Moto GP for the PSP tries to replicate the simulation that you would’ve found on the console version. To an extent this is successful and somewhat impressive. However, there are a few issues that get in the way of this being an excellent game. Some seem to be the ineptitude of the developers but some are also from the limitations of the PSP.
So what does the game do well? From the outset, the game’s presentation is slightly reminiscent of Ridge Racer. It’s slick and smooth but looks like it needed a bit more. At least you have a fair amount of options, though these would be considered as covering the basics of you’re a motorcycling fan. These include your profile, helmet colour and riding position. While the racing modes cover the basics, they don’t go any further than that. You got arcade, season as well as time trial and multiplayer for up to eight players over LAN. There is no online mode though.
Moto GP looks the part
The arcade mode allows you to saddle up in a race against 19 other riders and pick from one of the eight tracks. The tracks only cover European tracks but in the least, they are official. Furthermore, the game is chock full of the names of authentic riders. The season more is a bit more substantial, because you can part-take in numerous successive races and fight it out for the top spot in the championship. Unfortunately, the season will only last eight races. It’s great that you can race the qualifying laps to determine your starting grid position but it was disappointing that the lap times seemed to be mostly out of reach for anyone other than the absolute best players. So you’ll mostly be starting from the back of the grid.
Furthermore you have choice of racing as your created character or one of the licensed characters such as Valentino Rossi or Sete Gibernau. The biggest difference between choosing between your own character and a real-life rider is that as a real rider, you can only play through one season. When you play as your own character, the season end may potentially bring contract offers to go and race for one of the construction teams. This seems like a nifty option at first but players are likely to find that there isn’t much to this option.
In terms of the actual racing, Moto GP is fundamentally solid. You have a choice between arcade and simulation controls. For those who aren’t hardcore racers, they’re likely to pick the arcade controls. The good aspect from these is that they are forgiving towards mistakes yet suitably rewarding when you ride properly. For anyone who hasn’t played these kinds of games before, it will take a little while before they get used to the controls. Still, you’re never going to fall off unless you hit an opponent at full speed or hit a wall head on.
Getting away from his ex was prooving to be more difficult that he originally thought.
Unfortunately, when you switch to the simulation controls, things start to get a bit curly. The controls are too sensitive, too slippery and in need of surgical-like precision. Unless you hit the corners at the right speed and angle, you’re bound to crash out. This lifts the difficulty to a level that makes the game extremely frustrating. The PSP layout doesn’t help. The analog nub behaves differently to an analog stick and the developers here haven’t been able to capture this. Furthermore, the buttons don’t allow you to proficiently pull off the required moves. The simulation controls aren’t far off from being work and some may get around them. It’s just that the developers haven’t tailored them for the system well enough.
Still, the racing is technically competent and for those who are able to shake off the control issues, they’ll find what at first seems a technically competent racer. There is an attention to detail that hasn’t been paid to most other PSP racers and it’s pretty close to a console racer. However, the AI is more mechanical than we’ve seen in a long time. It’s almost amazing to watch from the back of the grid, as the other 19 riders will virtually ride in a line, one behind the other. You’re left with the task of ducking and weaving your way through a bizarre pack. This would be fine but these dull buggers make for horrendously boring racing after a while. And Valentino Rossi doesn’t keep finishing so low down. There are also instances where the speedometer tells you that you're driving at 100km/hr but you don't feel like it.
The modes in the game aren’t the most endearing that we’ve come across. While they can get a bit tiresome quickly, the game provides a few “rewards” that you can chase down. Given the learning curve associated with achieving some of them, it can make for a fair amount of satisfaction once they’re completed. As a PSP game, you’ve got a choice of two, five and full lap races. You’d be crazy to pick the full race but the two lap races can make for a decent challenge in a short amount of time. Still, the game isn’t as good a keeper as it could have been.
Doesn't always feel like 119.
Graphically, the game is very impressive. There is not only a noticeable deal of attention that has been paid to make sure that everything looks and feels good enough to be a console game, it runs very smoothly and efficiently. There were only a few moments of minor slowdown, mainly if you were in a very dense pack. The details and texture work on the bikes and the riders was impressive, as well as the environments being suitably represented. Even though the controls don’t always suggest it, the physics are done reasonably well. The only issue really holding it back is that the game can feel soulless, due to the meager presentation and dull AI.
Sound-wise, there isn’t much to be said about the game. For some reason, there is some odd music constantly being played through out a race. They’re track specific and though they aren’t necessarily out of place, they don’t make the experience any better. Bike sounds will be bike sounds, though each of the different makes in the game has a different sound but there is no commentary in the game. Overall, the sound is on par.
Overall, Moto GP is very good effort for the PSP. There is some enjoyment to be found for those interested in racing motorcycles on the go. The game is technically competent as well as looking and playing quite closely to what you’d expect from a console racer. Unfortunately, the modes and presentation come off a little too meager and this may turn some prospective players off. That, and the simulation controls haven’t been suitably tailoured for the PSP. They come off as too slippery, unable to handle the precision required and make the game more difficult that what most people would like. Still, if you want to race motorcycles on the go, at least your only option is a reasonably good one.
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