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GREAT GAME, BUT WON'T STAND THE TEST OF TIME

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 72 / 78
Date: March 30, 2007
Author: Amazon User

THIS REVIEW COMES FROM SOMEONE WHO HAS NOT ONLY COMPLETED, BUT WON 1ST PLACE IN 30 RACES ON MOTORSTORM. So I guess you can say I've played it a lot.

I've read quite a few of the other reviews so far, and most of them are written by people who just got the game and haven't really played it through yet, I would imagine. I've played it at least a hundred times, and I've got a different view point. I'll try to keep it concise, and I'll discuss the game's shortcomings first.

#1: THE SAME TRACKS OVER AND OVER AGAIN...After 30+ races, the tracks go from repetitive to out-right boring. I'm sorry, but there are only 7 or 8 tracks to race on. The change? except for a few of the races,you are forced to use a different vehicle each time. The level 1 and 2 races are fun, but by the time you get to the level 3 races, your opponents spend the entire race pushing you off cliffs and into rock formations, and everyone's vehicles are faster than yours. I really enjoy 2 or 3 of the tracks, but the others aren't to my liking, and I find myself cursing at the game as it forces me to run those tracks repeatedly.

#2: BLAZE YOUR OWN TRAIL? Hardly. Other reviewers have said that you don't have to follow the track; that you can go your own way. Not true. Each track has a "high route" atop cliffs, plateaus and mesas (for rally cars and motorcycles) a "middle route" across bridges, ramps, rocks and gravel (for any vehicle but a big rig) and "the low road" through the dirt and mud underneath all the bridges and ramps (for the mudpluggers and big rigs). At certain junctures of the track, you can choose one of two or three of these routes. During most of the race, though, you are bound to the route you have chosen. It's your job to learn the tracks and remember where those junctions are so that you can take the route appropriate for your vehicle. Big rigs and mudpluggers are a disaster on the high routes, and motorcycles and rally cars are useless in the mud. Other than that, you are following specified routes and there is no "free roam" during a race. If you go too far away from the track, you get the dreaded "WRONG WAY" text flashing, and your vehicle comes to a dead stop and immediately gets redirected onto the proper route, which most likely puts you into last place.

#3: SIXAXIS MOTION CONTROL...I still haven't figured out how to use this to my advantage. I am sure it has something to do with where my console is located in my livingroom with regard to where I am sitting with the controller, but the motion control puts my vehicle right into a ditch or the side of a mountain every time, like a jet ski with a broken steering cable. I have it turned off, as the game is just too difficult. I cannot navigate at all with it turned on. This is the PS3's first game to really utilize the sixaxis motion, so I am sure that all of us will need some time to adapt. Trust me though--the game is plenty challenging just using the traditional controls.

#4: NO MISSIONS, JUST TIMED RACES...In some games, you get a break from the timed race, like in the Midnight Club or Burnout games, and you get to race a course backward, or your mission is to run 20 cars off the road or cause a huge wreck. Not in MotorStorm. Your mission is the same across the board--win each race. It does tend to become monotonous at times.

Let me discuss the GOOD THINGS associated with MotorStorm now...

The graphics are the best I've seen on any game--bar none. The stunning detail is a major distraction in this game, as you leap over ramps and view monument valley while flying through the air. The wrecks are astounding as well. Sometimes, it's fun to choose and ATV or motorcycle and purposely cause huge wrecks. You get to view your body hurling through the air in slow motion with the ability to spin the scene around with the R stick. More often then not, your body bounces off of rocks and ends up being run over by another vehicle. Awesome! The jumps are amazing, too. Depending on your vehicle, you can control your tilt and wah in mid-air (which seems like an eternity, the jumps are so huge) to set up the perfect landing.

