Moto Racer World Tour Hands-On

Moto Racer World Tour is shaping up to be the most concise motorcycle racing game ever for the PlayStation. This is the third game in the series, and the developer, Delphine, is pulling out all the stops by adding more bikes and tracks, as well as going more in-depth with customization features like the ability to change gearbox ratios, tires, and suspension.

Judging from the version we played, this latest installment in the series will have plenty to offer in the way of modes of play. With standard single race, time attack, and championship modes available from the beginning, as well as new modes like dragster and freestyle, the game offers something a little different than just a straightforward race to the finish.

World Tour is also aided by solid analog-control support, which works well with the game's physics and realistically brings the feel of a speeding bike to a handheld controller. Graphically, World Tour is better than previous versions, offering better visuals all around. The tracks and bike models are all a step above their predecessors, and the game engine also does very well with hiding pop-up and keeping a realistic-feeling frame rate at high speeds.

In the end, World Tour looks and plays great. Fans of the series should look forward to familiar gameplay with vast improvements over previous versions. Infogrames should have the game ready in time for a late September release.