 9/10
POINTS OMITTED FOR: Slight plot hole between story and gameplay
+Gameplay+
MotorStorm couldn't be simpler really. It's an off-road racer. You win by placing first out of 14. And it uses very few controls. You use the R2 button to accellerate, L2 to brake and reverse (although believe me, you won't be using it very often) and the X button to use your boost. You can use either the left analog or the SIXAXIS motion sensing to steer your racer, a la Excite Truck. I personally prefer the analog, but that's just me. Start pauses, Select changes view and the right stick will move the camera. You can move the camera during races, but it's really just for crashes.
You get nitrous boost to help you in your race. At the start of each race you must give the boost system 10 seconds to charge up (but luckily, everyone else has to as well). Then you can hold down the X button to rocket forward. Your boost will heat up the vehicle's engine the more it's used. If you keep using the boost at critical temperature without being in ther air to cool it, you will explode. Again. However, boost explosions will rocket your vehicle forward at around three times its top speed, so you can use one to win a race at the last second.
The controls are realistically sensitive, but unlike Gran Turismo you won't ever go skidding out of control, so you will feel little use for the brake button. But if you crash into a tiny rock at 10mph, you will explode. And I mean even the smallest of rocks. But it's helplessly good fun, so it's still a good thing.
The Square button is an infinite source of amusement. Pressing it when noone's around will activate your car's horn. Press it when a vehicle is nearby and your driver will shake his fist or even give the finger/Vsign to passing drivers. Better still, if you're riding an ATV or bike and you press it when you're right next to another bike or ATV, you will actually knock them off, causing them to crash. But be careful to pull away quickly, because you could explode too if you stay too close to the exploding car. It's terrifc and heaps of fun.
CONTROLS/SCORE: 10/10
POINTS OMITTED FOR: No points omitted, baby!
There are just two gameplay modes available to you in MotorStorm, 'Play' and 'Online'. There's also a third gameplay mode called 'Setup', if you like that sort of thing. 'Play' is a single player...sort of campaign, and 'Online' is a single player...well, online gameplay option. There is no split-screen multiplayer whatsoever, but I can see where they were coming from...there would end up being absolutely TREMENDOUS lag and FRDs if that happened (more on that later). However, you could do something like System Link, which would be infinitely cool. But this is therefore a game that is designed for being as fun to watch as it is to play, and that's good as well.
GAMEMODES/SCORE: 8/10
POINTS OMITTED FOR: No spit-screen multiplayer options
There are just 8 tracks to race on (excluding any updates available), but there are many, many different routes through it, so that's at least 40 different ways to race.
There are lots of classes of vehicles to race on too. Bikes and ATVs are fast, but are very unbalanced and will slow to a crawl in mud. They also have the best boost value (speed gained/amount of time you can use the boost). Rally cars and buggies are the all-rounders and Mudpluggers and bigrigs take ages to get to top speed, have helpless boost value, but are completely untouchable once they've reached full speed. The vehicle class you choose is chosen for you for most tickets, but for all but the MotorStorm Festival Events (MSFEs) you are racing against the same class. It is only for the final few races and online play that you can freely choose which class to use. Fortunately, there are lots of vehicles in each class to choose and you can even choose a colour sceme. However, you can only choose preset schemes, not your own custom ones. Luckily, there are about five schemes that will satify most types of people, so unless you want a mauve and orange big rig, you won't be left crying into your SIXAXIS over this.
VARIATION/SCORE: 7/10
POINTS OMITTED FOR: Only 8 tracks, limited colour options.
GAMEPLAY/SCORE: 8/10
+Presentation+
There is really no question about it; the game looks beautiful. From the highly detailed car models to the mud splashing onto the screen to the tires visibly shaking during a powerslide to the driver's fluidity as they give V-signs to each other (it's true, press Square), each individual grain of mud and sand is rendered brilliantly. On some tracks you can see (freakin' massive) TV screens that display a live view of the race from various angles. It's truly a stunning game. But when you crash, the game really shows itself off. The way the cars crash is controlled by the game's engine rather than preset animation, meaning you can never crash the same car in the same way twice. It really has to be seen to be believed.
ACTUAL GAMEPLAY/SCORE: 9/10
The game has a good host of sound effects, and a huge array of artists donating songs for the soundtrack, with the likes of Slipknot and Wolfmother being worthy additions. It's a good listen so it more than makes up for the PS3's (current) lack of custom soundtracks. The music is also quite blended with in-game effects and can be listened to individually in the Soundtrack section of the Options (?) menu.
SOUNDTRACK/SCORE: 9/10
POINTS OMITTED FOR: The soundtrack has to repeat sometimes and can sometimes forget to load new songs
The game's name is displayed at all times at the top of menu screens, and a subtitle below it reading the purpose of the screen ('Select a Race' or 'Select an ATV', for example), but interestingly for the main menu screen the subtitle reads 'Monument Valley'. Yeah, that's the game's setting, but it gives the whole game a seemingly full name of 'MotorStorm: Monument Valley'. Maybe the sequels will be set elsewhere, hummm? We shall see. There's a perpetually looping, brilliantly rendered movie that plays at the title screen which displays the MotorStorm Festival. It's almost as fun as playing the game itself to watch XD.
Your current highlighted option is denoted by a bright yellow '>' symbol. It seems to have a mind of its own and will disappear after a while, leaving a nice display to leave the game on, and when you select the next option, it will completely miss it and then travel back. This process can't be skipped, but it's fun to watch anyway. It's a really nice GUI and it fits.
The only problem is the prohibitively long load times - it's alright when you are booting up, but when you're selecting cars or loading a race, even the loading busy icon freezes on occasion. However there are no frame rate dips during the actual race, which is meritable.
The in-game HUD is as simple as it gets. You get a position meter and lap meter, a boost temperature meter, a course map and...that's it. The boost meter is very helpful for the races. When you are reaching critical boost temperature (the red section of the meter) you will hear an alarm and the meter will visibly vibrate (as your SIXAXIS moans with envy nearby), telling you to let go of X. Or keep it down if you want to score a quick win (see above). The interface is very easy on the eye during races, which helps you keep your eye on the ro...I mean dirt...I mean mud...erm, you know what I mean.
INTERFACE/SCORE: 9/10
POINTS OMITTED FOR: Smooth and sexy, but the > can get on your nerves sometimes.
PRESENTATION/SCORE: 9/10
+Overall+
The fact that there's no split-screen multiplayer doesn't stop this game from being one of the most fun games to have when your mates are round. It's as fun to watch as it is to play, and it's a testament to the fact that this game, not the more popular and multiplayer-capable Resistance: Fall of Man, is bundled with the 80GB PS3. Even if you don't have the 80GB, or plan on it, if you have a PS3, you have to have this game.
GAMEPLAY/SCORE: 8/10
PRESENTATION/SCORE: 9/10
OVERALL: 8.5/10
This has been my first review, so please go easy on my reasoning.
-Machiney