The vehicles are terrific. All of them react different to the different tracks, which makes the game truly challenging. As soon as you've mastered the motorcycle on the mesa race, you then have to compete in a race through the mud with a mudplugging jeep. Each vehicle has different acceleration, braking, turning radius and what I like to call "dent quotient." The bigger vehicles can take a real beating, whereas the ATV's and motorcycles might get hit by a rock and go flying into a rock formation in pieces. Very realistic. Also, your vehicle retains its damage until you wreck it; which means, you could smack into another vehicle, and then be racing with no doors and your hood flapping against your windshield the entire race. You can knock your wheels out of alignment, too. Your wheels will wobble until you wreck and get a new vehicle. Navigating the dirt buggies is like riding on a constant trampoline: they just bounce everywhere, which is fun until you are trying to cross the finish line in 1st, you come out of a jump, and bounce right into a gravel pit and flip over. It's an insane ride that will have you laughing hysterically, albeit with sweaty palms. To make it even more stressful, you can change your camera view to "shoulder cam" (for ATV's and motorcycles) or "in cockpit" (for the others) where the terrain moves more than you do...it's dizzyingly fun!

Lastly, the controls are so simple, you'd think you were playing the Atari 2600. One button for gas, one for braking (which doubles as reverse also) one for boost, and one to knock an opponent off his bike (if you're on a bike) or peep your horn (if your in another type of vehicle). This makes it so that anyone can jump right in and start playing the game.

All of this leads me to believe that Sony Entertainment is leaving the door wide open for an entire series of MotorStorm games. Why make a game this good with different missions, tasks and tracks when you can string it out through 4 or 5 games? I guess I'm old fashioned--I paid $60 for this game right when it came out, and I'm staggered at the boring, old-school "win the race to open other locked races and vehicles" mentality. I bet that a MotorStorm 2 will be out just in time for Christmas, boasting more tracks, more vehicles and more missions. Get your wallet ready--we're all in for an amazingly fun, expensive ride.

Beautiful Game ...

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 22 / 25
Date: March 27, 2007
Author: Amazon User

That's about it however. If you're looking for a game to show the system off and justify your six-hundred dollar Blu-Ray player, you could certainly do a lot worse. The game is a true beauty among the current crop of PS3 titles. Unfortunately its good looks is about all it has going for it.

There's no off-line multiplayer, no car customization, no unlockable content at all, no career mode, no difficulty adjustments (easy, hard, etc, etc), horrific loading times, and only EIGHT TRACKS! So many of these features have become such a standard to racing games, I just can't see any reason why extra content of some sort couldn't have been included.

Overall, the game's a blast, but it seems so geared toward a single-player experience and with nothing extra to play for the replay value is pretty low. Until the price comes down, I couldn't recommend it. Like the cliche, beauty is only skin-deep and, in keeping with the saying, there's virtually nothing here underneath the (albeit dazzling) surface.

Amazing Graphics and Cool Vehicle Variety

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 17 / 19
Date: March 31, 2007
Author: Amazon User

Motorstorm gives you a variety of interesting vehicles racing on the same muddy track. Race a motorcycle against a large truck, and see who comes out on top!

The graphics in this game are just stunning. The details in the canyon ridges, the scrubs and shrubs along the path, the tiny details on the vehicles, are are rendered in amazing detail. We sat and watched MANY crahes just to marvel at how well done the physics were, how the tiny pieces of the vehicle sprang apart and bounded along the path.

The sound is a heavy metal rock beat. This will be great if you love this kind of music - or will get quickly very annoying if you don't. The solution is of course just to turn down the music and play your own if you're not into it. Problem solved pretty quickly.

Gameplay is fascinating because of the wide variety of vehicles involved. Most games have buggies against buggies, or racecars against racecars. In this one you can choose motorcycles, ATVs, buggies, race cars, trucks, jeeps, and a variety of other vehicles. The tracks are set up with a high, medium and low path. The heavier vehicles can plow through the mud and take the easier route. The lighter vehicles need to skirt along the canyon edges, taking advantage of their small size.

