MXGP Review (PC)

[inkcil]

Thanks hrudey32 for the review.

I'm in agreement that I like the demo but not sure if I like it enough to import right now at the $60 price...might wait until its $40 like I did with Moto GP 13.

But anyway, I suck compared to some of you guys at this game and I struggle to place higher than 4th on the demo. And I'm playing on the easiest AI setting with nothing set to manual (I believe it's called "semi-automatic" in the game).

Hrudey32 I've watched your youtube videos on Alive - and even on the easy AI setting I couldn't replicate how bad you beat the AI, just to let you know where I'm coming from.

So it's funny to see you and TC give tips on how to slow yourselves down when I need tips on how to speed up.

[TCrouch]

That's funny--almost the same thing I had with the demo. I was slow as a snail on Easy, thinking I'd never get it. But once you find a groove, you can really start doing well. The other part, though, is if they fixed the AI so they weren't so conservative, maybe it wouldn't be an issue, either. They seem to slow each other down so much that once you get out front, you just run away from the field. However, when you have 1 guy out in front of you and you're chasing him, it's much more competitive. When they go single file behind you, they stay with you a while longer.

But overall, yeah--when you figure out how to move the stick around to put the weight where you want it, you can cut into corners and lay the rear tire down where you want to get traction. But forgetting to lean forward as you accelerate is the end of that good lap, as the bike will shoot out from under you. Keeping the bike gripping before trying to do anything with the R stick is mandatory or the front end grip will disappear faster than a fart in a whirlwind. Bottom line, just takes time getting used to it. I've completed a couple full seasons and I don't know how many races in the demo at this point. Probably 20 or 25 before I ever got the full game, and I don't think I won my first race until my 8th or 9th try.

But so much of the MX genre is rhythm, and I think MXGP nails that more than any other game I've ever played. Find the line you want, learn how to slow down enough for corners and lean the bike, THEN lean the body, lean forward and back for grip and good acceleration, etc. It's an unreal handling model. The fact that I can see the track coming up and just instinctively know how to react to it, then it works, that separates it for me. I can lean back, rear-wheel-hop through a rutty section, dip the nose forward and shift my weight back when clearing the last bump to try to keep the bike low and landing on both wheels, hit the gas (sometimes quick rapid-firing of the trigger to avoid the full throttle wheelie effect), lean forward to keep it from shooting out from under me, etc.--all in the span of about half a second, then repeat through the next corner. It's a very engaging, incredibly immersive riding experience.

The racing AI and difficulty, not so much--but like hrudey mentioned, when you change it to manual tranny and stay on the ground if you fall, you will at least worry about losing races. I just think it's silly that when you do wreck, the game spawns you where your BIKE ended up, not where you wrecked. So not only do you get up too fast, but you frequently get an extra 20 or 30 yards you never worked for, as well.

[inkcil]

Thanks TC that's good stuff. Just like in "Alive," I'm able to move the rider's weight side to side well enough and cut into corners, but I struggle with leaning the rider back and forth. I need to be thinking about getting low and not going too airborne after every little bump. I try to whip but it almost feels too "floaty" when I get in the air for me to whip successfully...maybe I don't have enough speed before I go into the whip attempt.

And forget about real-wheel-hopping (RWH): that was my least favorite thing about Alive, because mastering RWH was so prevalent and necessary on the tracks in that game in order to win. Seems like MXGP tracks may be better for racing and not so much RWH required.

[hrudey32]

TC, glad you enjoyed the shifting control re-map tip, bro. And you make some very valid points for sure.

Really glad you enjoy the game as well, man. As a diehard MX fan it really is nice to FINALLY see a real valid, authentic entry into the gaming market for my sport.Not since EA Supercross 2000 have I had so much fun and authenticity with a MX/SX game.

[TCrouch]

One thing I did do was switch what my shifting was--I used LT for rear brake, the Left Stick click for Front Brake, and the bumpers for shift. I used LB for upshifts and RB for downshifts, so I'm able to upshift quickly while still squeezing the throttle, and downshift when braking for a corner, etc.

It's much more intuitive for me, while still keeping my thumbs on the sticks for lean and bike. Once you get out front, you still ride away from the field as long as you don't screw up. But when you spill it once or twice, it's definitely much tougher to work your way back up (especially in First Person cam, which is what I always race in. Crashes tend to breed crashes).

[Garrett67]

I just picked this up last night. Love the game but its going to take time to get coordinated with the controls.