Race against 4 of your friends in split-screen or race against 16 players online;
The thirteen customisable vehicle classes provide a variety of handling models, some which are far better than others. Some of the vehicles from previous games, such as the MX Motocross bike, are tough to control, even on the straights. On the flip side, some of the new additions, like the superbikes and muscle cars, provide a much more responsive and stable ride. Nonetheless, the MotorStorm series has never offered an accurate simulation of these vehicles, so fans of the previous games shouldn't be surprised to see some of the lighter vehicles spin out fairly easily when nudged on the back-end. Even then, it's still great fun being able to knock opponents off the track with a side swipe, and immensely satisfying if you manage to do this and gain the upper hand right near the end of a race. Using your boost while trying not to over-heat your engine also adds a further tactical layer - if you see your engine catch on fire you can ride through water to cool it down. The fact that you can’t pick and choose your vehicles during the campaign is a bit of a shame, but you can go back and play through again with any ride; and, of course, there’s no such problem online, where you can pick, choose and customize whichever vehicles you like.Though more race-type variation would have been nice in the Festival Mode, there are collectibles to hunt for, while the real highlight comes from the six Eliminator races. Here, you need to ensure you’re never in last place as a countdown timer wipes out whoever lags behind. These races rack those tension and excitement levels up a notch as you really put your foot down in an effort to avoid being eliminated. If you were to play the Festival Mode from beginning to end and win each race it really wouldn’t take you that long to complete, but the fact that the tracks and the racers are so unforgiving and challenging will most definitely ensure that you’ll need to keep replaying tracks over and over again. Overall, it's a campaign that isn't without its faults, but is full of drama, intensity and excitement.
The addition of a four-player, split screen offline mode is an absolute God-send, but the multiplayer mode is really where MotorStorm: Apocalypse’s longevity lies. Sixteen players can go head-to-head across all the tracks from the single player campaign, with a plethora of options available. With the ability to take advantage of a cool variety of load-outs and perks for your vehicles, it’s a rewarding levelling system that offers a well-paced progression through the ranks. Customization is also fairly in-depth with the ability to modify the handling of your vehicle and apply vinyl’s to pimp your ride. It’s unlikely anyone will take any notice as you hurtle around the tracks at lightning speed, but it does give you the option to apply that personal touch and is easy to get to grips with to boot. You can’t beat going head-to-head against human opposition in any racing game, and with the chaotic scenes engulfing the scenery around you, MotorStorm: Apocalypse’s multiplayer component should keep arcade race fans busy for some time.
Continued overleaf...