This is super in theory - but in practice there are only a small number of courses, and each type of vehicle really only does well on its own set track. So unlike some racing games where there are a variety of paths and options you can take for victory, for here it's more like there are interweaving tracks and you have to stay on "yours" if you want to win. It's still fun of course, but it could have been much better by really giving you multiple options.

Another real downside here is that there is NO LOCAL MULTIPLAYER. The package says 1-12 players but they mean solely online. I really think packages should list local and online separate on their packaging so there is no confusion. I opened this up wanting to have some fun races against my boyfriend - but we couldn't! To me, that really takes away from the fun of a game, if it's this sort of multiplayer game but the only let you play online.

Still, if you're the type of person who only plays single player - or someone who thrives in the online environment - this game really is a LOT of fun. The physics are simply amazing. You could use this game in physics classes to explain various actions and interactions.

Great fun - but I'd really like to see a Motorstorm 2 that had local multiplayer and more courses.

Time to get down and dirty

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 15 / 19
Date: March 11, 2007
Author: Amazon User

These are the experiences I have been waiting to have on my PS3. When I originally saw this game nearly two years ago I was gasping for breath. Although the final version has come pretty close. This game is really for everyone because it's plain fun. Whether you have been playing race games your whole life or you are new to gaming. The point of the game is to get dirty.

Although this game has a limited amount of tracks it's what you can do on the tracks that makes it amazing. There is almost no limit to the options on each track. Finding the most suitable course for your vehicle is the challenge. I find myself almost pausing the game just to view the detail. The detail from the vehicles and the environment. For a first generation PS3 game this leaves me wondering graphically how it can be one upped. Everything in this game is amazing actually almost incredible.

Now I have talked about the mud and now I will talk some more. Obviously you vehicle will be dirty and the only way to play against the opponents is dirty. That is another reason to be careful of the vehicles you do choose. What keep this game so challenging is that on easy course you may be up against atv's and Big Rigs. You don't realize how intimidating that is until they are trying to ram you into a canyon wall. Although with a little boost you can muster your way out. What makes having a motorcycle or atv fun is the hand gestures and punching your character will do to their opponents. Although it's not always good to get the guy driving the Big Rig mad as he will come after you.

What I have found is that single player is one of the most challenging gaming experiences I have had. There is no easy level just as there is no hard. As you advance in the game the challenge only becomes harder and harder. The game gives you four levels and each level comprises of tickets. Now each one of those tickets has one to four races on it. The object is to finish each ticket. This is what keeps the game a steady challenge. Some of the races just seem odd as you are in a motorcycle taking on Big Rigs. It may seem intimidating but that's where you learn your skills.

Now if single player gets a little tough or if you fly through it there is always online. The online setup allows for 12 racers. What keeps this a lot of fun is the constant challenge. As now you are racing against people. Although what I have found is the computer A.I. is some of the most advanced in any game. So sometimes taking on people can be a bit easier. That will be for you to see.

In closing I would say this is an obvious fit for anyone who owns a PS3. This is the type of game that will leave you wanting more. Evolution studios has done a good enough job to keep everyone in the game...Get out there and Motorstorm.

Awesome Game, don't listen to the Microsoft Fan boys

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 11 / 13
Date: March 07, 2007
Author: Amazon User

Everyone who says this game sucks without giving it any credit is definitely and without a doubt a microsoft xbox360 fan boy and basically just jelous because Motorstorm is truely amazing, and in my opinion takes graphics and physics to a completely different level. The truck handles awesome and the controls are wonderful. The graphics are beyond describable if you put this game on an HDTV. Microsoft fan boys will always continue to bash on PS3. Just ignore them. this game is awesome. I think this is the first game that shows the potential power of PS3. Buy it and enjoy!!!

