MotoGP 08 - Xbox 360

true Name: MotoGP 08 Genre: Racing - Motorcycle Platforms: PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, Wii, Xbox 360, PC (Reviewed on Xbox 360) <img src="/contributed/1226516535KYLpCr3B1G.jpg" height="88" alt="" width="440" /> The eighth overall entry in the MotoGP series, MotoGP 08 is the first to be developed entirely by Capcom.  For years, THQ held the exclusive rights to the franchise, which was developed by Climax Studios, until last year, when Capcom published the overly difficult PS2 version of MotoGP 07 with developer Milestone.  The series has always focused on a high degree of realism, and Capcom intends to continue that tradition, but has also made efforts to ensure that the first MotoGP game available for both current-gen consoles is more accessible for non-fanatics of Grand Prix motorcycle racing.  <a href="/contributed/1226523522NO2V63BEHF.jpg"><img src="/contributed/1226523522NO2V63BEHF.jpg" height="264" alt="" width="440" /></a> MotoGP 08 starts you off in a tutorial level that judges your abilities in order to recommend a control setting that best fits your skills.  There are three control settings: Arcade, Advanced and Simulation.  The tutorial is on the Arcade setting, and if you have trouble getting around the track, it will recommend Arcade mode.  If you manage to compete, but still aren’t a pro-level racer, then the game will recommend Advanced.  If you are a master at cornering, overtaking opponents and finding the perfect line, then Simulation will be your recommended level (and God help you).  While Arcade mode is manageable, Advanced mode is very challenging, punishing you for trying to accelerate through tight turns, and Simulation is damn near impossible unless you’ve logged many hours behind the handlebars.  Regardless which difficulty you choose, there are some elements of the game that stay the same.  Colliding with another vehicle has consequences, but not as much as you might think.  Unless you hit an opponent very hard, you’ll usually just bounce off harmlessly.  In some situations, you’ll actually be able to utilize collisions to your advantage, using opposing vehicles like guardrails.  This has the same effect it does in Gran Turismo; turning an otherwise realistic racer into a half-arcadey hybrid that satisfies neither the hardcore sim fan nor the casual racer fan. <a href="/contributed/1226523598pxErsS32mQ.jpg"><img src="/contributed/1226523598pxErsS32mQ.jpg" height="264" alt="" width="440" /></a> MotoGP 08 offers five ways to play.  Championship mode is your basic “career” mode, allowing you to create your own racer, then race through three season of races (120cc, 250cc, and MotoGP) to unlock skill points that can be used to upgrade your bike’s top speed, acceleration, braking and handling.  While there are tons of tracks to compete on, and the points you unlock carry over to your online profile, the lack of variety and bland presentation make for a dry experience that never feels like anything more than a series of races.  Challenges are quick, difficult tests of skill that judge your ability to make tight turns, overtake opponents and recover from awful crashes.  There are 50 Challenges total, and while they certainly add to the game’s replay value, they are far too difficult for most gamers to even bother with them.  Time Trials and Quick Play are pretty much exactly what you’d think they are, except that most people would think that Quick Play would include split-screen head-to-head racing, which it doesn’t.  There is also online racing, which takes the form of 12-person single races.  While online, graphical glitches are frequent, with opposing cycles warping and teleporting all over the track.  Even when these issues aren’t popping up, there’s still the issue of experienced racers using souped-up bikes against rookies’ untouched rides; a definite concern for new players. <a href="/contributed/1226523659G8hkxNXNjq.jpg"><img src="/contributed/1226523659G8hkxNXNjq.jpg" height="264" alt="" width="440" /></a> When people think of simulation racing games, two things usually come to mind; realistic driving physics and deep customization options.  While MotoGP 08 nails the physics, it completely drops the ball on customization.  In addition to the aforementioned top speed, acceleration, braking and handling stats, you’re able to change the hardness of your tires and adjust your suspension, turning speed and gear ratio.  That’s about it.  Sadly, there is no option to change bike colors, logos, body styles, or rider outfits.  You are able to choose from a long list of actual MotoGP racers, but you’re then stuck with their bike, their colors, their clothes.  Including a full-featured customization suite (like in last year’s game) would have gone a long way towards making the player feel like it’s their racing career the are experiencing instead of some pro they’ve probably never heard of. <a href="/contributed/1226523545yPRsjHWzsE.jpg"><img src="/contributed/1226523545yPRsjHWzsE.jpg" height="264" alt="" width="440" /></a> MotoGP 08’s visual presentation is solid, but a bit on the vanilla side.  There’s nothing wrong with the in-game visuals; they’re quite nice, actually.  Riders look great leaning into turns, popping wheelies (not a sound idea for a race, by the way) and even flipping across the asphalt after a crash, and the tracks are accurate to their real life counterparts, and are well rendered, with excellent lighting effects.  The problem is that you’re spending most of your time looking at asphalt, sky and a little bit of grass.  As technically sound as everything is, it’s a bit boring to look at.  Obviously, I understand that these guys shouldn’t be racing underwater or on a space station, but some details on the tracks, like pit crews and race officials on the side of the course would help break up the visual monotony.  The bare-bones approach carries over to the game’s menus as well.  The simplistic, mostly white design is clean and easy to understand, but comes off as sterile, and not exactly visually thrilling. <a href="/contributed/1226523688vfLEmlshBw.jpg"><img src="/contributed/1226523688vfLEmlshBw.jpg" height="264" alt="" width="440" /></a> Serious fans of motorcycle racing will no doubt appreciate the realism found in MotoGP 08’s Simulation mode.  That said, most gamers, who wouldn’t know Hiroshi Aoyama from Thomas Lüthi, will find everything but Arcade mode too difficult to bother with.  Simulation racers need to be realistic and challenging, which MotoGP is, for the most part, but they also need to be fun.  This is where Capcom comes up short.  With the omission of two player split-screen, very few customization options, and a prohibitive learning curve, there’s just not that much fun to be had.  Still, MotoGP 08 has the makings of an excellent racing game, and with future iterations, we can only hope that the series sees a more robust feature set.   <img src="/contributed/1179941578DGVahDLFCu.jpg" height="175" alt="" width="275" /> <img src="/contributed/1204908946PhJqwa60Wv.jpg" height="35" alt="" width="275" /> <a href="http://www.gamerankings.com/"><img src="/contributed/12049090913D6uenyIJz.jpg" height="42" alt="" width="111" /></a><a href="http://www.metacritic.com/games"><img src="/contributed/1204909164Gepk74pXtB.jpg" height="51" alt="" width="154" /></a> Related Articles: <a href="/gamer/veggie_jackson/reviews/article/motorstorm_pacific_rift_ps3">Review - Motorstorm: Pacific Rift – PS3</a> <a href="/gamer/sarah/reviews/article/driver_ps1_throwback_thursday_">Review - Driver - PS1 (Throwback Thursday)</a> <a href="/gamer/veggie_jackson/reviews/article/beijing_2008_xbox_360">Review - Beijing 2008 – Xbox 360</a> <a href="/gamer/sarah/reviews/article/driver_ps1_throwback_thursday_"> </a> review

