Moto GP '07 for PlayStation 2 Reviews by Gamers

Sigh. MotoGP '07 is having an identity crisis.



On the one hand, MotoGP '07 wants to be a sim -- as shown by its ability to control the front and rear brakes independently and only use the organization's 18 real riders in the game -- but on the other hand, MotoGP '07 wants to be an arcade game -- as demonstrated by quick races, mini-challenges and an extremely limited season mode.



If this game doesn't know what it wants to be, what's a would-be rider to do?



Let's digress for a second and bring you up to speed on what we're talking about here. Started in 1949, MotoGP claims to be the oldest "motorsport world championship" in existence and each year a handful of riders climb on motorcycles from the likes of Honda and Yamaha that the general public will never get to ride and take to 18 races in 16 countries.



MotoGP '07 tried to capture all of that in five modes spanning all 18 tracks and featuring 21 MotoGP riders such as Kenny Roberts, Jr., Sylvain Guintoli and Alex Hofmann along with their respective rides. Quick Race lets you pick a track, rider, lap count and weather condition before jumping into a race; Time Attack has you running against ghosts for track records; Championship puts you through a MotoGP season; Challenges present you with 100 mini-games to compete in; and Multiplayer lets you take on in-house friends on the track.



It might sound like a well-oiled machine, but it breaks down when the rubber meets the road. To begin with, racing in MotoGP just isn't that fun.



There are three control schemes -- Arcade, Advanced and Simulation -- that each add another nuance to riding. Arcade controls give your bike more weight and make it harder to tip over, while Simulation controls give you the range of movement to try and pull off the road-hugging moves MotoGP is famous for. In my experience, Arcade makes you feel like a tank, and Simulation is way too loose, but Advanced is a good middle for folks getting into the game.



No matter the control scheme you choose, a steep learning curve awaits you. MotoGP's sharp turns and laughable -- although changeable -- controller layout of R2 as rear brake and square as front brake come in to make getting your bearings a chore in races filled with big, empty sections of track.



However, controls are only part of several problems that lead up to a major one -- i.e. MotoGP fails to engage you whatsoever. You won't be able to create a profile to track your race stats (although the game will keep records for the individual drivers), you can't create your own rider, you can't customize your bike, you can't swap pre-existing bikes, and you're subjected to the same bland track after bland track. Seriously, get used to green, white and red carpet sprawled out before you as you take turns and barrel down straightaways. There's no personality to MotoGP '07. If it wasn't for the loading screens that feature drivers and facts -- screens you're going to become very familiar with as you play through the title -- you'd never see the motorcyclists with their helmets off.



This makes for an extremely dull Championship mode. After selecting the mode, you choose your racer, control scheme and transmission and set off to tackle the 18 tracks … in a row … with nothing in between them. Sure, you can stop and check how many races you've won and what your standing is, but that's it. You don't get money for winning, you don't mess with your bike, crashes don't impact your health or bike's performance, and there's not a cutscene or story snippet to keep you going.



You just race 18 times. Occasionally, if you do poorly enough, your pit crew shakes its head in a picture-in-picture window as you finish.



Beyond the Championship mode, the 100 challenges will provide you with something to do if seeing the same old colors and bland tracks over and over again doesn't sap all of the energy from you, but the lack of online multiplayer doesn't help make this title any more appealing.

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