MotorStorm:Pacific Rift PS3 Review

[VelMurugan]

MotorStorm:Pacific Rift PS3 Review



Single Player Game

The original Motorstorm was unlucky; it was a good game but riddled with issues. I call it unlucky because the game was released in a hurry to meet the PS3 launch deadline, making it a good launch title but still falling short on promises. This time around Sony and Evolution studios have made sure that the game comes out perfect. Well, almost perfect. Pacific Rift works on the same concepts that powered the first game, the only difference being the inclusion of elements; more on this confusing point later. Let's get into the nitty gritties and see what Pacific Rift is all about.

This single-player game is set in 4 different zones called Earth, Fire, Water, and Air; these are the elements I referred to previously. Every zone represents the characteristics of the race tracks. In other words, a fire zone track will revolve around volcanoes, a water zone track will go through small river streams, an air zone will have a lot of jumps and ramps, and so on. This time around, the setting has changed from the dull and dusty desert track to a more lavish and exotic island setting. It's like racing through the original Far Cry. I was really impressed with most of the tracks and the freedom of play they provide, but more on level design later.

Game Play

The concept of the game remains unchanged with a variety of vehicles at your disposal, ranging from a petite bike to a mean monster truck with the occasional race truck in between. This exciting mix of vehicles makes Motorstorm truly unique. The execution is as good as the concept. One needs to win races and go up the ranks to unlock all vehicle types; initially you are allowed only a limited number of vehicles. This is a good concept since it makes you want to try out other vehicles as well.

Let's talk about the vehicles in detail. There are 7 vehicle types including bikes, ATVs, race trucks, rally cars, buggies, and the awesome monster truck. The vehicle control is accurately recreated, so that every vehicle type feels unique and has a purpose to fulfill. You can take up a light vehicle, but don't get upset when you are easily sidelined by the big guys. On the other hand, taking control of a monster truck will give you the option to boss around, but try beating the small guys in a straight line. Not happening. The lighter vehicles are exciting to begin with, but you are easily pushed around, and the destruction of your vehicle is easy.

Tracks & Vehicles

The vehicle destruction sequences are amazing; every part of your bike/car is blown into small pieces, with you left behind to pick them up. There is a new photo mode that lets you click yourself after a crash. You can do it at any point in the race, but it's good fun when you click your crashes.

There are about 16 tracks in the game, most of which are well designed. The tracks are huge, and every time you race, you come across a new path or shortcut, adding huge replay value to the game. For those of you who haven't played the first game, let me tell you about the track deformation. The tracks are clearly defined for heavy and light vehicles, so sticking to your course is very important. The heavy vehicles will mutilate the path they cross, creating huge depressions in the muddy tracks, flattening vegetation, and so on. To be honest, it hardly makes a difference, but I would suggest sticking to your path as passing through a river or stream on a bike is quite painful.

Visual & Presentation

The gameplay and ultimately your victory heavily depends upon your "Boost" usage; use it too much and you blow up, use it too little and see others pass by. A nice little touch is the use of water and lava in the game; water will cool down your red-hot engine while lava will further enflame it, so you have to be extra careful around it. The multiplayer package is very impressive; there is 4-player offline as well as online play. The online races are smooth and matchmaking is fast, as there are many people racing online. Surprisingly, the visuals don't look messed up during 4-player offline multiplayer mode, which is very impressive.

Now, let's talk about the visuals. The game meets today's high standards, so no cause for complaint there. The vehicle and terrain deformation is absolutely spectacular, and the ambient light adds a touch of realism to the game. I am not very impressed with the background score as it is repetitive and clearly doesn't add anything new to the game, but I thank the in-game music option and Armin Van Buuren's ASOT no 377 for hours of exciting racing.


Source : TechTree

[ganeshbala]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifTzI_InjPM