I meant to write up my first impressions of MotorStorm a week or so ago and I just didn’t get a chance. Which means this ‘first impression’ post is more of a fifth or thirteenth impression because unlike Sega Rally this game comes ready to rock out of the box.
I describe the racing style in MotorStorm especially when compared to other racing games as bare knuckle fighting. It’s raw, messy and balls out racing through the desert which is fantastic because it’s what I was hoping for in a PS3 racer. I came very close to getting a copy of Burnout but I’ve already got four versions of Burnout on the PS2 and as good as that game series is I still really wanted to branch out.
Not that my first encounter was perfect. In fact it took me around ten runs of the first course to qualify in the top three, getting used to the course itself and how it gets damaged as the race progresses, what will smash my ride and the perennial power slide.
The other thing is that especially in that first course you are completely spoilt for choice with the types of vehicles you can choose from, it’s motorbikes up to trucks with unlockable vehicles along the way each handling in different ways and changing how you should approach a track. Of course you can tackle a track any way you want which I also really love.
The graphics are pretty cool, especially when you are high up on the cliffs and speeding madly at the edge only to turn at the last second, they give you the vertigo sensation.
You also have mud and dust and water splash across your face or windscreen as you hurtle along through the tracks. Once you wrap your head around how it all handles you can really let loose in the races and it’s really fun, although occasionally frustrating. There is no easy level which I kind of like.
One major flaw though is that there is no split screen multiplayer, something that is fixed in the sequel so at least they listened and improved!
I can see me spending many an hour on MotorStorm, many a bug to pick out of my teeth.
