Our Motorstorm review opened with the line, “Muddy Hell! This is racing.” And what we think now is, “Bloody hell, is this racing?” There’s a problem with Motorstorm: Pacific Rift, and it’s known as dilution.
To all intents and purposes, the first Motorstorm was a brilliantly raw, gorgeous-looking arcade racer with its own distinct identity and feel. Sure, it wasn’t perfect, but for the PS3’s European launch we couldn’t have asked for anything better to fuel our petrolhead desires. Naturally, Sony and Evolution wanted to follow up on that success, and thus, 18 months later, enter Pacific Rift. Boasting twice the number of tracks, more vehicles, a split screen 4 player mode and far more visual variety, we couldn’t wait to get our hands on the finished code. And now, a week after starting, we can’t find the energy to carry on.
There’s nothing inherently wrong with Pacific Rift per se, it’s just that everything Motorstorm did right seems to have been washed away and replaced with new faults, although the loading times are halved. Sadly ,the underground, party atmosphere evoked by the first game is all but gone, so you no longer feel like you’re invited to something special. The consistent levels might have suffered some repetition, but now they’ve all been replaced by rejects from a FarCry 2 map maker, with the usual bright green trees, massive cascading waterfalls and oh-so-dangerous lava. It breaks up the monotony, but in the process has lost the uniqueness that Motorstorm so proudly championed. If there was a hoverboat to pilot we wouldn’t have been surprised to see Midway on the box, not Evolution.
In doubling the number of tracks the developers have halved the character of each of them, with a lot of routes appearing to share sections of the same tracks. If not intentionally, then purely on the way that trees and mud can only ever really look like other trees and mud when you’re flying past at 100mph perched on a motorbike. The best levels are interspersed with notable landmarks and some impressive jumps, and most are better played at the later stages of the evening’s light to appreciate the visuals at their best. But with some obtuse signposting and often muddy textures combined with over-busy roadside objects, it’s often simply too hard to find where you’re supposed to be going next. For a game that promotes the ability to create your own path through the levels, it’s frustrating to find yourself teleported back 100 yards because you decided to go through a river rather than over a bridge.
What has improved though are the vehicles and riders. Beyond a few bugs with the handling, such as the ATVs suddenly veering right (and no, it’s not the motion control) there’s a much clearer distinction between the suitability and the pros and cons of the key types of racer. Naturally, the lighter machines can jump further and handle tighter, but the heavy Rigs and the slightly novelty Monster Trucks offer a more destructive feel. Think Yoshi versus Bowser, except wearing tight leather and covered in mud.
The career mode structure remains almost the same and therefore is the final nail in the coffin of the underground atmosphere so expertly cultivated in Motorstorm. Again you’re limited to certain events until enough points are scored, but you’re free to mix and match with the four types of track as you require, keeping the game less linear than the original. It’s also handy if you prefer certain themed events over others. Later on, certain requirements are added to the staple “finish in the top three” goal and may involve setting a strict time for the laps, or avoiding wipeouts.
The major issue here is one of expectations; Pacific Rift falls well short of them. Motorstorm was a stellar introduction to the PS3 and the sequel feels like a watered-down, consumer-friendly game that doesn’t add up to the sum of its parts. If you’re looking for an arcade racer there’s more on the market than back in March 2007, and many of these have made advances while Pacific Rift is stuck in Motorstorm’s beautifully realised mud.
The choice is yours - and you might find plenty to enjoy here - but in this busy Christmas period, it’s our opinion that Evolution hasn’t done enough.
November 13th, 2008 at 1:18 pm
Couldn’t agree more.
November 13th, 2008 at 1:20 pm
Thats a shame, I never owned the first one but I played it a few times and it was quite fun. A little bit hectic when you’re just dipping in and out but still, fun.
November 13th, 2008 at 1:24 pm
this is exactly the impression i got from the demo, I’m kinda glad that at least on of the games that was on my list can be taken off, eases the wallet pressure a little.
