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Of the three Racing titles on display at SONY’s 3Rooms, only one was
an original IP,
MotorStorm. MotorStorm was originally shown at
E3 2006 and
garnered a
 great deal of interest, mainly due to the fact that it
was a Playstation3 exclusive that wasn’t a sequel and that it
introduced some interesting new features, namely deformable terrain
and multiple vehicle types in the same races. That was eight months
ago, so how has MotorStorm progressed?
Currently it would seem that while
FORMULA ONE CHAMPIONSHIP
EDITION and Gran TurismoHD will offer gamers solid
Driving Simulators, MotorStorm is destined to be the most fun
for the average gamer. Playing-out as a fast-and-furious off-road
racer, MotorStorm allows players to pick from a variety of
vehicles - from motorbikes to trucks - and race them maniacally
round some very interestingly designed courses. Some races restrict
the player to one type of vehicle whilst others allow a choice
between all the vehicles, allowing for some unpredictable racing
experiences. This is primarily where the deformable terrain feature
comes into play. While slower than most vehicles, the trucks can be
driven around the track with little thought of avoiding the trenches
produced by the other vehicles and usually, the other vehicles
themselves. However, the lighter vehicles, such as buggies and
motorbikes, don’t have it so easy. While faster than the heavier
classes, the lightweight vehicles can run into some serious control
issues should they get caught in a trench or hit one at the wrong
angle. While the game forces the player to try all the vehicles
through the Single-Player, the different driving styles required for
the various vehicles should lead most players to find their own
favourite, hopefully leading to some crazy Multi-Player.
The game also has many similarities with the soon to be released Wii
off-roader,
ExciteTruck. Firstly, MotorStorm features
a Boost System based not on a limited gauge, but rather an unlimited
supply. Instead of running-out of boost, players must take heed of
the temperature of their vehicle, should it get too hot through
excessive boost use it will explode, losing the player valuable
seconds as their vehicle respawns. Unlike many Racing games, your
vehicle isn’t invincible and hitting a wall at high speed or being
crushed by a larger vehicle will cause the destruction of yours.
This gives the game a nice balance, while motorbikes and other fast
vehicles should clear-up if they take an early lead and boost well,
getting caught at the back of the pack will likely prove
catastrophic. Secondly, gamers can, should they want, take advantage
of the Motion-Detection capabilities of the SIXAXIS controller to
drive. This works very similarly to the Motion-Detection in
ExciteTruck, although ultimately this is a matter of preference,
as the traditional Analogue Stick method does seem more responsive,
if less immersive.
For a title so close to launch, MotorStorm does look very
nice. All the vehicles are well modelled and shiny and the courses
are detailed with plenty of special effects for eye candy. If this
is where the PlayStation3 will start, Microsoft will need to pay
attention to maintain a comparable graphical standard in the future.
The only real
 downside so far is the quite extensive Loading Delays,
likely due to the slow data-transfer rate on the Blu-Ray Drive,
however this could also be due to the version on show needing a
little polishing.
MotorStorm is shaping-up to be one of the stars of the
PlayStation3 launch and is likely to sell many copies in the
inevitable early title drought. Whether or not this single title, as
good as it is, can justify the £400+ price-tag of SONY’s big black
box is debatable, but should it be coupled with a few more stellar
PlayStation3 exclusives, the discerning gamer might just be able to
justify the expenditure. |
