When it comes to motorcycle racing simulation, Milestone is the first developer that comes to mind. They have created many major titles focused on motorcycle sporting over the last few years, with MotoGP 22 being the latest.

As expected, the team and rider roster has been updated to reflect who is active in the sport. Along with the main Career Mode, players can experience the MotoGP Events Showcase Mode, NINE, which focuses on the series from 2009. As someone who does not watch or follow MotoGP, I enjoyed watching actual footage surrounding the top racers from back in ’09, and being able to play as them helped me to feel more involved during those events.

In Career Mode, you can select which class division you would like to start in.  Will you climb the ranks in Moto2 or Moto3 to earn a spot in MotoGP? Or will you just jump straight into the big leagues? The choice is yours. With a new Managerial System, you can shortlist free agents to become your manager, and they will help you by suggesting contracts and factory teams to sign with. It’s here that you’ll perform all of the preparations before a race, and your engineers and analysts will present what data they have available for the bike and your performance in the last race.

Quick Modes will feature a Grand Prix where you can freely pick a rider and track location. With 21 tracks already included, you are spoiled for choice. The Championship Mode on the other hand will see you racing all 21 tracks, with the ultimate goal of being the Champion.

Multiplayer options are either split-screen for local play or online play that supports cross-generation support, so don’t stress if you are still hunting for a new console – you can still play with friends. Unless they’re on a different brand because sadly, there’s no cross-play option. On top of the game modes, you can always move into the training classes. It is definitely a stop for new players to check out as it will teach you many things without being complicated.

The gameplay for MotoGP22 is outstanding as they capture the sense that motorbike riding is more vulnerable than other racing simulators, particularly with how easy it is for the player to cause the rider to fall or slide away from the bike. I am very guilty of this. It took me a few minutes to stop taking corners at speed and manage my braking and positioning to clear a corner without going off the track or bailing. It’s definitely a learning curve if you are not a frequent MotoGP player, but it is easy to get control of with the helpful assistance the game offers. If you want, you can turn on auto brakes and guidance markers to show you the best angle when taking a corner. The on-track AI do feel a bit restricted to the point where I noticed they would slow down a lot earlier for turns and didn’t push to take a position, meaning it felt a bit on the easy side.

Graphically MotoGP is top-notch. The details of the riders, bikes, and tracks are always going to be a high point with Milestone’s games. It is easy to forget you are playing a game when you are watching replays of a race. They have done a fantastic job. The audio for MotoGP really puts you in the role of the racer as the engine on the bike, and at times, team radio chatter is what you will be hearing the majority of the time. There is a soundtrack present when on the main menu but does not carry into the game.

MotoGP has always had a solid reputation for being user-friendly for new players with helpful assistance and training courses, so if you are not an avid fan of the sport it is not daunting to start playing and getting into. Yes, you will bail a lot, but that is part of the learning process. It is worth sticking at it.

Unfortunately, like the majority of sports games, they will always fall into the curse of yearly releases and nothing major changing, other than active rosters. So much of what MotoGP 22 has graphics-wise is pretty much the same as last year’s instalment, but the addition of the new showcase mode, NINE, was a great choice to stand out from falling into the yearly loop of being the same.

Written by: Shane Walsh