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| | Title:
MotoGP: Ultimate Racing Technology 3
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System:
Xbox
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Genre:
Racing
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Publisher:
THQ
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Developer:
Climax Group
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Release:
Summer 2005
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Online:
Yes
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ESRB:
Rating Pending
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Motorcycle racing videogames have a rough time in the current gaming market. They must compete not only with the popular car racing titles but also those that stretch beyond the realm of realistic (Wipeout). As a result there has been a gradual decline of motorcycle titles over the years, and by now the current number fits on only one hand. Fortunately, the above does not result in a lack of quality. Games like the upcoming MotoGP 3 for the Xbox are evidence of this.
MotoGP 3 is the direct sequel to MotoGP 2 also found on the Xbox. Recently, Xbox Core got their hands on a demo version of MotoGP 3 and had a chance to sit down and see what has been changed, improved, and added to the title. To start, there are two types of racing modes that players will have to choose from; Career Mode and Extreme Mode. In Career Mode, the overall feel of the experience is that of a simulation game. The tracks are real and the people racing, as well as their bikes, are true to life. In a race played, famous names were among the roster of participants. The tracks were also recreated with an impressive likeness to their real-life counterpart. This seems to be the focus of Career Mode, to give the player a simulated experience of participating in actual motorcycle events that would be featured on cable racing networks. Truth be told, the team at
Climax Group have done a wonderful job of pulling this off so far.
But suppose you don’t want to race in a simulation game. All you want is speed, tight turns, and adrenaline-pumping tracks. That’s where Extreme Mode comes into light. Extreme Mode tosses away all the realism of Career Mode and instead turns the game into an arcade-like experience, similar to Burnout. Think of Career Mode being like Forza while Extreme Mode is like Burnout. Although in MotoGP 3 the controls are not that different between the two modes, an experienced player should be able to detect the subtle variations. Bikes are considerably faster in Extreme Mode but because of the title is it any big surprise? The track in Extreme Mode was a fictional one constructed by the developer. It was set in an Italian Victorian seaside city with numerous tight corners, long stretches for frightening speed and a truly aggressive A.I.
At the heart of a racing game is always the question of: "How does the vehicle handle?". Are the controls intuitive enough that a novice will be able to reach for the controller and instantly understand how and why things work in the game? So far it seems like MotoGP 3 is close to accomplishing this goal. The biggest obstacle found while playing the demo was the awkward controller set up. Instead of the traditional right trigger gas, left trigger brake, Climax Group decided to map the gas on the A button and the break on the X. The triggers have instead been given the duty of handling leaning. Leaning is an important component of making the turns in a motorcycle race. What was odd about this was how leaning could be completely ignored in favor of just apply the brake through a turn and then slamming on the gas. The bike on its own leans enough to make any turn passable. Hopefully, this control scheme will be ironed out before the launch.
There has been an addition to MotoGP 3 that is tremendously helpful. The developers at Climax Group realized that the average gamer couldn’t judge how fast to enter a turn or when to apply the brake. On this note, MotoGP 3 features an indicator that will turn red if a player is coming in too hot to successfully complete a turn. As the bike speeds down the red will turn to black as the correct speed is approached. It is not as refined and useful as Forza’s, but it does help immensely.
When racing, a player will want the camera angle that best fits him or her. MotoGP 3 offers up several camera angles for the player to choose from, some being advantageous over others. To start, there is the traditional behind-the-bike camera angle with several degrees of pull back. These angles offer the best view of the track and fellow racers. In addition, the developers have added a camera angle from the viewpoint of the rider, as if a camera was attached directly above the tire (with a cool blue tint) and an angle that is more for show than racing --
it positions the camera on the back right area of the bike. Controlling and racing are out of the question in this view. Honestly, why it is in the game is beyond me.
Where there is racing there is going to be crashes and MotoGP 3 understands this little rule. As a result, the crashes in MotoGP 3 are a mixed bag of under-whelming to over-the-top spectacles that will leave some laughing and others swearing as they toss their controller across the room. Overall, MotoGP 3 looks to be a worthy successor to its prequel. Xbox Core promises to keep you updated, as more info is released on the game.
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