Moto Racer 2, for players who never got a chance to play the original Moto Racer, will seem like the best motorcycle racing game ever. However, for fans of the first Moto Racer, Moto Racer 2 won't seem nearly as revolutionary since it's basically the same game, just with new tracks and options.
Moto Racer 2 is really two motorcycle-racing games in one - you can choose to race dirt or street bikes. The game has 32 tracks, some being of the dirt-arena type with jumps that allow you to pull off midair tricks, while others are city streets that allow you to open it up and approach speeds of 200mph.
There are two modes of play to choose from, arcade and simulation, which for once actually makes a big enough difference. Simulation mode requires you to really ride the bike, meaning you have to be conscious of your speed when turning so that the back end of the bike doesn't slip out and cause a horrible crash. For players who just want to go real fast and not have to worry about those dopey ol' physics, there's arcade mode. Here, you basically hold down the throttle button and go as fast as possible until you bump into the guardrail.
You can also choose between various race setups. You can choose to exclusively ride street or dirt bikes or race in a mixed competition that has races featuring both styles of bikes. The AI of the computer racers that you race against has been ramped up since the last game; however, the difference is barely negligible. The two-player split-screen mode is just as fun as ever.
The control in Moto Racer 2 is a little bit tighter than the previous game. When using the Dual Shock controller, the analog stick allows you to hang on perfectly when going around a corner, with total precision. The game is elegantly simple to control. It may sound easy, but to come in first you have to be a machine.
The new 3D track editor is awesome. You can actually change the shape and elevation of a track to your liking. Well, actually, you can't really do any crazy stuff, which is a shame. But nonetheless you can make some pretty cool tracks and save them to your memory card. It's no Excitebike track builder, but it's the next best thing.
Graphically, Moto Racer 2 hasn't really changed that much from the first game. The backgrounds, however, are far more detailed and intricate, with lots of little things in there just for decoration. The best thing, visually, that Moto Racer 2 has going for it is the illusion of speed that it gives you, especially when playing using the first-person camera angle. The game also has some nice lighting and weather effects that really give the game a polished look.
In the end, EA took what was already a good game and added a bunch of cool new stuff to it such as the track editor and varying weather conditions. It's a great formula that works for this great sequel. Moto Racer 2 is definitely a game to pick up for fans of the first game and racing-game fans in general.
