MotoGP™22

Review

My first glance at the series was with MotoGP™20, and after not reviewing MotoGP™21 last year, I decided to give MotoGP™22 a whirl. I vividly remember my struggles with MotoGP™20 as I had a challenging time getting used to the Moto 3 class and never really made much in-road with the other two classes. I did have fun at the time, but it was rather challenging and somewhat frustrating as well. So, would history repeat itself with a gap of only one year? Or would I move up the road with a big smile and punch my fist through the air while crossing the finish line first in all classes in MotoGP™22?

MotoGP™22 is a moto racing game developed and self-published by Milestone S.r.l. on the Steam platform on the 21^st of April 2022. The game is also available on the PS4/PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch consoles.

So, how did I go this time around? The learning curve was considerably shorter for me because of the great tutorials that the game provides and how the bikes handle. When you go through the tutorials, it will also determine which level of difficulty you should start competing at and what sort of assistance you might need first. Then, of course, there are suggestions that you can choose to accept or not. The significant difference was how the bikes were handled between the two games I played. And for me, it came down to the brakes and the fuel distribution. Yes, you will have to learn the tracks and know when to let off the throttle, apply the brakes, and be on the correct trajectory to lean the bikes and take corners. I believe that the developers struck the right balance in this game, which I don't recall being that good in the 20 version. However, it will take some time to get used to it, and remember that you will have to learn how to handle the three types of bike classes. The MotoGP class will be faster and substantially more nervous than the Moto 2 and Moto 3 classes.

There are different modes of play in MotoGP™22. The Career mode will give you the ability to choose which class you'd like to start your career in and select how many races will be on the calendar per year (long, intermediate or short). In Quick mode, you have a few choices; you can select any GP on the 2022 calendar and play all practices, qualifying sessions, and the race, or launch a new championship, or play the time trial. There is also a multiplayer mode which I haven't tried yet. But the one mode that I have a lot of fun with is the Doco series of the 2009 World Championship. With fabulous footage and an excellent narrative, you will relive all the excitement and battles between Valentino Rossi, Jorge Lorenzo, Casey Stoner, and Dani Pedrosa. Valentino Rossi is 9^th and it was his last world championship.  There are 17 sessions, each of which has two to three episodes. In each episode, you will take control of one rider and have challenges to complete to unlock the next session. This mode is entertaining and so much fun!

In terms of customisation, it is pretty good too. You can change the entire rider's gear and the team's liveries, which is fun.

The different camera views will also be a factor in the difficulty of this game. The helmet will give you a greater feeling of speed, while the third person will provide you with a better distance view. There are another couple of camera settings, but I only played with the two mentioned above. 

The graphics are better than the MotoGP™20, and I like the sound of the different engines as well. This type of game will always be challenging to master, and even if you are good at it, you will make mistakes; it’s as simple as that. For me,  MotoGP™22 is a greatly improved game compared to the previous version that I had the pleasure of reviewing.  It feels more realistic, and you can increase the difficulty a lot quicker than the previous one. One thing I didn't like, however, is the leaning from one side to the other side in the chicanes, as it was a bit too slow for my liking.

I reckon that if you have never played any games in this series and you’re contemplating which MotoGP™ to purchase, I would strongly suggest buying MotoGP™22.  It will be challenging, but you'll have more fun.

Review written by THE CPT FROGGY for Zeepond.com

MotoGP™22 Steam Store Page