2008-11-12T16:18:30-05:00

Name: MotoGP 08 Genre: Racing - Motorcycle Platforms: PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, Wii, Xbox 360, PC (Reviewed on Xbox 360) <img src="/contributed/1226516535KYLpCr3B1G.jpg" height="88" alt="" width="440" /> The eighth overall entry in the MotoGP series, MotoGP 08 is the first to be developed entirely by Capcom.  For years, THQ held the exclusive rights to the franchise, which was developed by Climax Studios, until last year, when Capcom published the overly difficult PS2 version of MotoGP 07 with developer Milestone.  The series has always focused on a high degree of realism, and Capcom intends to continue that tradition, but has also made efforts to ensure that the first MotoGP game available for both current-gen consoles is more accessible for non-fanatics of Grand Prix motorcycle racing.  <a href="/contributed/1226523522NO2V63BEHF.jpg"><img src="/contributed/1226523522NO2V63BEHF.jpg" height="264" alt="" width="440" /></a> MotoGP 08 starts you off in a tutorial level that judges your abilities in order to recommend a control setting that best fits your skills.  There are three control settings: Arcade, Advanced and Simulation.  The tutorial is on the Arcade setting, and if you have trouble getting around the track, it will recommend Arcade mode.  If you manage to compete, but still aren’t a pro-level racer, then the game will recommend Advanced.  If you are a master at cornering, overtaking opponents and finding the perfect line, then Simulation will be your recommended level (and God help you).  While Arcade mode is manageable, Advanced mode is very challenging, punishing you for trying to accelerate through tight turns, and Simulation is damn near impossible unless you’ve logged many hours behind the handlebars.  Regardless which difficulty you choose, there are some elements of the game that stay the same.  Colliding with another vehicle has consequences, but not as much as you might think.  Unless you hit an opponent very hard, you’ll usually just bounce off harmlessly.  In some situations, you’ll actually be able to utilize collisions to your advantage, using opposing vehicles like guardrails.  This has the same effect it does in Gran Turismo; turning an otherwise realistic racer into a half-arcadey hybrid that satisfies neither the hardcore sim fan nor the casual racer fan. <a href="/contributed/1226523598pxErsS32mQ.jpg"><img src="/contributed/1226523598pxErsS32mQ.jpg" height="264" alt="" width="440" /></a> MotoGP 08 offers five ways to play.  Championship mode is your basic “career” mode, allowing you to create your own racer, then race through three season of races (120cc, 250cc, and MotoGP) to unlock skill points that can be used to upgrade your bike’s top speed, acceleration, braking and handling.  While there are tons of tracks to compete on, and the points you unlock carry over to your online profile, the lack of variety and bland presentation make for a dry experience that never feels like anything more than a series of races.  Challenges are quick, difficult tests of skill that judge your ability to make tight turns, overtake opponents and recover from awful crashes.  There are 50 Challenges total, and while they certainly add to the game’s replay value, they are far too difficult for most gamers to even bother with them.  Time Trials and Quick Play are pretty much exactly what you’d think they are, except that most people would think that Quick Play would include split-screen head-to-head racing, which it doesn’t.  There is also online racing, which takes the form of 12-person single races.  While online, graphical glitches are frequent, with opposing cycles warping and teleporting all over the track.  Even when these issues aren’t popping up, there’s still the issue of experienced racers using souped-up bikes against rookies’ untouched rides; a definite concern for new players. <a href="/contributed/1226523659G8hkxNXNjq.jpg"><img src="/contributed/1226523659G8hkxNXNjq.jpg" height="264" alt="" width="440" /></a> When people think of simulation racing games, two things usually come to mind; realistic driving physics and deep customization options.  