It might lack innovation, but it’s still a solid racer at its core.
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I know that this review may seem a bit negative, and I’m sorry for that. The thing is, this is definitely not a bad game. On the contrary, it is a very competent motorcycle racing title that does exactly what it is meant to do. The problem I come back to is that after playing this series, and reviewing all of it, for the third year in a row, everything feels just like it always has. It feels like last year. And last year felt like the year before that.
There are solo races and championships here if you just want to choose a rider and challenge the AI. There is online multiplayer for up to 22 players, which is an increase from last year’s 13. And then we have the game’s main focus, namely the career mode. Milestone has added a brand new manager position to this mode. As a big fan of all types of manager games, this sounded like a dream. F1 2020 implemented a mode where you had to create your own team and hire second drivers and everything. It was not perfect, but good. I liked that a lot.
MotoGP’s version is not as deep. When you first choose which team you want to compete for, everything is the same. There are some pre-selected teams you can choose from and sign contracts with. The contracts have goals written in, so if you do not want to get the fired, it is best that you place yourself among the top 15, for example. Here I thought I would get control of my chosen team, but I was wrong. It is certainly possible to employ various technical roles such as data analysts and other things, as well as develop parts for the motorcycle that allow you to get better fuel consumption or more control in the curves. However, all this already existed last year.
Where the difference comes in is that in Moto2 and MotoGP you can start a second team, or a Satellite Team. It’s not the most innovative thing you’ll ever see, but you can hire riders, directors and managers. Then just cheer and hope that your team does well. I would like Milestone to try to build on this for next year’s title and make it a little deeper. Maybe even take a look at F1 2020’s model.
One of the other new additions this year is a fun little sequence when you fall off your motorcycle. Instead of being magically transported back out on the track, you will now be able to run yourself to pick up your bike that is out in the gravel. Brake temperatures make their debut as well, you need to manage that – and that’s fun. t is important to adapt your driving style and at the same time be able to control what engine power your motorcycle should have, for example, which is done via a few simple buttons being pushed. The thing about these games is that it’s not just about being able to go faster than everyone else. You learn to ride smarter. And not least, learn how to master corners. This is where time is gained and lost and it is damn hard to master.
The graphics and sound are what I came to expect from this series. Very generic music and motorcycle sounds. The graphics are a mixed bag, just like I wrote in my review last year. Everything on the track looks great, from motorcycles to everyone sitting on them. On the side of the track, however, there are things that can be improved.
If you are an avid supporter of this sport, you will of course be able to find real entertainment here. However, if you played the previous titles, you will have a hard time distinguishing MotoGP 21 from the previous years’ games except for a few small, tiny, microscopic improvements. The series has received 7/10 for the last three years and that grade still stands. There is nothing new to get, but the game does what it is supposed to do. Namely to offer as realistic an experience of MotoGP as possible. And this is, as I said, a very competent game.
Keyword: MotoGP 21