Gaming Trend

Gaming Trend Review

MotorStorm: Pacific Rift

1. Official Site
2. Platform: ps3
3. Publisher: Sony America
4. Developer: Evolution Studios
5. Release Date: 11/04/08
6. Genre: Driving

by Mike Repella

Bigger, Better, Badder.  That sums up Motorstorm Pacific Rift pretty well. The original Motorstorm was an early release for the PS3 and it showed off the system’s graphical prowess quite well. The game was really fun and addictive, but it had its share of problems. For instance it had online competitive play but the developers didn’t include split screen play at all. While the original looked spectacular a lot of people complained about the plastic look of the wet mud. Another huge complaint was that the game only featured 8 race tracks.

Despite these small problems the orignial Motorstorm was extremely fun and it even held the attention of a non-race fan gamer like me. Sony went on to support the game with several new tracks, vehicles and events which added a lot to the game. 

This time around the developer, Evolution Studios, listened to their critics and have created a racing game that truly outshines its predecessor in every way.  New tracks, new settings, new vehicles, new split screen play, trophies, it’s all here.

As I said earlier the first Motorstorm was a graphical powerhouse and it could be used to show off your shiny new PS3. Pacific Rift continues that trend and even improves on the original game’s visuals. Perhaps the biggest upgrade is the variation in track type and look. The previous game was rooted in a desert canyon and many of the tracks all looked the same with brown overtones. The bland desert setting is now gone and has been replaced with a tropical island.

The tracks themselves all represent four different zones within the game. There are tracks based around the island’s volcano, complete with lava flows and steam. There are water based zones where you will be racing along a beach or jumping through waterfalls.  The Jungle based zones have you racing through the forest , into caves and along canyon floors. The Air zone features tracks with a lot of jumps and races along cliffs. The addition of the themed zones is a great idea and it really helps add variety to the track designs.

The vehicles are all highly detailed and look great. Vehicle deformation is back but this time it has been improved even further. Just as in the first game, if you sustain minor damage your vehicle’s hood may fly up and off or the door may be torn off. This time though the vehicles show even more realistic crash damage. For instance, if you run into a tree the vehicle will realistically wrap itself around the tree instead of just bouncing off. The car’s metal will curl and give into stronger environmental obstacles.

For Pacific Rift the developers backed off of the overall shine of the mud. As a result the mud and dirt in the game looks excellent. The environments themselves are destructible and you will be able to tell that 16 cars have been tearing up the track after each race is done. 

The sound effects have not changed that much since the first game. The vehicles still make realistic engine noise and crashes are loud and fiery. Perhaps the most impressive aspect of Pacific Rift’s sound is the inclusion of 44 licensed rock tunes that play during the races. You’ll hear songs from Nirvana, David Bowie, Megadeth, Ministry and other classic bands.  The best part is that if you don’t like a song, you have the ability to skip it and start another one by simply pressing the d-pad to the right. That little addition is a great idea and will avoid potential Crazy Taxi like Offspring song repetition.

Ok, so maybe you’re saying “but I hate Megadeth and Ministry”. Not a problem, you can import MP3s from your PS3’s HDD. Potentially you could be listening to the Back Street Boys (God forbid) while jumping over some lava rivers.

Fans of the original game will know what to expect in the control department since not much has changed.  The left analog stick controls steering, while the R buttons move you forward and backwards. The X button is once again used to apply your boost. Overall the steering is tight, but will vary depending on your vehicle type.

The biggest change with Pacific Rift is with the Sixaxis controls. This time the motion controls are used to balance your car if it is about to tip over. If you see that your vehicle is leaning too far to the left and might take a spill, then you will need to lean the controller to the right and try to balance it back. This is a small gameplay mechanic but it is one that works well. Developers are learning not to do too much with the motion controls and when they do that it pays off, as it has here.

Evolution Studios has once again conjured up an imaginary festival where completely insane motorheads gather together in a remote location to race and attempt to utterly destroy each other.  That’s fine by me because once again the gameplay in Motorstorm is top notch.

The single player campaign has you competing in a variety of different races. You start off with relatively few vehicle types and paint jobs to select, but after just about every race you unlock a new paint job or vehicle. The races start at lvl 1 against relatively weak opponents and Motorstorm veterans should breeze through the first couple of races, but it doesn’t take long for the challenge to ramp up. More difficult tracks will be introduced that challenge your hand-eye co-ordination and your racing skills. Many of the tracks will require careful memorization in order to win races.

Each track also features many different routes to take. Depending on your vehicle type you will want to take specific routes. The big rigs and monster trucks will come in last place every time if you take a route designed for the dirt bikes and four wheelers.  This system keeps each track fresh for several races. 

This time out there are eight different vehicle types to choose from. The ATV’s, Rally Cars, Buggies, Mud Pluggers, Race Trucks and Big Rigs are all back and Monster Trucks have been added. Each vehicle handles differently and will have their own top speed and pick up speed. The Monster Trucks are huge compared to the ATVs and Rally Cars and can literally run them over without slowing down one bit. 

Power boosts are back and this time the environment will actually play a larger role in when you use them. If you get too close to lava your car will heat up and your boost meter will get hotter. If you run your car through water your boost meter will cool down and you can use the power boost in water without it heating up. This addtition may seem small but it does add to your track route strategy and overall boost usage.

In addition to the standard races, sub-goals have been added within the races. Sub goals can require you to limit your number of crashes within the race to a specific number or complete the race within a certain time limit. Successful completion of sub-goals will unlock new races to beat. 

The multiplayer offering in Pacific Rift is a true upgrade from its predecessor. This time around you can play the game against your friends locally with four player split screen.  I found the split screen play to work pretty well. I didn’t notice any slow down with the game during co-op play either.

Online racing is back and has been enhanced. It’s easy to go online via the game's browser and automatically join a race. The game uses a ranking system based on your previous races and attempts to match you up with racers of similar talent. Voice chat is included if you have a Bluetooth head set and trash talk is prevalent. The only complaint I have about online play is that if you automatically connect to a ranked race room you are only in the room for one race. Once the race is over you are taken back out to the general lobby and have to find a new race. It would have been nice to be able to automatically enter a ranked game and stay in it for several races.

I am a gamer that doesn’t typically like racing games. I can’t get into Need for Speed and I don’t even know what a DUB Edition is. But I played the original Motorstorm off and on from the time it was released until I received Pacific Rift. There always seems to be one more race to beat and one more gold medal to collect. On top of that Sony promises to release regular content updates just like they did with the original game.

Racing fans will be able to sink a lot of time into this game and completionists like me will keep coming back to try and get 100% of the gold medals. Did I forget to mention Trophy support? Yes, Evolution Studios added trophy support giving the game even more replayability.

Motorstorm Pacific Rift takes everything good about the original game and brings it all back. Not one to rest on their laurels, the developers improved on every area that was criticized in the first game. There are varied zone’s, new vehicles, the mud isn’t so shiny, there is split screen play, trophies have been added,  the vehicle selection screen loads instantly. Pacific Rift is superior to the original game in almost every way.

Fans of Motorstorm will love Pacific Rift. Racing fans in general should find a lot to like and a ton of replayability. In a crowded holiday season Motorstorm Pacific Rift may get passed over by many gamers and that would be a true shame, because they would be missing out on one of the most fun games of 2008.

Gaming Trend Score

92

1. Graphics: 95
2. Audio: 90
3. Controls: 90
4. Gameplay: 92
5. Value/Replay: 95
6. OVERALL:92