While MotoGP 08 nails the physics, it completely drops the ball on customization.  In addition to the aforementioned top speed, acceleration, braking and handling stats, you’re able to change the hardness of your tires and adjust your suspension, turning speed and gear ratio.  That’s about it.  Sadly, there is no option to change bike colors, logos, body styles, or rider outfits.  You are able to choose from a long list of actual MotoGP racers, but you’re then stuck with their bike, their colors, their clothes.  Including a full-featured customization suite (like in last year’s game) would have gone a long way towards making the player feel like it’s their racing career the are experiencing instead of some pro they’ve probably never heard of. <a href="/contributed/1226523545yPRsjHWzsE.jpg"><img src="/contributed/1226523545yPRsjHWzsE.jpg" height="264" alt="" width="440" /></a> MotoGP 08’s visual presentation is solid, but a bit on the vanilla side.  There’s nothing wrong with the in-game visuals; they’re quite nice, actually.  Riders look great leaning into turns, popping wheelies (not a sound idea for a race, by the way) and even flipping across the asphalt after a crash, and the tracks are accurate to their real life counterparts, and are well rendered, with excellent lighting effects.  The problem is that you’re spending most of your time looking at asphalt, sky and a little bit of grass.  As technically sound as everything is, it’s a bit boring to look at.  Obviously, I understand that these guys shouldn’t be racing underwater or on a space station, but some details on the tracks, like pit crews and race officials on the side of the course would help break up the visual monotony.  The bare-bones approach carries over to the game’s menus as well.  The simplistic, mostly white design is clean and easy to understand, but comes off as sterile, and not exactly visually thrilling. <a href="/contributed/1226523688vfLEmlshBw.jpg"><img src="/contributed/1226523688vfLEmlshBw.jpg" height="264" alt="" width="440" /></a> Serious fans of motorcycle racing will no doubt appreciate the realism found in MotoGP 08’s Simulation mode.  That said, most gamers, who wouldn’t know Hiroshi Aoyama from Thomas Lüthi, will find everything but Arcade mode too difficult to bother with.  Simulation racers need to be realistic and challenging, which MotoGP is, for the most part, but they also need to be fun.  This is where Capcom comes up short.  With the omission of two player split-screen, very few customization options, and a prohibitive learning curve, there’s just not that much fun to be had.  Still, MotoGP 08 has the makings of an excellent racing game, and with future iterations, we can only hope that the series sees a more robust feature set.   <img src="/contributed/1179941578DGVahDLFCu.jpg" height="175" alt="" width="275" /> <img src="/contributed/1204908946PhJqwa60Wv.jpg" height="35" alt="" width="275" /> <a href="http://www.gamerankings.com/"><img src="/contributed/12049090913D6uenyIJz.jpg" height="42" alt="" width="111" /></a><a href="http://www.metacritic.com/games"><img src="/contributed/1204909164Gepk74pXtB.jpg" height="51" alt="" width="154" /></a> Related Articles: <a href="/gamer/veggie_jackson/reviews/article/motorstorm_pacific_rift_ps3">Review - Motorstorm: Pacific Rift – PS3</a> <a href="/gamer/sarah/reviews/article/driver_ps1_throwback_thursday_">Review - Driver - PS1 (Throwback Thursday)</a> <a href="/gamer/veggie_jackson/reviews/article/beijing_2008_xbox_360">Review - Beijing 2008 – Xbox 360</a> <a href="/gamer/sarah/reviews/article/driver_ps1_throwback_thursday_"> </a>

8686

6085

2008-11-12T12:04:23-05:00

2008-11-12T16:18:30-05:00

11303

7.0

motogp_08_xbox_360 published As Technically Sound As It Is Boring MotoGP 08 - Xbox 360

2009-04-27T23:46:33-04:00