MotoGP 09/10 Review for Xbox 360

System: X360, PS3	Review Rating Legend
Dev: Monumental Games	1.0 - 1.9 = Avoid	4.0 - 4.4 = Great
Pub: Capcom	2.0 - 2.4 = Poor	4.5 - 4.9 = Must Buy
Release: March 23, 2010	2.5 - 2.9 = Average	5.0 = The Best
Players: 1-20	3.0 - 3.4 = Fair
ESRB Rating: Everyone	3.5 - 3.9 = Good

Reputation is an attribute that you'll acquire or lose depending on your performance. If you get into too many accidents or allow too many opponents to pass you, your Reputation will suffer. Conversely, if you're burning up the track, you'll earn plenty of Rep points which can be used to increase your staff. Your Rep points, along with just about anything else you can imagine, is displayed on the screen. There's really no reason for the Rep points to be displayed so prominently. Visual real estate is a commodity, so get in the options menu and start streamlining that HUD.

MotoGP 09/10 screenshot

The game employs a motion blur on the scenery to simulate speed. Considering how good the licensed bikes and the tracks look, it a shame to smear them.

If you're down with the arcade feel, the game is fast and fun, with very little down time. Even when you get bumped by another bike you don't typically lose control. And when you do make a serious blunder, there's the rewind feature that allows you to start over at a point before you got into trouble. You will lose Rep points each time you use it, though. Extra speed can be obtained by using the "tuck." It's accessed by the push of a button. By making the rider crouch, air friction is reduced to a ridiculously unrealistic degree, giving you up to a 25-mph boost. Using the tuck is the key to finishing first in most races.

MotoGP 09/10 forces you to unlock bikes in the Career mode before you can use them in the other modes. You can get your hands on a few different bikes in the Time Trials mode, but if you want to play with the big boys, you're going to have to get them the hard way.

The online multi-player mode is not without its flaws; I didn't always find a match, and I was booted out of the server more than a few times. When I did get into a race, it was a lot more fun than the Career mode, but after a couple of hours I was getting bored. Unfortunately, that's how I felt about every mode in this game. MotoGP 09/10 has just about everything you could want, except that elusive magic that makes a good game great.

By Cole Smith
CCC Senior Writer

RATING OUT OF 5

RATING DESCRIPTION

4.0

Graphics
Great looking licensed bikes with smooth animation. Motion blur is awful.

2.2

Control
The bikes have very little sense of weight. Steering is a bit touchy.

3.3

Music / Sound FX / Voice Acting
Bikes sound good, but the tunes are generic-sounding.

3.1

Play Value
Fun for a few hours but it loses it flavor quickly.

3.2

Overall Rating - Fair
Not an average. See Rating legend above for a final score breakdown.

Game Features:

Brand new exciting gameplay modes that deliver the ultimate GP racing experience.

17 official circuits and all the bikes and riders from the 2009 GP season plus the ability to update the game with content from the 2010 championship as the season unfolds.

Gain Rider Reputation points through your achievements on the track and use these to progress your career with new offers of contracts, manufacturers, staff, and sponsorship deals.

Dynamic racing objectives challenge riders during racing sessions.

Compete against riders across the globe in online multiplayer mode in races with up to 20 players.

Two-player split-screen allows you to compete against your friends locally.

Select from 125cc, 250cc, and 800cc championships with each class delivering its own exciting and unique bike handling set up.

Realistic AI which emulates a true racing pack with different rider styles and pace.

Accessible handling for players of all levels to create an enjoyable racing experience.