If youve played Moto GP 2006, then you know what to expect as far as gameplay goes. The licensed tracks are all back for another go around and the few extreme courses we saw were identical to last years game. Rather than changing what THQ felt was a good formula, the lions share of the work was put into creating a bit of the excitement around the track that exists at these races. To do so, thousands of spectators have been added and theyre all full 3D models with very little noticeable repetition. Most of these people are cheering, but youll also see a few setting off smoke flares, waving flags, or even driving by in cars. Intro cutscenes have been added to to add to the feel of being a real GP competitor. All of the new spectacle additions give MotoGP 07 a nice bit of meat on top of the racing bones.
The handling of the bikes has been tweaked a bit to make the game more accessible, though it still feels like a simulation. Turns are a little easier to negotiate, thanks in large part to a few little things that were added to make acceleration and deceleration feel more realistic. Visual cues, such as slight fishtailing with hard braking, have been put in to give you a better feel for the handling of the bike and to let you know how effective your braking is. The changes here are slight and the series still feels like it is geared towards those looking for a sim experience.
For the extreme racing mode, all of the courses have been given visual facelifts, but the big new additions are in the bike customization options. Tweaking, an aspect of Moto GP 2006 that was fairly limited, has been made deeper to allow players more room to make their rides feel exactly how they want. Visual options have been added, as well as a host of new parts to differentiate your ride from the rest of the pack.
These new options, allowing for over 1 million possible combinations, will come into play in a big way when you take MotoGP 07 online. Just like last year, youll be able to jump online and challenge other riders from around the world for the top spot on the leaderboards. This time, though, more than just your pride will be on the line. A new pink slip racing mode is being put into the game where the winner leaves with the other persons bike. Its time to put your money where your mouth is.
Aside from the new crowd additions, MotoGP 07 looks similar to last years game. New HDR lighting effects have been put in to make the sky look more realistic, but most of the work was put into the tracks immediate surroundings. Another nice improvement was in doing away with screen tearing which was somewhat of an issue in last years game.
MotoGP 07 is looking to be a nice improvement over last years model. The game still doesnt feel very inviting to those new to bike racing, but the hardcore fans probably like it better that way anyhow.