Review Haxiel 3/5 · May 7, 2020
Struggling in the dirt
At its core, MXGP has a decent riding + physics system. To see it in action, you need to switch the in-game physics mode to 'Pro'. In this mode, you have to control the weight of the rider manually. For example, you need to lean forward when accelerating hard. Otherwise, your bike takes off on a wheelie and flips over. …
At its core, MXGP has a decent riding + physics system. To see it in action, you need to switch the in-game physics mode to 'Pro'. In this mode, you have to control the weight of the rider manually. For example, you need to lean forward when accelerating hard. Otherwise, your bike takes off on a wheelie and flips over. Similarly, you can lean into a tight corner to execute a more precise turn. However, if your speed is too high, you break traction and the bike skids away.
There are a couple more elements to add to this mix. Your fellow racers and the track itself. On the easy difficulty, the other racers brake and swerve to avoid you at all costs. On medium and up, they pull no punches. If you cut through a racing line, expect to be rammed and even knocked over. And as the pack races through, the terrain deforms and gets reshaped dynamically. You might find that a particular corner is not as smooth as it was during the last lap, forcing you to adjust your strategy on the go.
In moments like this, MXGP comes close to delivering the thrill of the actual sport. You're fighting against the terrain to keep the bike stable, while simultaneously trying to hit the racing line so that you can get ahead of your competitors. It makes each race dynamic and unpredictable, which is what you want from a game of this genre. You can still hit the occasional physics bug during riding, where you get wiped out for no apparent reason.
The elements surrounding this core are worse. The game does not have a proper tutorial to introduce you to all of these technical aspects of riding a dirt bike. It recreates the official teams from the championship, but their differences seem to be purely cosmetic. The 14 official tracks are also recreated in-game, but they barely stand out visually. The graphics look very dated for a game that came out in 2014. There is also heavy repetition throughout the career mode - in the animations, in the music and in the races themselves.
In summary, MXGP is a game that is let down by its supporting elements. While the core of the game may be strong, the surrounding elements make it difficult to actually enjoy the game. It may deliver the thrill of Motocross in small doses, but it fails to keep you interested in doing it over and over again.