MotorStorm (PS3)

A wannabe exite truck with better graphics good graphics
some of the vehicles are good no real sense of speed the cars are only fast if you boost
rubbish music this game is ok its not amazing if your getting a ps3 and your not sure what game you want i serously recomend not getting this and bying something like resistance fom!

February 28, 2007 - Outside of existing franchises like Metal Gear Solid, Killzone and Final Fantasy, perhaps the biggest and most anticipated game coming to the PlayStation 3 has been MotorStorm. After the extremely impressive, but fully CG, trailer that was shown at E3 during the system's first unveiling, PlayStation fans worldwide have been waiting to see if the final product could live up to the target render. The downloadable PlayStation Store demo gave gamers a taste of what was to come, but the full release is finally upon us.

So the question is, does the game live up to and properly recreate what we saw in the target video? Yes and no. The game doesn't look quite as good (though it is certainly a system showpiece), but it does come extremely close to bringing the chaos that we saw in the video to the PlayStation 3.

MotorStorm lives and thrives on the moments when you're right in the middle of a pack of vehicles, everyone pushing each other towards the cliff sides and you're doing all you can just to survive. There are more ''Oh $#@&'' moments in MotorStorm than any other game around, and no matter how many laps around the same track you've made, you'll constantly see new crashes and vehicles careening to their death.

Really, there are very, very few racing titles (or even games in general) around that deliver as engaging an experience as MotorStorm. There's really no better way to put it than that.

The game lets you choose from a number of different vehicle types, each of which have their own strengths and weaknesses. For example, motorcycles are very quick and agile, but can't stand toe-to-toe with bigger rides and slide in the mud like a hound dog on ice. On the flip side, the large trucks can plow through hazards and other rides, and the changes in environment types barely affect their handling. But, they're not very quick and must stick to the slower and wider sections of the tracks.

The variety in handling and inherent play styles between each of the vehicles is fantastic, and you'll find that you'll play the game a little differently with each one of them. Regardless of which vehicle you're driving, you'll be whipping around corners, launching off of ramps, hopping over chasms and more, and the vast differences in each of the vehicles' handling, braking and acceleration abilities mean that you'll always take a different approach to each race.

While most of the vehicles are great fun to drive, this isn't the case for all of them. While hopping over jumps in a motorcycle, whipping around corners in a rally car or sliding through the dirt in a buggy is simply awesome, the biggest and slowest vehicles can be a little boring to drive. The big rigs are the biggest culprit here, their hulking masses forcing you to take the most boring routes on the tracks and generally limping along to the finish line. That's not to say that they can't win a race, as their ability to plow through the other vehicles is a great asset, but they're just too slow and sluggish to be much fun. - Great graphics.
- Good gameplay elements.
- Fast paced - Long loading times. Sony has jump-started its newest racing franchise in a fantastic way. Yes, the limited number of tracks and gameplay options hold it back quite a bit, but the fundamental racing is incredible. The variety in vehicle types is great, the track designs are awesome and the online is extremely fun. We simply cannot wait for a sequel.

Motorstorm, So far this has become the flagship game for the Playstation3, a game which although is shallow offers great gameplay, interesting tracks, cars which respond as you'd expect and real time track deformation. So far this is the game sony can proudly say with there slogen ''this is living'' because it really is.

The single player aspect of the game basicly sets you in a fesitival where you are given tickets for each race and you will recieve Gold, sliver or bronse, depending on your final posistion in the race. By completing races you are able to unlock more trucks, atvs, bikes etc for you to use both online and offline. Trying to get Gold in each race adds to the lifespan of this game.

Graphically, this is the most stunning game on PS3 so far, the perfect balance of cars and tracks, with stunning background scenery. It almost gives the wow factor as when you first played FF10 on playstation2 or Mario64 on N64 or more recently the ever impressive Gears of War on the 360. Evolution have done a great job with the Ai of the oponents. If you try to barge them out of the way, they will instantly try and get you back, helping to give motorstorm the sense that anything really can happen. Another impressive use of the ps3s power is the track deformation, as you go over it, it will lead marks/treads where you just where and will stay there for the entire race. What now that means is that single area all of a sudden can become difficult to cross if you are using a motorcross bike or ATV.

Crashes play a huge part of this game, the fact that it goes into a slow down when you crash to get the full effect of whats just happened. The crashes also react as you would imaging, the driver will fall out and may course damage to the track itself. Really you have to experience it to see what i'm trying to say. This however is what burnout5 should be aiming for.
Really Motorstorm is the first game which realy touches on what the CELL will be able to do in the future.

The one thing however which stops this game getting top marks is the lack of modes, with no offine muiltplayer, or time trials it really does shorten the games life span. Stunning visuals
Impressive Ai
Real-time Track deformation works a treat
One of the most fun racers out there Lack of modes
loading times are often slow to begin with Evolution have out done themselves with motorstorm and have set the curb for all future Offroad racers, with playstation fans already crying out for a sequal to be made. This is the game which so far justified why spend 425 on a console. and is a must for Ps3 owners. If only it had the other modes then you would be looking at a 10/10 game. Hopfully a sequal will include these features

You've played the demo and you've seen the videos but nothing can prepare you for the heart-thumping, edge of your seat racing that is Motorstorm. Simply put, this game is the most fun I've had with a racer since Crash Team Racing on the original Playstation. The newest offering from Evolution Studios (purveyors of fine rally racing) combines stunning visuals with excellent gameplay and aggressive A.I. resulting in a game which will be sure to please millions once it is released outside of Japan.

