The game looks sharp, too, but you'd almost certainly expect higher polygon counts to boot, right? Nope. Instead, developer Climax has configured a way to keep the hi-res models intact and spend those polygons in other places, knocking the total per rider count from 6,000 polys to a mere 4,500. The result: the game moves smoother than the first, clinging without flinch to its touted framerate of 60 fps, and more attention has been paid to the motorways in exchange.
Adding to the tally of the original's 10 tracks (Lan Mans in France, Suzuka in Japan, and Assen in The Netherlands have been completely rebuilt, while Jerez in Spain, Mugello in Italy, Donington in England, Sachsenring in Germany, Brno in the Czech Republic, Phillip Island in Australia, and Valencia in Spain remain primarily the same) are six completely new courses (Rio in Brazil, Phahisa in South Africa, Catalunya in Spain, Estoril in Portugal, Motegi in Japan, and Sepang in Malaysia), and one freshly constructed fantasy locale dubbed Shoridan. All are steeped in reality, meticulously re-created for those without the flight cash to visit them virtually. The roadways are layered in texture, and the controller's rumble feature even reacts to bumpy, off-road surfaces. No doubt, the Xbox's processor is hard at work bringing everything together on the screen. Though, aside from the riders, everything is still pretty static. The crowds are unanimated and the sky is unexciting, lacking motion. But you hardly have a chance to notice either as you're roaring down the track on your 500cc bike of choice, trying to edge out the competition. Climax also claims it went as far as hijacking wheels from motorbikes and hauling 'em to its offices, spraying them with water in order to render the effect of wet rubber properly. The same goes for every wet aspect of the game -- roads, riders, and cycles. As you accelerate through a drizzle, the rain even begins to patter more heavily on the screen, tossing you further into the adrenaline rush. Also, it frightens me how many crashes the designers must have experienced firsthand, seeing as a wipeout at 120 miles per hour is hardly a pretty sight -- the controller vibrates wildly, and the camera whirls chaotically. With all the visuals woven together, you'll forget you're merely playing a game during some instances. "Photorealism" isn't just a buzz word when concerning this game -- it's a fact.
There's plenty of racing options as well, but like all good sims, MotoGP 2 doesn't skimp on its "GP" mode. You can design the shell of your bike, customizing the logo and such to fit your personality (which might result in an ill-fated triangle or other mutated shapes if you're as untalented as I am with the painting toolset). From there, 22 riders are at your disposal, though several of them must be unlocked (just like the large selection of bikes in the game), by accumulating points for performing basic stunts and winning races. "Stunt," "Time Trial," "Tag," "Training" and "Single Race" round out the other racing modes. The controls are tight, too -- no doubt. Climax seems to have taken the mild criticisms of the first MotoGP to heart, fine-tuning the braking, turning, corner-hugging, and acceleration, among other intricacies.
The checkered flag will be whipped out this summer when this latest extension of the MotoGP series cruises onto shelves.
