So unforgiving, you'll just keep on trying.
Some people think racers are all the same, others think they are split into two categories; Simulation (more realistic) and Arcade (least realistic). Well I think that there are some games out there that are just in a unique class of their own. One of them is Motorstorm Apocalypse from Evolution Studios.
When you first boot up the game (after you’ve completed that all exciting download), you’ll be kicked into a prologue/tutorial race (so long as you chose Festival mode in the main menu). You don’t have to place a certain position, you just have to beat the time, so slam the accelerator, learn how to hammer down the boost/nitrous and you’ll be away! The story is told via some inFamous like comic cut-scenes, which can be wacky and sometimes even effect whats going on in your next race. For example, someone might say “war is coming!” And in the next race you will have to avoid tank fire and soldiers. Actually, you can run over the soldiers, there only small. There are three tiers each with a different amount of races going up in difficulty each time. At first glance, it looks like it won’t be as long as Pacific Rift. But since it can be pretty difficult to win (driving of cliffs, overheating, crashing into other cars), it will take you a long time to complete. Unless your someone from Evolution Studios. Somehow, it’s so un-forgiving, that you just want to come back for more!
That’s all very good, but it’s a shame about the graphics. They are shoddy to say the least, and are no real upgrade on Pacific Rift. The frame-rate holds up well, especially when whole environments are collapsing all around you (which looks amazing by the way). Strangely, entering Photo Mode sort of makes the graphics look a little bit better, just so you can take a nice picture of your beaten up buggy. Talking of cars, they are actually quite similiar to the ones in Pacific Rift. There are a few new ones, but old favourites return, such as, Motorbikes, ATV’s and best of all, Big Rigs. But one neat addition in this game is to customize your vehicle with stickers, vinyls and so on. But if you want to unlock everything, that means your going to have to play a lot of multi-player.
So, lets get onto the multi-player found under the ‘Wreckreation’ tab. It’s pretty much what you would expect from a 16 player game. Lobbies are rarely full, all the cool stuff is already activated before you can even get there (which kind of makes it dull compared to the single-player). Now there is a betting system, much like Call Of Duty’s Wager Mode, where you can bet money on who will win. It’s not much, but it definitely adds a sense of competition. Obviously, you’ve got plenty of perks and upgrades to earn. Another nice feature is being able to go local co-op and online at the same time (like Halo on the XBOX 360). This means that you can hook up with your brother, sister, buddy or fish in the same room and go online to play people all over the world. From Slovakia to Iceland. This offers a lot of competition and shouting, or, if your a fish, eating.
So, like I said before, this is a unique racer, Buildings collapsing, bridges shaking, great fun to play (when your winning)and funny cut-scenes all add up to a five star game. But there are a few problems that must be addressed that bring it down a bit. Graphics are definitely nothing to right home about, and losing races thanks to your opponents making you crash can be really frustrating (but don’t give up, it isn’t too hard to get back on the podium). Even more frustrating that Need For Speed’s Autolog System. Ignore the bad points, and try to focus on the good, and what you’ll find here is a unique and addicting racing game. An epic experience like none other. This Motorstorm truly is an Apocalypse.
The Good:
- Amazing set-pieces.
- 16 player online mayhem.
- Customizable cars.
- Soldiers you can drive over!
The Bad:
- “Grrrr, lost again for gods sake!”
- Boost overheats to quickly in my opinion.
