First Look: Motor Storm - Pacific Rift

The first Motor Storm game was a lot of fun (until the teeth gnashing frustration kicked in) but it did kind of look like a tech demo of the land deformation with a game hastily built around it. It lacked depth, looked samey and there where one or technical issues (The loading times between levels and vehicle selection where teeth grindingly slow (I'm as surprised as you that I've any teeth left with which to tackle the sequel)).

So what can we expect from the sequel? As you'd expect from a team that's cut its teeth on PS3 development on games deleveoped soley for Sony's machine it's a rather more polished affair. There's one new vehicle class to add to the classes from the first game (although there's lots of new vehicles within those classes) and there's a new tropical island. There's still plenty of mud and rock as well. Crucially there's also Fire and Water in the mix.

Fire levels effect the boost and cause it to heat up faster. Water levels give you the oppurtunity to cool the boost faster at the risk of slowing your vehicle as it travels through the stuff. It's a simple addition but allows for just enough tactics in what remains a frantic racing game.

The new levels themselves are graphically stunning. My non-360/PS3 owning mate who came round for a blast was very impressed (he's never commented on anything I've showed him before so read in to that what you will). They're more organic this time and feel like the courses have been made out of areas of land rather than just ribbons of track. There's the same mix of routes through the levels too but they're a lot more varied this time. There's also more variety with races taking place in and around abandoned factorys, sunny beaches and dark volcanic rubble.

The other new addition in the career mode is the ability to earn bonus events by meeting certain criteria during races such as crashing less than a certain amount or beating a race record time. These unlock elimination or time trials. The Elimination races are standard last man standing affairs (although they do mix up the race and the AI is possibly a touch less brutal). The time trials are more interesting and take the form of GTA style check point races with flares going off to indicate your route as your pass through the last one. These events work particulary well as they show you some of the routes through each circuit that are off the beaten track.

For your reading pleasure I also had a blast on the online racing. I have to say it's a very polished affair and easily equal to most Live affairs. Match making was quick. I didn't suffer much in the way of lag and it works very well as a live game. There doesn't seem to be any elastic banding online so it's not quite as brutal as the SP and all the better for it. If you're good enough to work up a lead you can keep it if you're skillful enough. I won one event and got several seconds and ranked up quite nicely. I was also able to accept a friends invite. The only downside being that after each event with 'randoms' your dumped back into your lobby and you have to search again. It would've been nice to have the option to carry on racing with the same people. But considering it's a free service and my first taste of PS3 online I was very happy.

So far, for me at least, it's an essential PS3 purchase. (especially now it can be picked up for £20 making GTi Club on PSN look a bit dear at £10).

Currently Playing: Motorstorm 2: Pacific Rift demo

Well on the plus side the vastly long load times seem to have been reduced (difficult to tell exaclty how much shorter they'll be on disc though) which is good.

The rest of the demo isn't so great. It looks better than the already good looking original as you'd expect although on the demo track there's no sign of the track deformation at all. Sadly, for me, the rest is all negative. Granted on a two lap demo of one track it's difficult to asses the whole game but from this taster nothing has been fixed... It's still punishingly unfair (despite multiple restarts I was unable to complete the two laps without incident so maybe I'm just rubbish). It's still possible go to from a high position to last in the blink of an eye. It's still possible to hit a ramp you've travelled over several times before only to explode for some reason. This course seemed to require even more memorising than the last one (At least two of the jumps leave you shooting off the circuit into thin air and a costly restart unless your lined up exactly).

Of the three vehicles offered the racing truck has a turning circle of an ocean liner, the motorbike is too vunerable to attack leaving you eating dirt all the time and I didn't even bother trying the monster truck.

It really feels like a missed opportunity. You could forgive a certain amount of the rough edges with a launch title but they really should of tightened up the balance and the fairness of the racing. I did have a lot of fun with the original despite the teeth grindingly punishing later levels so I'll probably still pick this up but I feel it's going to be one of the titles thats heavily discounted after chrimbo so I'll leave it until then.

A look ahead to Quarter 4 - Part 3

So this is the third part.. Not quite so easy to title either.. It's the: "Ones I've registered an interest in but will only buy if they get a great review score andI get time Andthey're cheap"..

Far Cry 2

Sounds like an interesting concept.. Is weapons jamming and breaking going to be fun? So many FPS's so little time

Midnight Club: LA

It certainly looks very pretty and unlike GTA IV it has licensed cars. It's probably between this and...

Need for Speed: Undercover

Last years game was so rubbish even my casual mate (Whom I normally play EA's yearly offering with didn't want to bother) but having lifted it's plot from The Fast & The Furious this looks like something of a return to form.

James Bond: Quantum of Solace

Really looking forward to the film. Based on the CoD4 engine this could be pleasant enough distraction in a quiet spot spell next year.

Silent Hill: Homecoming

Is this going to pull of the magic? The signs aren't looking good. This can be summed up by 'Pyramid Head' turning up in it.

Motorstorm 2

Enjoyed the first game up to a point.. Later on in the game it just got to random to compete at the highest levels without teeth grinding frustration. Doesn't sound like much has changed this time around either.. This'll have to be cheap. Maybe even Platinum.

Resistance 2

Another PS3 exculsive that now has to work a whole lot harder for my gaming time now the novelty of PS3 ownership has worn off and I'm beginning to see the 360 dominate my gaming time.