Monster Energy Supercross 3: The Official Video Game Review
Fast Facts
Title: Monster Energy Supercross 3: The Official Video Game
Developer: Milestone
Publisher: Milestone
Website: https://supercrossthegame.com/
Genre: Racing
Platform: PS4
Age Rating: PEGI 3
Release Date: 04/02/2020
Price: £49.99 – Rapid Reviews UK was very kindly provided with a review code for this title.
Supercross 3 is the newest instalment from Italian Developer Milestone, launching globally across PS4, Xbox One, PC, Stadia and Switch. It features the 2019 season of Monster Energy Supercross, 100 riders, 15 official stadiums in both the 250SX and 450SX classes.
Racing games are a dime a dozen, there are many different models, but Milestone seems to have the category for two wheels pretty much locked down. I was intrigued to try this game.
I enjoy watching Supercross when it comes to the UK, I have no idea what’s going on, but I can appreciate it, I also watch the Monster Trucks with the kids, but am I a racer or driver? No.
The first and only time I rode a bike, was on a Yamaha YZ 250 about 20 years ago and I flipped it high in the sky and crushed the left side. Was I allowed to ride it again? Nope. So I was hoping this game would fill some Supercross void that I’ve never filled in my life.
Customisation
The game straight away drops you into a character customisation setup, where you design your rider to look like you, or someone else entirely. I found the customisations to be lacking some finer adjustments. The biggest issue for me is the large eyes that resemble the helmet of Black Manta in Aquaman.
Also, if you want Tattoos or Jewellery you have to buy it with credits, they’re locked behind a paywall, already!
They do however have the Welsh nationality available, so bonus point there!
Tutorial Race
So the tutorial, because if you’re anything like me, you need all the help possible.
You arrive via fanfare and are promoted as the next big thing, the stadium looks great and the graphics sharp.
You line up on the gate with 21 other riders, all of a sudden there’s instructions about leaning forward and dropping the clutch on time, here goes.
The controls are on the right side of the screen, accelerate, braking, steer (pretty self-explanatory), rider weight, rewind and scrub, what?
And you’re off… That’s it.
You’ve just got to figure out how body positioning and braking works in this game. There’s no thought process for first-timers into how you control the bike and yourself, how you approach a roller or double roller. What’s the best approach for a jump, or a double jump.
And what do you do on a Whoops! (This is a section of a track with ten or more small jumps in a row that require some excellent timing).
I spent maybe an hour on the tutorial, trying to master and figure out how things worked; eventually, I got the start down to mastery. First, out the gate and into the first corner, I did well, only to be smashed into and wasted by other riders, setting me back ten spots. A couple of corners in, I’m mistiming turns or hitting ramps and landing incorrectly, so I’m at position 22; eventually, I’m being overtaken because there are no instructions or guide on how to control or ride the bike. Queue flashbacks of me flipping that Yamaha 20 years ago.
What Career!
Naturally, I was disheartened, but I started the Career with aspirations of the underdog. I would eventually learn these skills.
You start a heat in an outside track; you’re vying for the best sponsor, and I was pumped. I can do this!
I did well.
I came 22nd (out of 22 riders), my sponsor options were let’s say limited, I chose Monster Energy as it had the easiest contract obligation. I am to come 17th overall this season to continue.
At the time of writing the review before the embargo lifts, I’m about halfway through the season. I’m still last. I’ve got the skills for a great start, but I feel like I’m being hunted by the other bikes and end up getting punished for being cautious with my turn approaches.
Free-Roaming
The most fun I had in this game was in free roam, where I tried to hone my skills without the impending doom of a timer or suicidal riders.
I feel this area is wasted, why doesn’t it offer structured, detailed tutorials on best approaches to the different track elements.
Emptying the Tank
I get it. This games not for everyone, but shouldn’t a game that some people may have never played before have a better tutorial option. Please give us the choice of rookie tips and tricks or a dive right in for the series veterans. Even Tomb Raider games have a grounded introductory based system, and they’ve been out since 1996.
Outside of the obvious, some great things are going on in the game.
The usual events, challenges, championships and time attacks adorn the single-player tab, with online multiplayer equivalents and a treasure hunt mode also.
There’s also a track editor; now this is hilarious because the track editor has a step by step, simple introductory guide on how to build and edit a track.
Last Place
It’s disappointing to want to play a game and experience something that visually looks incredible and has so much potential on the surface, but lacks the fundamentals of a basic introduction to riding a Supercross bike. The fact I’ve had to research real Supercross riding techniques on YouTube and watch video runs of the previous title mean that this game, lacks a core introductory component for new players to the title and genre.
Rapid Reviews Rating
You can purchase Monster Energy Supercross 3: The Official Video Game from the PlayStation Store on the following link, https://store.playstation.com/en-gb/product/EP4356-CUSA16700_00-SX3PREORDER00000
