The annual appointment with the Milestone franchise perfect for those who love two wheels is renewed with MotoGP 23l’last effort from the Milanese software house that we tried a few days after its publication.
Developer / Publisher: Milestone / Milestone Prezzo: 49,99 € (PC) Location: complete Multiplayer: Competitive online and local GO: 3 Available on: PC (Steam), Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One X, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Switch Date of issuance: June 8th
In terms of naked and raw news, this year the focus is on Neural Aids, on dynamic climatic conditions, on LiveGP and on some structural props inserted here and there, between one modality and another, to give us the most complete and challenging MotoGP simulation ever.
Ambitious goal, no doubt about it, but if there is a development studio that knows how to hit it, it is MilestoneMotoGP 22 wasn’t bad and there our review she is ready to testify to it. But today is not the day for verdicts, let’s rather worry about understanding what’s new on the track and what sensations it gives.
MOTOGP 23 LOVES EVERYONE
First of all we must take into account that we are talking about a title that our local software house offers us regularly every year since 2013 (so reports the official site, other shores instead indicate since 2007). This helps to observe the product from the correct perspective. Anyone who regularly hangs out at any of the many annual sports games knows all too well that revolutionizing the entire cucuzzaro every twelve months is not possible, at most we can speak of systematic evolution, a more or less slow process of self-perfection which generally takes place one chapter at a time. MotoGP 23 embodies this modus operandi, you just need to be familiar with the series to notice it as soon as the traffic light turns green.
the novelties in the new chapter are there, above all perhaps the desire to offer the virtual MotoGP to the widest and most varied audience possible stands out
However, it is also true that a fleeting test is not enough to establish how much progress has been made compared to the previous chapter, it will take more than a few races to get a precise idea about it. Clearly there are new features, above all perhaps the desire to offer the virtual MotoGP to the widest and most varied audience possible stands out. This is in fact the purpose of Neural Aids, a system which, through AI, analyzes our performance and assists us in managing brakes, acceleration and maneuverability. They can be calibrated according to one’s tastes, and those wishing to perfect their style have various tools at their disposal, including special lessons in the MotoGP Academy and tutorials dedicated to each aspect of the game.
No joking: MotoGP 23 really wants to be usable by everyone.
Each of these aids is here to give everyone, racing game veterans and novices, arcade gamers or simulation fans, the possibility of finding your own comfort zone and from there learning how to tame the mighty faired racing cars which enchant countless Italians, who have always been a fiery people of daring runners. With four riding experiences such as Beginner, Classic, Competitive and Extreme, truly anyone will be able to find the setup that best suits their riding style and rider ability, quickly jumping into the fray in one of MotoGP 23’s single or multiplayer modes without paying too much attention to the technicalities, the grip, the tire compound and all that undergrowth of technical-mechanical tricks in which a real driver must necessarily know how to extricate himself.
WHAT’S NEW
Once in the saddle, pad in hand, the differences in feeling while running, drifting and braking don’t seem too marked compared to the previous chapter. Nothing wrong, mind you: the convincing and satisfying gameplay of a year ago seems even more determined to make us feel all the power of the bikes and the adrenaline-pumping sensations of real riding, from this point of view, the level reached by Milestone is remarkable, so fun seems guaranteed.
Adrenaline runs strong in MotoGP 23.
Instead, it is in the Turning Points of Career mode that something different is felt. In practice, these are crucial junctions that determine the direction of one’s path to glory. Early on, during the prologue, there comes a point where you have to finish ahead of Ryusei Yamanaka in the penultimate GP of the season. Well, this is the first Turning Point: by beating Yamanaka you get the chance to challenge the Moto3 world champion Moreira and, if successful, go from Moto3 directly to MotoGP, but if you can’t pass the first challenge then the game he will deem our skills unsuitable for the premier category and will offer us less difficult obstacles and, at the end of the prologue, the transition to the Moto2 category.
On paper, Turning Points promise to significantly influence everyone’s experience during the mode
On paper, these turning points – which include major decisions such as which bike to ride, attitude towards other riders, upgrades to implement etc. – promise to significantly influence everyone’s lived experience throughout the modality. We’ll see if this will actually be the case, certainly the idea has good potential.
Nice to run in good weather, but never let your guard down.
Another pleasant novelty to report is the addition of dynamic weather, an extra variable which, just like in reality, with its climatic mood swings it can put riders, bikes and various strategies in crisis. This is why in MotoGP 23 we will be able to use the Flag to Flag, a rule which provides, in the event of variable weather conditions, the possibility for the riders to make a quick stop in the pits, jump on the second bike with different settings and tires and continue the race .
PASSING THE WITNESS
As far as the modalities are concerned, it seems to me that MotoGP 23 is safe, net of a couple of new features on which today we cannot go overboard. The single player consists of GP, Championship, Prova Veloce and the aforementioned renewed Career, instead the cross-play multiplayer can count on the classic online/local races with shared screen and on the new LiveGP, competitive races with weekly programming in which, by entering the game at the time when the event is scheduled, we will be able to compete against human opponents with a skill level equal to ours and find out who is the best in the rankings.
if the innovations were to be effective in achieving their specific purpose, MotoGP 23 could do better than its predecessor
Lots of irons in the fire to which must be added four editors linked to the customization of the rider, motorbike and helmet, another way to stand out on the track in addition to the one preferred by the champions, unforgettable performances and great victories. The current impression – also from a technical point of view, for better or for worse – is that MotoGP 23 can retrace the exploits of its predecessor and, if the innovations prove effective in achieving their purpose, do even better.
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