Motorstorm is one of those games that's just a pure emotional rush. Words can't begin to describe how it feels to play “catch-up” after falling behind - taking risky detours you bypassed a lap ago, swerving around and through battling vehicles while navigating the harsh terrain, all the while using every ounce of your boost in a desperate attempt to catch the leader. Motorstorm is all about the simple joys and it doesn't look half-bad doing it.

A lot has been made about how good the game looks and Motorstorm delivers on all fronts. Get ready for the same “wow” factor you experienced looking at GT3 (PS2), Ninja Gaiden (XBOX), RE4 (GC) and Gears of War (360)…Hands down, Motorstorm is the best looking game on the PS3 by far. Motorstorm's eye-popping visuals rest on the balance between the vehicles and the environment. You may think that since the whole game takes place in a single desert-centric location, lack of variety may be an issue, but let me tell you, that is simply not the case. Each course is expertly crafted not only to convey its own unique look but to feel and play differently (which I will go into detail later on). The vehicles too are quite detailed and show plenty of variety with unlockable models for each of the 7 classes available as you progress through the game. However, the true beauty of the game comes when both are combined in one twisted spectacle of chaos and destruction. Motorstorm is truly a sight to see in motion with mud slingers, trucks and rally cars jostling for position, ATVs and bikes flying over and around you, buggies doing something in the middle and big rigs just doing whatever the hell they want (dirt and mud flying everywhere). Crashes are spectacular and happen often whether it involves you or one of your 7-15 opponents. As a final disclaimer, let me state that this game was meant to be played in the “first person” perspective. I have yet to find a racing game that does a better job of immersing you in the action than Motorstorm does.

Motorstorm's engrossing gameplay experience stems from a variety of factors most notably the exceptional A.I., course design and vehicle controls. To begin, each vehicle handles differently and has various strengths and weaknesses. This will inevitably affect the way in which you approach each contest as well as your decision making during races. The bike is fast and small, but also the hardest vehicle to control. Because of this, bikers would be wise to avoid “the pack” as much as possible opting for higher, narrower routes where bigger vehicles cannot tread (with ease at least). On the flipside, because the bike is relatively harder to control, players may actually choose to bypass smaller detours such as jumping through two rocks after a turn (to shave a half second off your time) because the risk of crashing into one of those rocks is greater than say with a buggy (which features much tighter control). However, the option still remains if you were in a hurry and needed to catch up to the first place car. The beauty of Motorstorm is that you are always developing new strategies and everything is situation-dependant. So what if bikes are supposed to avoid the pack? Why not on the 2nd lap, take the more direct path through the car yard (instead of through the cliffs)? After all, the big rigs and racing trucks did just plow a nice little path for you the lap before. Sure you might run into some angry drivers intent on crushing you, but at least the path is clear.

The courses in Motorstorm play a large part in the success of the game. You will never follow the same path twice as there are just so many ways to complete each level. Each course is basically an open ended level with multiple paths to the finish line (all of which are connected – You could say be racing on a cliff and fall, but land below on a mud path that others are racing on). On each of these “paths” (although I use the term loosely), there are various obstacles you must traverse further broadening your options of how to attack each level (also resulting in thousands of different ways of completing a lap). Again, everything in Motorstorm is situation-dependant meaning that where you are and what your rivals are doing play a huge role in your decision making (and how reckless your driving becomes) unlike in other racing games where you just want to race “your race” (basically the way you got your fastest time in time trial).

Finally we come to the A.I. which in case you haven't guessed by now is very impressive. The real action doesn't kick in until you've finished the level 1 races (which serve as kind of a tutorial/practice setting). After that, it's mayhem – Among other things cars will jockey for position & aggressively pursue each other, they will use boost, they will slam you into the canyon walls…you get the idea. The CPU reacts well to almost every situation presented and that's no small feat considering how many vehicles there are and how much is happening on the screen at one time. But the thing I love about Motorstorm is that you're never really out of a race and you can rarely ever hold the lead for too long. Each race is extremely close with opponents finishing as close as tenths of a second behind each other in some instances. In one race, I noticed that 5 other cars had finished within one second of me in a photo finish – great stuff. Oh, and in case you were wondering if random vehicles flying across your screen was a sign of weak A.I., you're wrong. I consider myself pretty good at the game and even I find myself helplessly flying into a rock faces regularly (whether it be from taking a jump at the wrong angle or boosting too much and hitting a turn – it happens especially when you're struggling to make a comeback).

- Oustanding Graphics
- Fast paced gameplay - Some slow loading times
- lack of depth Motorstorm is a game on the verge of racing perfection, but a few things keep the title from reaching those lofty heights. First off, as many of you might know, the game features little in the way of different modes. All that is available in the Japanese retail version is “Festival” mode (basically single player campaign), a couple movies (which are all pretty cool actually – see Monument Valley HD and the Evolution of Motorstorm) and your basic sound/control options. There is no multiplayer to speak of (offline or online). However, Evolution is working on an online mode for the NA release so let's cross our fingers and hope its of the same high quality as the rest of the game. There are also no “quick race” or “time trial/practice” options either, although I don't see it as too big a deal now (because chances are the race setup you're looking for can be found on one of the tickets). The ability to customize your vehicle would be nice too. With regards to gameplay, occasionally you will find yourself wedged in a place that is very difficult to get out of (and even if you do get out you're so far behind you might as well start over). In this case there should be an option to press a button that will effectively make you “crash” (2-3 second lag and no explosion to deter abuse and “suicide bombers”) and respawn so you can get on with the race. Should these complaints be addressed in some form or the other, I will have no problem giving the NA version of the game a 10/10.