If you’re a fan of motorstorm, dont buy motor storm two, get pure.
Diver68 Says:
November 13th, 2008 at 4:55 pm
I’ll second that.
Better games out there to waste ya money on.
cc_star Says:
November 13th, 2008 at 7:17 pm
I loved Motorstorm, didn’t think much of Pure, but also didn’t think much of the MS:PR demo
November 13th, 2008 at 1:37 pm
I must be the only one really enjoying it.
fredrikpedersen Says:
November 13th, 2008 at 1:43 pm
I’m too.
colossalblue Says:
November 13th, 2008 at 1:49 pm
I think it’s really dividing opinion which leads me to the conclusion that the problems are more to do with expectation (as Michael said) than there being anything wrong with the game. People just expected too much from it.
Eldave0 Says:
November 13th, 2008 at 2:00 pm
tbh i would have been more happy with motorstorm 1.5 (i.e. new tracks and vehicles) than what they have done to the series…
dillonradio Says:
December 5th, 2008 at 1:13 pm
I love this game!!!!!
November 13th, 2008 at 2:02 pm
I think your right cb, i didn’t expect too much, i expected motorstorm, with new tracks, and new vehicles, i knew the visuals would still be there, and must say they are stunning, there are things i don’t like though, the online for instance, i prefered it on the first game, in my opinion it was easier to navigate, and the music in pacific rift is rubbish too, but all in all i love pacific rift as much as i did the first motorstorm.
November 13th, 2008 at 2:38 pm
Hi, I’m new and stuff, although I’ve spent plenty of working hours reading this site!
I remember playing the demo for the original thinking how brown and uninteresting it was but this version changed that with the exciting introduction of green and blue and
It just seemed better.
multicolour preferences aside though, this has split screen! which, in my opinion, makes it better than the original and shedloads of other new racing games. I’m pretty much the only person I know who has a ps3 and online with strangers doesn’t really float my boat. But get some mates round and even the single track of the demo has provided plenty of entertainment.
It seems a shame that this ‘at home with friends’ aspect is left out of so many games on the new systems - back in the day I seem to remember split screen everything!
nofi Says:
November 13th, 2008 at 2:42 pm
Hi, welcome to the site. Here at TSA our reader’s opinions are just as valid as ours, if not more so.
hosepha Says:
November 13th, 2008 at 3:03 pm
Cheers, This site certainly seems to have a great community of readers / posters. Certain others do seem like creches for the socially inept; while 200 raging posts on whether the 360 makes better fart noises can be amusing its not something to encourage.
colossalblue Says:
November 13th, 2008 at 3:08 pm
You’ll fit right in here.
cc_star Says:
November 13th, 2008 at 7:23 pm
@hosepha
Here’s a great recent article on the joys of online vs offline multiplayer
http://www.thesixthaxis.com/2008/10/31/offline-vs-online/
Welcome,
less lurkers, more posters is what I say
GamerRiley Says:
November 13th, 2008 at 7:48 pm
And you’re top of the posters mate!
cc_star Says:
November 13th, 2008 at 7:53 pm
Sad
seedaripper1973 Says:
November 13th, 2008 at 5:41 pm
bugger off…we dont like strangers round these parts…
only kidding son…dunna fret, welcome to ‘The TSA er…shed?’
(i assume its a shed you work in??)
November 13th, 2008 at 3:02 pm
sooooooooooo, anymore reviews coming soon? *hints at smackdownvsraw09 and cod5*
Gamoc Says:
November 13th, 2008 at 3:53 pm
Hell, I would write that review if I could ¬¬
Eldave0 Says:
November 13th, 2008 at 3:55 pm
there you go TSA, provide us with the games and we will do the hard work for ya
nofi Says:
November 13th, 2008 at 3:57 pm
Community reviews is something we’re working on. If you have something you want to review, just email us!
Eldave0 Says:
November 13th, 2008 at 4:01 pm
sweet, sounds great.
but sounds good
in this case you would have to send me the games as I dont have either yet
cc_star Says:
November 13th, 2008 at 7:31 pm
One thing about TSA reviews is they are never caught up in the hype.
