Like the full game, this DLCs value is its biggest drawback
Motorstorm is an excellent example of the effects of being an early title for a brand new console. While the visuals turned heads and the gameplay offered an exhilarating first experience, a lack of content held the game from reaching its potential. With only eight tracks included on the disc, players shred through the same dirt paths hundreds of times while completing tickets and competing online.
The obvious solution to this issue is downloadable content, and Evolution Studios were fully aware of this. In fact, in an early DLC video feature, creative director Paul Hollywood explains that time constraints limited the amount of ideas that they got to pack into the game. However, in an ironic twist, this first pack of downloadable content only furthers the bang for your buck issue that the main game faced.
What is offered in the Revenge Weekend add-on pack is a fairly compelling list. Going along with the rock concert theme, this weekend festival celebrates two full days of off-road mayhem spread across three tickets. The first two tickets each feature four races, and the final ticket features a grand finale midnight motorstorm event on the title track being offered in the DLC pack. In all, nine new races are included, and five of them take place on the semi-new Coyote Revenge track. I say semi-new because it is in fact a remixed version of the Coyote Rage track already featured in the game. However, this isn't a half-assed cop out by Evolution, as the Revenge track now touts new highways and ramps cluttering a reversed version of the Rage track. It genuinely feels like an all new track, and gives a bittersweet glimpse at what Evolution could have done with their already existing tracks to further flesh out content.
Along with the newish track, five new vehicles are introduced, one of which you have to unlock, and boy is it lackluster. I'm not going to ruin the surprise, but after seeing the four stylish vehicles you are given and busting your ass against vicious rubberband AI to get all golds, this barebones vehicle feels like a clumsy punchline. The four vehicles that are offered include: the rough-n-tumble Wombat Mudslide ATV, the super sharp Wakazashi Razor bike, the A-Team van inspired Atlas Varjack mudplugger, and the menacing barbwire laden Atlas Arizona big rig. Since the differences between vehicles in each class are more aesthetic in nature than performance altering, having some new sets of wheels to cruise in is an attractive deal. In fact, you can use them online regardless of whether your opponents have the DLC or not, which adds a sense satisfaction to your ownership.
Another feature included is the Online Eliminator mode. Though it is a cool addition that helps add some much needed variety to the online play, it is very rare to actually find a game of it online, seeing as the people who own the DLC are rather limited. To further disgruntle the situation, an offline version isn't offered. Because if there is anything this game needs, it's more obvious features that are missing.
This review has come off as pretty negative, so I should clarify things by saying that I gladly plopped $12 down to purchase the two Weekend Festival add-ons after finishing all of the main games 21 tickets. I had a very good time with the Revenge Weekend pack, since at its heart is a very well constructed track that adds a breath of fresh air and is a joy to race in using the multiple vehicle classes. Unfortunately, it is over before you know it, and you end up feeling a bit short changed after dropping $6. Just one additional track remix would've made this an excellent value, but you'll have to spend another $6 for that...