MXGP The Official Motocross Game News Post

MXGP Review (PC)

11:57 AM - April 7, 2014 by RaychelSnr

If dangerous speeds, challenging rivals, plausible physics and deadly collisions are necessary parts of a functioning motorsport simulation, then MXGP is a stranded machine, stuck at the starting line with a set of flat tires.

Read More - MXGP Review (PC)

Game: MXGP The Official Motocross GameReader Score: 7.5/10 - Vote Now
Platform: PC / PS Vita / PS3 / Xbox 360Votes for game: 3 - View All

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Member Comments

# 1 TCrouch @ 04/07/14 12:35 PM

Strangest thing I've ever experienced on here. I agree with almost everything he wrote, but it bothers me far less than him, I guess. I really dig the game and still have fun racing it, but mostly because I enjoy the rhythm of cruising around the track in first person camera.

Definitely too easy, definitely weird "warp after wrecking" stuff, and the jumps are a bit too floaty, but that doesn't bother me nearly as much as it does Jayson. I think it's a bunch better than the MX vs. ATV floatiness, and they probably had to make some concessions for "fun" vs. "realism" for the average gamer.

I know everybody gets wrapped up in numbers, but I'd consider it far better than a 5.5, even though the text pretty much matches his score. Like I said, strangest thing for me ever. I see the flaws, and yet it's a total blast for me.

# 2 scoman @ 04/07/14 04:27 PM

I would rate this game in the 7.5-8.0 range.

# 3 Dazraz @ 04/07/14 07:12 PM

I think all in all this is a solid game. What can't be ignored is that a company developing what is quite a niche game doesn't have the luxury of a massive budget to play with.
It's hard to argue with the comments in the review but as TCrouch states how much these affect you is quite an individual thing.
The Online issue is pretty unforgivable but thankfully I'm an Offline gamer only.

# 4 JMD @ 04/07/14 08:43 PM

I've been playing the demo for the past few days. I received the full game in the mail today. I think this game is excellent. I'm a huge MX / SX fan, I used to ride back in the late 70's. This game does a good job portraying the sport. I give it a solid 8 out of 10 and that may go up as I play more.

# 5 hrudey32 @ 04/08/14 09:53 AM

Well, honestly, in my opinion, this was a very poor review of a great game.

I'll post my review and also compare it to the games everyone will always compare it to...MVA...in a separate post.

# 6 eagletal88 @ 04/08/14 12:11 PM

Yeah I personally have it at a 8.5.

Great foundation for hopefully a annual series.

# 7 hrudey32 @ 04/08/14 01:32 PM

Personally, I'm not very happy that this review was posted. The problem is the gaming world is starving for MX games. Compared to most genres, we MX fans have next to nothing. And then when we do get a game...a very good one at that...a very reputable site like OS puts a less than favorable review up although most on the forum rank it much higher, thus shining another dark cloud on the MX genre. These reviews affect sells and in this case I think it was harshly done. As a MX fan, it bums me out as this game is deserving a very high score for bringing so much new to the MX gaming genre. Plus it is a blast to play as TCrouch mentioned.

Just wish it wouldn't get such a negative review. It deserves better and reviews like these will for sure not help in getting a sequel or more MX games.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion but this review represents OS which does have a lot of pull in the gaming community.

If you want a more positive take on this EXCELLENT game please check out my review and tips and thoughts on the thread I posted.

# 8 JMD @ 04/09/14 06:03 PM

I finished my first offline season today. The more I play this game the more I like it.

# 9 hrudey32 @ 04/10/14 04:00 AM

I wish the OS team would post my take on MXGP as an official counter-point review that goes to the masses and on their web site. Reviews like the OS one, based on his opinion, which is valid, as all opinions are, hurts games more than you know as a lot of people, myself included, look to OS for good, unbiased reviews.

I, and almost everyone else playing, MXGP just happens to disagree with this reviewer's take and overall score.

It is, overall, the best MX game to date. IMO.

# 10 JMD @ 04/13/14 06:48 AM

Ok I played a full mx2 season on medium 3 laps basically to get used to the game and the tracks. Then I moved up to mx1 on hard this was more of a challenge but I still won the championship with two races left in the season. Now I've started my second mx1 season on realistic , 10 lap races and this game really shines. I'm having some very nice battles with the A.I. , 4 races in I'm leading by 4 points.

My only real complaint is how quickly you get back up after a crash. There needs to be a realistic setting for the amount of time it takes to get going again based on the severity of the crash. I know the 3 lap arcade crowd would not go for this , but guys like me that run longer races enjoy the challenge of fighting back through the pack after a crash. So for the short race guys keep it as is, for me I want a setting to delay the time to get back on the bike. I've actually started waiting a bit before I start back up, allowing some bikes to pass me before resuming the race.

