PS3 Review – Motorstorm: Pacific Rift
Set in a breathtaking tropical landscape, the latest racing title from Evolution Studios sets out to rectify several glaring problems from the original Motorstorm, as well as refine the racing style that has defined this series so well.Though some may view this title as an expansion rather than a full-fledged sequel, the inclusion of water, fire and vegetation within Pacific Rift’s environments adds another layer of depth to the gameplay.
For those unfamiliar with the franchise, what makes Motorstorm so unique is its diverse vehicle roster. While other franchises focus strictly on Cars or ATVs, Pacific Rift offers a total of eight different vehicle classes. This list includes Motorcycles, Buggies, ATVs, Rally Cars, Racing Trucks, Mudpluggers, Big Rigs, and Monster Trucks. Although the number of vehicle classes involved is staggering, the developers have made great strides to ensure that the game is accessible for those who are new to the franchise.
During the early stages, players are exposed to just a few vehicle classes in each race. This forces players to pay attention to the distinct advantages and disadvantages of each vehicle class, and often encourages experimentation. In addition to this, the environments have multiple pathways, hidden shortcuts and varied terrain. The verticality of some of these levels is impressive, and guarantees wild speed runs down cliffs and mountainsides.
The truth strength of Pacific Rift’s level design is exposed when the player ends up playing the same track over again, but in a different vehicle class than before. And this will happen dozens of times over the course of the game. Just when you feel that you’ve mastered Caldera Ridge or Paradise Beach, the game forces you to rethink your racing lines and driving habits. Paths that were once safe when facing motorcycles or ATVs suddenly become death traps when pitted against the Big Rigs and Monster Trucks. Jumps that were annoyances in the heavier vehicles become havens for the motorcycles. And shortcuts blocked off by barriers can be plowed through if the player’s vehicle is big enough. With sixteen tracks to choose from, excitement is never in short supply.
The single-player Campaign is based off the ticket system used in Motorstorm 1, but with the levels clearly divided by four themes: Earth, Air, Water, and Fire. There are four in each section, and the user has an RPG-like progress bar that keeps track of how well they’re doing overall. Bronzes will do just fine in order to progress through most of the game, but silvers and golds are rewarded with higher points, and thus open racing opportunities much faster. There are also a ton of secrets to unlock, such as artwork and videos.
Also worth mentioning is the included Photo Mode, which is accessed during single-player by pressing the Start button on the controller. The camera can be freely moved through the environment, allowing you to choose the optimal angle. All photos are stored on the hard drive for easy access. While not as robust as the Photo mode in Wipeout HD, it’s still loads of fun to navigate crash scenes that are frozen in time.
Multiplayer is enhanced with the addition of split-screen, and it supports up to four players at once. Online has also seen some improvements as well. Instead of the annoying server roster that was patched into Motorstorm 1, Pacific Rift’s online system is quick and easy. It offers Ranked, Unranked, and Custom matches against online adversaries. Other than that, there’s little else the game offers besides the usual Time Attack mode.
While some additional modes would have been desired, what matters is that the content that IS there is amazing. Everything from the music to the art direction is spot on, and the developers have definitely outdone themselves in level design and physics implementation. There’s no better off-road title to show off to your friends than Pacific Rift. It’s polished, kinetic, and full of heart-stopping action.
PlayStation LifeStyle’s Final Score
Clever use of fire, water, and vegetation. Filled with countless heart pounding, action-packed moments. |
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14 Responses to “PS3 Review – Motorstorm: Pacific Rift”
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March 12th, 2009 at 10:49 AM
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March 12th, 2009 at 2:34 PM
great review I couldn’t agree more. I really like the inclusion of the video. I may need to look to that for my future reviews
03/12/2009 at 3:09 PM
Thanks, man. Hopefully I can do it for all of our future reviews.
March 12th, 2009 at 3:37 PM
The trailer up above showcases some vital shortcuts in the game, so make sure to check it out. Be brave, and never treat the foliage like a static barrier.
March 12th, 2009 at 7:23 PM
really dont see nonthin special about this game
03/13/2009 at 12:07 AM
Try out the Demo 2.0 on PSN. It’s a really fun game, and definitely worth sampling.
March 12th, 2009 at 8:47 PM
man this game just looks and plays awesome, and I have yet to pick it up. I love the demo(s)
March 13th, 2009 at 1:15 AM
Well-written and I love the video
March 13th, 2009 at 12:44 PM
enjoyed the demo but have yet to pick it up
March 13th, 2009 at 3:17 PM
Really liked both demo’s and loved the firdt game just havn’t had time to pick this one up yet.
May 6th, 2009 at 4:35 PM
Also great review Draisey.
May 17th, 2009 at 12:53 AM
Thanks, DGR!
May 21st, 2009 at 4:29 PM
Motorstorm Pacific Rift is very raw!
May 30th, 2009 at 10:29 AM
excellent game, the water effects are awesome. way better than motorstorm 1. i like the fact that your turbo meter simmers down or cools off as water hits it allowing you more boost time.
July 4th, 2009 at 9:56 PM
To this day, it’s still my favorite off-road racing game released so far!
November 3rd, 2009 at 10:11 PM
@Eddie
i agree 100% its an awesome game. i wish more people would give it a try.