TSA’s Top 100 of 2011 – #11 MotorStorm Apocalypse

Leaving behind the arid mesas and precarious canyon drops, MotorStorm Apocalypse pretty much antes up everything as it heads off to the big city with big dreams and bigger destruction. Based in a fictionalised Bay Area known only as “The City”, developer Evolution Studios haven’t just changed the location, they’ve changed the premise is well. Gone are the seemingly mindless wilderness runs, races undertaken for no real reason other than the fact that it’s fun to launch off things in the outback, replaced with a story-driven adrenaline rush through a city literally crumbling around you.

The Mayans were crooks and Armageddon has come early it seems, and though the sane would likely make a dash for the hills or wherever Morgan Freeman is allegedly holding up, the three-day Festival decides to keep on going as skyscrapers tumble and bridges twist and buckle during the end of days. Never say a cataclysm ever stopped true petrol-heads from getting the job done.

As a series MotorStorm has delivered ever since its debut on the PS3 back in 2006. Pacific Rift saw some new additions such as Monster trucks and engine water-cooling, with Apocalypse being no different. Expect to find new vehicles such as supercars, muscle cars and choppers. Really honing in on the locative aspect of the game, players should also be prepared for factions within the rapidly deteriorating city to interfere with races. Kind of like a merry band of suicidal streakers.

It’s exactly what we wanted from the MotorStorm franchise. Sure, they could have just added some new cars or a few tweaks such as “air-cooling” (which, ironically, they have), but it’s obvious Evolution want to evolve (pun intended) the series to its next, natural level.

The premise of a city falling apart you as you race through it is hardly new, but with MotorStorm’s signature chaotic tendencies, big action set-pieces and all now in eye-searing 3D, we’re thinking Apocalypse could happily be the last game we ever play.

Authors note: Here we go folks. Ten games left. Ten days to go. Our Top 10 Most Anticipated Games of 2010. We’re in the home stretch now, with some of next year’s biggest titles (and maybe even some unexpected surprises) set for one reveal per day all the way up until New Year’s Eve. This just got real.

23 Comments

  1. Day one purchase for me, and I think I’m going to jump straight to the online game.

    Oh, and the huge track morphing events are truly brilliant.

    • I agree with Teffers, it does look like a day-oner!

  2. Although i wasn’t Pacific Rift’s biggest fan this looks amazing and a possible day one purchase (money depending)

    • Oh and i forgot to ask will there be a article showing all the games that have appeared so far?

    • Yes, we’ve already recapped 100 – 50, and there will be a similar 100 – 2 recap on New Year’s Eve. Just before we reveal #1, in fact.

      • Ah thanks. Will be sure to visit everyday now as i don’t want to miss any of the top ten.

  3. We haven’t heard a lot about this for a while, sounds like it’s coming on well :D

    I bet Skyrim is in this last ten :)

  4. I didn’t buy either of the other Motorstorms but this one has certainly got me intrigued…

  5. I’ve been a big fan of Motorstorm, though admittedly, Arctic Edge didn’t impress. Hopefully the vehicles will be a lot more balanced this time around, and the online is better structured.

  6. love both motorstorms so i ccant wait for this :D pacific rift i really loved and the graphics were awesome, i like the new concept of this one

  7. Looking forward to this. Just hope the people wandering the streets are there with purpose, and add to the experience.

  8. Looking forward to this game, Evolution Studios have released some good DLC for the previous Motorstorm games so hopefully they’ll have some good DLC ideas for this one.

  9. Had great fun with this when I played it last – http://www.thesixthaxis.com/2010/06/10/hands-on-motorstorm-apocalypse/ – can’t wait to see the rest of the game.

  10. Played it at the BETA Rooms, was quite good, 3D works really well with it. Maybe a day one purchase… maybe.

    • Same, just depends what else is happening for me, this does look good.

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