I now give this game a 9.3 out of 10

I hope next year they release the next version of this game for the PS4.

# 11 hrudey32 @ 04/13/14 04:50 PM

Great review, man. Yeah, it really is THE best MX game we have ever seen thus far. I stand firm on that, despite OS lackluster review.

Read my MXGP tips thread below. I talk about waiting 4-8 seconds before starting again. An average tip over costs someone about 8 seconds to get up, pick bike up, remount and start again, barring any major issues. So wait 4- 8.

Have you got it on manual transmission as well? I've got tips for that as well!

If someone says they are on Pro, Realistic AI, Manual Transmission and if they tip over allow 8 seconds to get started again and they are STILL killing the AI....well I call BS.

No way. These elements make the game quite a challenge and very realistic feeling.

BEST MX game to date!!

# 12 Richzilla @ 04/13/14 08:57 PM

You guys are killing me

I'm still waiting for my copy to arrive...lol

I've been playing the heck out of the demo though.

# 13 bluengold34_OS @ 04/13/14 09:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Richzilla


	You guys are killing me I'm still waiting for my copy to arrive...lol I've been playing the heck out of the demo though.

That sucks - can't wait to see what you're thoughts on the retail version. I will readily admit that I am a novice to the sport, but I really am enjoying this game.

# 14 hrudey32 @ 04/14/14 06:27 AM

Rich knows I live and breat Motocross and Motocross games!

This game is amazing. Not perfect, but the best MX game yet. So much content, so much authenticity. Bravo, Milestone!!

If you disagree with the OS review please check out my MXGP tips, thoughts and review. Totally different take on this brilliant game!

# 15 TCrouch @ 04/14/14 10:23 AM

Hrudey, I would say that I have it on Pro, Realistic AI, manual transmission, and wait for 6 seconds (tough to say, but I sit there a while) and definitely still kill the AI. I wouldn't be too quick to call BS. The " wait for 6 seconds " thing doesn't hurt me too bad, because about the only time I usually wreck is at the start or when somebody comes up on me that I don't see and puts a wheel into mine.

The manual tranny doesn't really kill it too much (I loved the tip about L stick and R stick for shifting, thanks!), as I'm so used to crazy shifting in a ton of racing games, so it wasn't adding much as far as difficulty for me. In addition, the total lack of a clutch makes it seem overly simplified as it's just a button press and once I could nail down the fact that it's a 2nd gear hard right, get my 4th gear rhythm sections down, etc., it really didn't add a ton of difficulty IMO.

I'm not trying to make one of those "I'm so good!!!!" posts at all--but I wouldn't call BS on any claim of beating the AI routinely, because I only run 3 lap races and frequently win by 10+ seconds, even with Pro Physics, Realistic AI, Manual Shifting, First Person Camera, and waiting when I occasionally dump the bike (maybe once per race, usually).

I also really enjoy your posts about the game, and I trust your opinion about all things Motocross more than damn near any official review, because I see you pimping most MX games on here and DSP over the years, and you're very enthusiastic and knowledgeable about them. It's also a slippery slope for the site to be on to request your review to be a "second take", as it then questions the reviewer's thoughts and sets a dangerous precedent for a site based on reviews. It seems ages ago, but I hated a game on XBox that everybody loved and gave it a poor score here. I think it was Rallisport or something, and the scores were overwhelmingly positive everywhere. I took a pretty good beating for my review on that one, but reviews are always highly subjective. I just don't think it's a good path to take to start having reader reviews as official, even though I TOTALLY see where you're coming from.

Just the "other side of the fence" on this issue. I am firmly in your camp, though. I think it's amazing, and the MX game that I've waited years to play. Especially in first person, they even made it incredibly well-done as I can see when the bike is wobbling, when the front tire is coming off the ground, and they really made it a highly rideable camera. It's a little tough since you can't look around and guys can take you out, but their very "safe" AI renders that a moot point most of the time. If I know guys are around and I don't do any outside/inside cut maneuvers, it's usually pretty easy to race them that way.

Absolutely LOVE the game, agree with most of what you say, but I also respect Jayson's thoughts on it, and see how some of the things he says are definitely valid. It's all a matter of perspective, IMO. For a guy like you (and me, to a lesser extent), it hits every checkbox we needed it to hit for an awesome MX game. For somebody else, it may be an average game with not a lot of challenge, I have no idea.

# 16 inkcil @ 04/14/14 03:46 PM

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.

# 17 TCrouch @ 04/14/14 04:30 PM

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.

# 18 inkcil @ 04/14/14 05:37 PM

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.

# 19 hrudey32 @ 04/14/14 06:28 PM

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.

# 20 TCrouch @ 04/15/14 04:04 PM

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).

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