MotoGP 15 Review

It's that time of the year again. Italian developer Milestone have released the third instalment in their MotoGP series – MotoGP 15. Now the second game on current generation consoles, what's changed this year and, more importantly, is it any good?

The main problem with video games nowadays is content; you're charged £50 for a game that comes packed with a very short story and a multiplayer portion and that's about it. Some games give you a decent amount of things to do, but usually as costly dlc. That's not an ethos that sits with Milestone however. MotoGP 15 comes packed to the rafters with content. Obviously it features the 2015 roster of MotoGP, Moto2 and Moto3 riders and bikes, as well as the 18 circuits gracing this year's calendar. But it also comes with all of the roster from the 2014 season for all three classes. There are the handful of two-stroke bikes present and the four-stroke bikes too, if you pre-ordered the game (if you haven't then it is available on the PSN store £10). That's a lot of bikes!

The inclusion of the 2014 roster does feel a little bit like filler if I'm honest, but I traded in MotoGP 14 a few weeks ago so technically I've gotten it back plus 2015 bikes. If Milestone were going to include old bikes, then I would have liked to have seen some more two-strokes or even some 800cc machines. It's good to see Milestone utilising the licence given to them however.

And that is something very noticeable throughout the entire game. In-race graphics are identical to that seen on the television, giving a very authentic feel to the game which is severely lacking from other motorsport titles. Real race footage is also present as unlockable videos and pre-challenge mode intros, which is quite nice. Once again Gavin Emmet provides voice over prior to each session. It's good that they're using actual MotoGP commentators but the lines just seem recycled, and personally I would have liked someone like Nick Harris to introduce the races. But that's just a nit-pick.

As always career mode sees you create a rider and contest a couple of wild card races to gain some experience and attract the attention of some Moto3 teams to start your career with. New for this year is the ability to create your own team. If you don't like the teams available to you, or would just like to run your own colours you can pick a sponsor to back you and create your team. You can give it a logo, name and livery, and you earn money in-game to buy bikes to further your progress up the field. You can also upgrade your bike by acquiring data packs during race weekends to purchase updates for the engine, chassis, suspension and brakes. It's as simple process but one that works rather well. It's incredibly rewarding taking the bike you've invested in to a solid top ten finish as an independent team, and it's that satisfaction that keeps you coming back for more as you'll want to see your team make it into MotoGP. The customisation is a little light; it lacks the depth of the one seen in Grid Autosport which is a shame, but not a massive draw back. The sponsors you take on board are official however, as is the gear you ride in.

If career isn't your thing then there are a host of other single player game modes such as: Grand Prix, Time Attack, Instant Race, Two-Stroke Challenges, Four-Stroke Challenges, Beat the Time and 2014 MotoGP Challenges. All are fairly self explanatory, though you do have to unlock a lot of riders so you are best going with the career mode.

I am unable to comment on the multiplayer as I have been unsuccessful in finding a match.

One of the most significant changes to this year's game is the handling. It is very, very good. You can really feel the front-end in this game, so coming into corners is now less of a lottery as you are able to feel what the bike is doing under braking. This allows you to really push into corners and correct as you feel the front tyre begin to break away. Hard braking and then slowly releasing the brake as you lean into a corner does give a sense of realism, which has been lacking in previous iterations. One thing that bothered me last year was the ease at which you could take kerbs. This has been rectified and riding kerbs is no longer a viable option to taking a corner as they will send you into the air. Tyre wear has become a little more manageable as you do feel the rear starting to go gradually as a race wears on, allowing you to adjust the traction control to suit.

Bikes feel heavier this year and specific characteristics are more noticeable, specifically in the MotoGP class. The Honda RC213V is a savage beast out of corners and on straights but struggles under braking and is a little unpredictable. Compare that with the Yamaha YZR-M1 which gets into corners well and offers great mid-corner grip leading to corner exit speed. This makes for a very authentic experience.

The most fun to ride are the two-stroke 500cc bikes. These things slide as you brake and buck when you get on the gas, requiring finesse to complete a lap. This is tricky to master but achieving it makes for one of the most enjoyable experiences in any racing game. The 990cc bikes are sadly just 2015 bikes in 2005 skins, which is a massive shame and something I sincerely hope Milestone rectify in an upcoming update.

This year's AI do seem to be more competent than in previous titles. They actually offer some challenge and will go for overtakes without just barging into you. They are a bit dim on some circuits which does need to be sorted, but overall they are quite good.

The same can't be said for the graphics. They are a considerable improvement over last year's game, but it's not to a standard expected for a current generation console. Grass textures and trees are very bland, and character models are a little off. The actual tracks themselves look great, COTA in particular. The tarmac actually looks like tarmac, and it gets darker as the weekend progresses which is good to see. Bike models are excellent. A lot of detail has obviously gone into them and it really shows – light glints off them beautifully and the machines are very detailed.

The sound model needs work. It still sounds very cartoony on some bikes and rider animation needs sorting. Riders shift up instead of down when progressing through the gears, and they use the clutch on upshift as well as downshift. (MotoGP bikes don't use clutch at all over a lap). Clearly Milestone have just used the same animation from RIDE which is lazy and hopefully altered in a patch.

MotoGP 15 isn't a brilliant game and it will probably get tossed aside when F1 2015 comes out by many. But that's not to say that this is necessarily a bad game, quite the opposite in fact. There is a lot of content here to keep you entertained for a long time, and the career is one of the best I've played for a while. It is certainly a much better game than RIDE and one I'd recommend picking up if you are a bike fan.

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