Some publishers send out loads of free copies of a game to website/magazine, and loads of marketing stuff like t-shirts, pens mugs and crap like that, especially really hyped games and then shock horror the game get a 9 or 10
At TSA things are a bit more measured and more reflective. There is no point in unboxing a game, loving it, writing review and giving it a 10, and then returning to the game and realising there are loads of problems.
nofi Says:
November 13th, 2008 at 7:31 pm
Exactly. Unlike some I could mention, we’re not interested in PR pennies…
Gamoc Says:
November 13th, 2008 at 9:44 pm
Sometimes this is accurate, but there is a huge suspicion about it everywhere and I don’t like that. A lot of people will assume that (for example) TSA would review Mirrors Edge high because they quite clearly have it in their banner (I know they didn’t), or that VG247 would speak highly of Far Cry 2 because there was an ad for it. This automatically meant that everytime VG247 said something positive about Far Cry 2 certian people shouted ‘bias’ - which, considering that I wrote for VG247 for a while, I know isn’t true. Paranoia.
And annoying. There’s so little trust on the internet sometimes.
Gamoc Says:
November 13th, 2008 at 9:46 pm
By ‘if I could’ I meant more ‘if I had the game’, unfortunately. Hey, I’d be happy to when I get it…
November 13th, 2008 at 3:18 pm
Motorstorm 2 is an absolute corker, if you liked the first game, you’d definitely love this even more! The graphics are vastly superior and much more detailed. The loading times have been reduced alot, overall it’s just amazing; more tracks more terrains, more challenges AND splitscreen, what more could you ask? (replays?) :)p
By the way, it also has Photo Mode, so you can now pause the game and really go to town and scrutinise all the details to your hearts content and save them too!
4/5
November 13th, 2008 at 3:37 pm
I love motorstorm 2 aswell. 6/10 is abit harsh. id go fo 7.8
November 13th, 2008 at 4:39 pm
Deserves an 8 in my opinion. It’s not the perfect racer but it improves on MotorStorm in pretty much every way and I couldn’t give a monkeys about the “party atmosphere”. If I wanted party atmosphere i’d go to a party! There are a handful of duff tracks, I agree, but I could name 8 which are great to play, which is more than the original MotorStorm had.
My only gripes are the insane AI at rank 6+, the retarded Monster Trucks and the online, where I try and I try yet can’t find a game. Also the Fire Zone bit. I hate it.
seedaripper1973 Says:
November 13th, 2008 at 5:45 pm
‘I love a party, with a bit of at-mo-sphere’… if its good enough for Russ abbott, its bloody good enough for me
November 13th, 2008 at 7:38 pm
Expectation is MS:PR’s downfall
I loved Motorstorm, played it for months, it was the only high quality title around for ages.
I loved the underground illegal weekend, and the game dripped with atmosphere, the online play was good, and in fact if I was reviewing it now I’d still give it a 9 (which would be a 10 if it had local multiplayer)
I was expecting a lot from the sequel, I can’t explain what, but I wasn’t delivered it from the demo
This makes me sad because I loved the frst one so much
November 16th, 2008 at 12:23 am
I admit, I too was a little worried by the demo, and it’s true, MS:PR’s perhaps not quite what many of us hoped it would be- I was blown away when I saw the original- (I just HAD to buy that and R:FOM with my console) when I played the demo it seemed to lack the same intensity, but having played the game for a couple of days now I’m LOVING it, and I’m happy to be able to have splitscreen races with my wife now. Online is a little weird though, I had some real problems for a while finding any kind of race yesterday in any of the regions, but I haven’t even felt the urge to load up Motorstorm and see which one I prefer yet… I’d be playing it right now but my wife is playing Singstar… I’m in no condition to be driving now anyway… maybe I’ll have a sing…
November 19th, 2008 at 2:27 pm
wow 6/10 I thought maybe 7 or 8 out of 10