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The latest instalment in the motorcycle racing simulation series MotoGP is finally here and after spending some time with the game, we're happy to confirm to all you motorheads that MotoGP 23 delivers a truly unique and thrilling experience.
Whether you're a longtime fan of the world's fastest motorcycle racing series or just getting into this dangerous motorsport, MotoGP 23 will welcome you with a wheelie, thanks to some excellent new features for both sets of players.
I've spent most of my time with MotoGP 23 playing the Career Mode, which allows you to create your own driver and start as a rookie in the Moto3 class, the slowest and simplest category of the MotoGP Championship series.
This also serves as a tutorial of sorts, preparing you for what comes after - the big and bad racing engineering perfections that are much harder to tame. But when you eventually learn all the tips and tricks, boy oh boy, you're in for the ride of your life as the virtual feeling of riding a 240-horsepower beast through fast corners is truly special. MotoGP 23's Career Mode is truly the game's selling point with an immersive presentation, introducing you to the world of racing like never before seen in a motorcycle game.
Once you're done customising your rider's helmet, racing number and butt patch, you'll fight your way to become the team leader to get new upgrades first, analyse the teams on the grid and how they approach the engine development and manage your relationships with rival AI drivers.
Depending on your actions on the track, the AI drivers might start to antagonise you in public, which is something that I've experienced quite often during my playthrough as my racing style is quite aggressive and dirty. I know, it's unacceptable, but the AI does it too, especially if they have a beef with you.
They'll divebomb in front of you, cutting off your ideal racing line and sometimes even making contact in the process. I'd even say that the AI is perhaps just a tiny bit too aggressive and reckless but this is certainly not something that will absolutely ruin your racing experience.
Obviously, MotoGP 23 is a game that's very hard to master and can pose quite a challenge if you slide up the difficulty level to Realistic or Extreme but the introduction of a neural aid system can completely change the experience by allowing you to turn on three types of assists to help you out with breaking, accelerating and bike handling.
I really have to say that this helped me immensely on the track but even more importantly, I felt I was a better driver when I eventually turned off some of those assists. This is also fantastic for newcomers who would have a hard time with MotoGP 23, which can be a harsh game if you're not familiar with the basics of breaking and accelerating.
Of course, Career is not the only mode in MotoGP 23 which also offers classic Grand Prix, allowing you to choose the rider, track and conditions for a one-and-done race. There's also a full Championship mode as well as multiplayer, bringing the local split-screen for offline multiplayer but also a ranked mode for online as well as full-fledged cross-play between PlayStation and Xbox consoles.
If you feel like you're riding skills could use a lesson or two, you can also try and learn the basics in the MotoGP Academy, which is a returning mode where you can have dedicated training sessions with very detailed and useful explanations on how to improve your bike riding skills. And you also get to earn some medals in the process!
Being an official MotoGP product, MotoGP 23 obviously features all the official riders and teams from MotoGP, Moto2, Moto3 and even MotoE categories. Additionally, you'll get to race on the full race calendar, which includes some iconic tracks like Mugello, Assen, Philip Island, Sachsenring and others.
And while the recreation of these tracks can be breathtaking at times, like the epic view when you're going downhill on Mugello's Casanova, I felt that MotoGP 23 had a lot more to offer in terms of visual presentation.
Assets and models around the track and in the pit are of questionable quality, lacking shadows and high-res textures while the rider models have some of the worst faces you'll see in a PS5 game. I was particularly disappointed with the lack of atmosphere within the stands but on the other hand, I understand the decision to not have smoke bombs in the official MotoGP game.
In certain instances, like during wet races, the game can really look nice but overall, I was never really impressed with what MotoGP 23 has to offer graphics-wise since such image quality was certainly possible on last-gen consoles.
Music and sound effects could also be better. I would describe both as "stock", lacking true punch and this is especially true for engine sounds, which sound decent but not quite like the real thing. I also feel that the game could have done more with 3D audio as the feature is available in both PS5 and Xbox Series X|S consoles.
Still, it's quite special hearing the engines roar and pop when you accellerate and hit the breaks, respectively. Doubt any motorcycle head will get tired of that, regardless of the sound quality.
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, I think MotoGP 23 is an excellent MotoGP game, bringing the thrill of riding big powerful bikes with realistic driving mechanics and an impressive roster of riders, teams and tracks from all MotoGP categories.
Wether you a hardcore fan or just getting into the sport, there is something here for you. Thus, MotoGP 23 is an easy recommendation that will offer hours fun.
The Good
Perfectly captures the thrill of motorcycles racing- Immersive Career Mode with interesting AI relationship system
- Full MotoGP licence with every track, driver and team included
- Most accessible MotoGP game yet
The Bad
Looks and sounds outdated- Awful character models