Who Thought Physics Was Dull

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 12 / 15
Date: December 27, 2006
Author: Amazon User

I've been playing the demo for about a month now. Truly amazing. The graphics are a step up from the PS2, but the physics of the crashes is where the game really shines. Every crash swithches into instant slo-mo and each piece of debris as well as the driver bounce and interact with everything. One time, the driver of the motorcycle got thrown and got run over by a car, and then got caught up in the engine compartment of that car and got dragged 100 yds, only to come off and then get creamed by another car!. A definite must own!. The music is great as well.

after owning over 100 games since Atari 2600, this is the BEST GAME I'VE EVER Bought

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 12 / 16
Date: March 07, 2007
Author: Amazon User

Well, with a high definition big screen, this game is superb. I've been playing games for years and even after only playing a few hours of this, I know this is going to be one of the best games for PS3 now or in a year. The graphics, the online play, the excitement, all make for amazing gameplay.

Best game for PS3 so far

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 14 / 23
Date: December 22, 2006
Author: Amazon User

Based on the demo, this is the best game available for the PS3. The graphics are incredible and the wrecks are great to watch (pieces of vehicle flying everywhere). Can't wait for the full version to come out...

Visceral.

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 8 / 11
Date: March 11, 2007
Author: Amazon User

Ladies and gents, it's finally time to get down and dirty on your PlayStation 3. Evolution Studios' MotorStorm, a motocross-style racing game and one of the first PS3 games ever shown, finally explodes out of the gates in style. What makes this filthy, dirty, explosive racer so much fun? Most importantly, despite being a blast, is it actually worth the $60 admission?

MotorStorm is a very simple game at face value. In fact, the gameplay is akin to Burnout-braking is hardly ever needed, and alongside accelerating you'll be using a boost feature to stay ahead of the pack. However, Evolution Studios' racer is much more technical in practice-each of the eight tracks featured in beautiful Monument Valley are loaded with jumps, blind turns, hidden paths, and slippery pits of mud. In fact, there are several different lines throughout each track. Rockhopper comes to mind when I think of multiple paths, narrow jumps, and huge drop-offs. The circuit offered in the downloadable demo was the high-altitude Raingod Mesa, which has one of the most exciting banked turns and cliff side stretches in the game. The Coyote Rage track is condensed but still features a lot of different paths and makes a wonderfully varied track for any vehicle. At The Grizzly, anything goes-it's extremely diverse and alway exciting no matter what vehicle you're driving.

The racing is very physics-based, and because of the various obstacles and racing lines, Evolution Studios offered seven different types of vehicles. You can choose from several kinds of rally cars, bikes, racing trucks, ATVs, buggies, "Mud Pluggers," and big rigs. In that very order from left to right you lose speed but race the easy ground-bikes will always beat Mud Pluggers in the straight, but the `Pluggers will flat-out dominate them in the slippery low grounds of each track. Big rigs shove everyone around, but are clumsy to drive and incredibly slow to accelerate. Buggies were always enjoyable rides because they have a great balance of speed, control, and can handle most of the game's different lines without a problem. Each vehicle controls differently in different terrain; rally cars can't handle anything less than solid ground while ATVs earn their acronym by handling well in all terrain. Generally every vehicle handles well; I really liked the responsiveness of the ATVs and bikes, but the sluggishness of the big rigs and `Pluggers helped in the low grounds. Different vehicles also have different boosting advantages and disadvantages: big rigs can boost for a much longer time than other vehicles, but the boosting still doesn't make it a speedy candidate. Bikes and rally cars explode forward but take some time to cool down. Learning each vehicle is just as important as knowing each of MotorStorm's tracks.

