MOTOGP GAME: BEING ZARCO FROM YOUR COUCH

A racing series without a gaming franchise is unthinkable in today’s world. The MotoGP World Championship was at the forefront in combining its series with video gaming when it first released the MotoGP racing game back in 2000. Eighteen years later things are radically different, and video games have really become a part of our modern culture. How does MotoGP ’18 shape up in comparison to the competition and previous releases and can we really pretend to be Zarco from the comfort of our own couch?

 

 

 

The short answer to that question is: yes, you can, almost. Nothing will ever compare to the raw sensation of speed that a rider goes through when coming into a corner at 330km/h. Like every other iteration of the game, MotoGP ’18 lets you ride the entire championship in the “skin” of Johann Zarco. The character and faces in the game are very high quality and instantly recognizable.

 

 

 

Earlier MotoGP games were always very arcade-style and were purely aimed at quick and fast thrills, without really focusing on realism and handling. The latest MotoGP games focus a lot more on bike dynamics and tyre grip. Our favourite part of the game is that you can choose between realistic handling, in pro mode, or an arcade handling setting to allow even novice players to get to grips with MotoGP ’18. The game runs on the Unreal gaming engine, a name that every avid gamer will recognize and that makes for beautiful weather and physics effects. A wet track looks amazing and when it stops raining you can actually feel the grip improving as the track dries off - impressive.

 

 

 

The most important aspect of the game is creating your own rider and identity within the game. If you select the career mode, MotoGP offers a wide array of looks and choices about how you want your rider to look, and you can even adjust his riding style. You can then go through the junior ranks in the Red Bull Junior championship. From there you have to work your way up through Moto3 and Moto2 before you finally get to be a MotoGP rider. It’s a massive and exhilarating challenge that will have you hooked for many weekends.