Review: Moto GP (PSP)

Every man and his dog has moaned about the problems with the PSP hardware, but few can argue that there is one genre that works well on Sony's handheld - racers. Cue the next Moto GP game (and the first on PSP) - which, like Ridge Racer and Wipeout Pure before it, is certainly a worthy title to add to the PSP's racing library.

Consisting of both the 2005 and 2006 seasons, it's all your standard run of the mill stuff, with a season mode, single races and multiplayer events. Not to be confused with the Xbox 360 version (Moto GP 06 by Climax), this game has a completely different development team in the form of Namco Bandai; but the similarities are numerous. Handling is quite similar: newcomers to the Moto GP series may find themselves trying to drive the bike like a car (Road Rash style) only to find themselves struggling even on the easiest difficulty because of the unique handling.

Of course, for veterans the option to turn the sim mode on is available, however there is a distinct difficulty gap between straight up simulation and arcade experiences. The problem is, with 'sim' turned off, it's nigh on impossible to fly off your bike unless you're one of the worst drivers in the world. It takes away a lot of the challenge, allowing you to literally bounce off other riders without consequence. But turn it on and you'll be flying all over the place; end up on the gravel and it's a nightmare getting back on the track. It can seem that one is too simple and the other is too challenging, unlike the Climax-developed GP game which catered to the average player - though you do have the easy, normal and hard opponent AI difficulties just to keep it simple. Speaking of AI, it's quite disappointing to see the computer-controlled riders following an obvious set route through the track, not adapting to how you're driving at all. Follow the route ahead of them in the same way they do, and instead of overtaking you, they'll simply follow you, because this is the only path through the track they actually know. But perhaps we were expecting too much from the PSP after playing the Xbox 360 edition.

One nice surprise is how well the analogue nub holds up. Instead of resorting to the D-Pad like other PSP games, Gamestyle stuck with the often-ridiculed nub because it made the bike handle like a dream. One slight hindrance with the controls is the circle button's function of allowing you to look at the riders behind you: because of the positioning of the accelerate and brake controls, it's difficult to firmly apply enough pressure to the circle button to get anything more than a quick glimpse behind you before flashing back to the track ahead.

Namco Bandai have managed to get the best graphical performance from the PSP - obviously not quite as lovely as the PS2 versions of the sport, but it's surprisingly close. It is tarnished slightly by the wheels which look hexagonal instead of round from the side - something the more discerning eye may pick up on. The high quality graphics do not sacrifice loading speed, either; loading times are short and inoffensive. The same can be said for the music, which is firmly placed in the rock category, (but not a punk style of rock with emo kids shouting at you - this is a good thing).

You're given plenty to unlock in Moto GP with only a few riders selectable from the start (unless you play as yourself); the rest needs to be unlocked by winning races. A shame that the multiplayer won't add much longevity for most people, as only local wireless play is available and no online play. The main problem is that there isn't a whole lot to do on your own. The season mode can be over in a matter of days and there isn't much else to it, unless you know a lot of avid Moto GP PSP players - a situation that online play could have remedied. Even the allure of rewards doesn't hook you as much as it should.

Still, Moto GP is rather desirable for anyone that loves their simulated bike racers and the PSP once again proves that it's a decent handheld for racing fans. Well worth taking for a spin - just don't go expecting much bang for your buck.

Rating: 7 / 10

Words by Adam Gulliver