Despite the fact that there are only eight tracks and seven vehicles, none of MotorStorm's races grow tiresome or repetitious thanks to how much fun the racing actually is. You see, MotorStorm usually throws you into races against several different types of vehicles-sometimes all seven-and each vehicle's strengths and weaknesses really show. If you're a rally car you'll be enjoying wonderful handling and speed, but you'll really have to pick a line as far away from the bigger vehicles as possible. MotorStorm's CPU-controller opponents generally form large packs during the race, so gaining positions and fighting to stay alive (especially on bikes or ATVs) is always exciting. The different lines intersect at several points throughout each race, so oftentimes you'll be riding along without anyone around when all of the sudden an entire pack of big rigs come flying out of the low grounds. Again, it's always very exciting.

I hadn't mentioned crashes before now, but it would be a sin to further neglect them. I mentioned Burnout earlier, and even EA's "crash porn" racing game doesn't have crashes like this. MotorStorm flexes the PS3's muscles with smoky, fiery explosions, destructible vehicles and environments, and all of the itsy-bitsy particle effects that should accompany all of the above. There is nothing more satisfying than fighting through a pack of vehicles, ramming an ATV, and watching the poor sap careen into a huge rock formation, just to explode and be ejected into the abyss.

MotorStorm offers 21 "tickets" in its main gameplay mode. Each "ticket" lets you race in one to four different races, and as you win races, you earn points, new tickets, and new vehicles. It's a design that is completely lacking in flashiness but it never ceases to be a fun challenge. There are five levels of difficulty, and by even the fourth level you'll be forced to know each vehicle's strengths and weaknesses very well before expecting to even place in the top three. MotorStorm's races can be frustrating, especially the long-winded ones, but I never found myself in a position where I didn't want to restart the race or keep the SIXAXIS in my hand. Speaking of the SIXAXIS, MotorStorm features a motion-controlled mode that lets you twist and turn the controller around to steer. It's not the preferred method of control, and it's actually disabled by default, but it works surprisingly well.

As stated before, visually MotorStorm is stunning. It is quite easily the best-looking PS3 game to date and jumps in line with some of the best-looking console games to date. The Monument Valley location is absolutely beautiful; you'll never tire of the vibrant red cliff sides contrasting to the baby blue skies. Shrubbery, signage, and other obstructions litter each track. Never did I feel like there wasn't enough to look at while tearing across dangerous rocky ridges. MotorStorm is also quite possibly the loudest game I've ever played. The top-notch, perfectly-fitting soundtrack blares in the background while engines rip and explosions blast out of your speakers like no other. I noticed that the 21 songs in the soundtrack didn't recycle well, though-the game's automatic shuffling of songs seemed to pick "Breed" and "Automatic Thrill" a whole lot for me, and though I enjoyed the songs every time I heard them, I do like some variety.

MotorStorm's praises sadly come to an end when you start to think about long-term value. The single-player mode offers a lot of races and challenges, but once you're done with that, an online mode is the only other method of play. There isn't even a split-screen multiplayer mode-all multiplayer races are done online. Fortunately the online mode allows you to earn ranks and the like, so it's got a decent amount of depth as well. Still, anything else would have been nice-a crash mode, perhaps a stunt mode for the bikes and ATVs. Also, loading times grow very tiring. It takes about 10 seconds to load a vehicle in the vehicle selection screen, and about 30 seconds to load a race. When you consider that Coyote Rage races are only about 2:30, a 30-second load time is pretty long.

Overall, MotorStorm is one of the better PlayStation 3 games on the market. It is one of the only racing games I feel deserves to be called "visceral," and only by bolding "exciting" do I stress how thrilling this game really is. It's got the top visuals, excellent soundtrack, explosive crashes, detailed courses-really, the only thing more you could want is a little substance, but in the end, MotorStorm is still worth the purchase. PS3 owners needed something to do anyway.

wow

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 8 / 11
Date: December 03, 2006
Author: Amazon User

I truly dont know of anyone who wouldnt like this game.

Graphics: 69487/5
Gameplay: Amazing, if a billbord falls down on another and creates a 45 degree angle, you can ramp off it.
Online Play: I haven't tried this yet, but I have very high expectations.
Replay Value: Very High

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-tornadoboy

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