Hey, wanna go racing, but your local track is closed down due to the pandemic? Good news, you can get your knee down at home now, with the latest MotoGP video game.
MotoGP 21 is now available on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, PC, Steam, and Epic Games Store. With an early season release, we’ve got the latest racers programmed into the game, and presumably their machine and rider stats are based on pre-season testing results and those early races.
As always, MotoGP says the game has a “more real than ever experience.” As per the press release, “The gameplay’s iconic new features have the goal to create unbelievable racing simulation that players have never experienced before. Bike Retrieval will delete respawn from your mind. If you fall you’ll have to get back to the bike as soon as possible, like in the real races; Brake Temperature means monitoring the temperature of brakes to always have the situation under control; with Long Lap Penalty you won’t be forgiven anymore, if you break the rules you’ll have to ride on a longer part of the race as a penalty.”
Multiplayer allows up to 22 riders at once, and loading times are faster. Not exactly the heart-pumping stuff of banging bars at speed, but at least it’s not just last year’s game with new skins. Speaking of new skins, the game makers say the bike liveries will be updated in a few weeks, and it sounds like riders will be able to make their own graphics for the riders’ gear.
MotoGP says the PS5 and XBox Series X versions of the game have graphic resolution as high as 4K, with 60 fps. The dynamic lighting is improved as well. The PS5 version also comes with haptic feedback and adaptive triggers through PS5 DualSense—sounds a bit more usable than the old Sega Genesis controls for Road Rash 3. Still, you’re not really riding a motorcycle.
With that in mind, if you’re a purist and nothing can recreate face-melting speed, maybe you’d be better off with Managerial Career mode, which lets you recreate the mind-blowing fun of running a team.
If you’re curious about the game, you can find several play reviews of MotoGP 21 on YouTube already—see here. The game’s official site is here:
