Initial release date: May 2, 2024
Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, GeForce Now, Microsoft Windows, Xbox Series X and Series S
Developer:Â Milestone
Engine:Â Unreal Engine 4
Publisher:Â Milestone
Genres: Racing game, Sports video game, Simulation Game, Racing, Sports
Series:Â MotoGP
If you discuss anything even slightly related to Formula 1, I will spend hours gnawing on your ear. I would describe myself as an F1 addict, although others may refer to me as “needlessly obsessed,” since I spend far too much time watching real-world races, tearing it up practically in F1 24, or even diving into the weeds with F1 Manager 2024.
So far, this hasn’t translated into a strong interest in two-wheeled motorsports. So what better way to try to fix this than to indulge in MotoGP 24, the newest and finest in motorcycle racing games!
And even if you don’t know your Francesco Bagnaia from your Pedro Acosta, it’s still quite simple to discern that MotoGP 24 is a more than competent racing simulation that captures the exhilarating, heart-pounding, and sometimes even deadly nature of the sport in all its splendor.
Pull on your leathers.
With Milestone developing and publishing the 2024 edition of the annual MotoGP series, “accessibility” is definitely the term driving MotoGP 24. Milestone loves to emphasize that anybody and everyone can pick up a controller and hoon it around the courses in their newest experience, regardless of whether you have never even seen what these powerful vehicles can do or are fully integrated into the MotoGP universe as an experienced participant.
It is actually possible to test out the bikes with different levels of assistance prior to immersing yourself in the several ways that MotoGP 24 can be played. Don’t give up if you have to begin on the lowest rung of the assistance ladder. There are several levels of assistance, from Simplified, which essentially involves you holding down the right trigger to accelerate and perform some steering, to Pro, which includes manual gear changes and other features. Like any successful racing simulations, MotoGP 24 gets increasingly addicting as you start to ignore the assistance and grow used to the bikes’ handling characteristics. MotoGP offers much-needed handholding should you need it, and the degree of customization available for assistance is, of course, ample.
To make the most of MotoGP 24, however, a good amount of presumptive knowledge is needed, and not much of it is given because there isn’t a decent tutorial. It’s never truly described, for instance, how to take a particular race line, how important it is to make a solid exit from corners, or how to pass your rivals on the racetrack. You’ll probably spend a lot of time watching YouTube videos to learn how to stay on your bike in this tight spot, where even the smallest detour or contact with another bike can cause you to lose control of it!
Although I can’t say that I’ve ever driven a Yamaha YZR500 around Silverstone, I am aware of when a decent handling system exists. Because each curve requires a variable amount of leaning-in to hit the apex and achieve the best departure out the other side, you’ll be happy to learn that MotoGP 24 has excellent handling. Additionally, you’ll be able to instantly modify some of your basic bike settings, which is ideal for making adjustments during a race.
Take in the world completely.
The Guided setup function in MotoGP 24 is simply one of the nicest features I’ve seen; it lets you to go back to the pits and talk to your mechanics about any issues you’re having while racing. After that, they will make the necessary changes to the bike and notify you of their changes. This is a fantastic quality-of-life modification that can help you customize your bike to your preferences (maybe you want it to be somewhat more oversteer-y rather than understeer-y) without having to figure out which measure has to be changed precisely.
The bikes have fantastic sounds as well; you can hear them spit when you downshift or accelerate as you go through the gears. But because all you’ll be hearing throughout a race is the sound of the motors, I sincerely hope you enjoy that sound. There are no team radio conversations, commentary, or any other type of build-up to a race beyond the bits and pieces. I believe that during the races, everyone but the strongest fans of engine noise will quickly turn on a podcast or some music.
MotoGP 24 is aware that not everyone is conversant with the workings of the actual MotoGP seasons. The intricate Career Mode of the game accomplishes something that I haven’t often seen in a career mode for a racing sim: it divides your season into manageable pieces, with a crucial objective that advances an underlying plot within each chunk. MotoGP 24 performs an excellent job at engrossing the viewer in understanding how points are accumulated in races, how promotion from Moto2 and Moto3 (the junior feeder series of MotoGP) functions, and how a race weekend unfolds.
When you launch your own Career, you can choose from a variety of pre-made rider faces and create your own race suit, helmet, and decals. Of course, there are some prefabricated choices available, and users may also download works created by other members of the online community. The decal editor accomplishes its task flawlessly, enabling you to embellish your creation with several levels. All I had to do to outfit my brazen upstart rider was download an intimidating-looking helmet from the community.
Putting out the power!
You will then be assigned your first set of races, which will take place in the slower Moto3 category. How you perform in the first few races will determine which teams are interested in signing you for the future season. Do you stay in Moto3 and ply your craft while waiting for a big move? Perhaps you’ll move up to Moto2? Or, let’s be honest, we all want the largest move imaginable, which will be to one of MotoGP’s renowned teams. The Riders Transfer Market is one of MotoGP 24’s most significant new innovations, introducing new team-mates, rivalries, and storylines as the season advances. This all takes place on the game’s imaginary social network, where you may communicate with other drivers, make friends, and form new rivalries; we all know the actual talking happens on the track.
The Adaptive Difficulty system is also a new feature in MotoGP 24. This adjusts the difficulty of your AI opponents from race to race based on their previous performance. Overall, Career Mode is the most developed aspect of MotoGP 24, combining the best of Adaptive Difficulty, the Riders Transfer Market, and MotoGP’s social component to create the ultimate immersive experience. One can only hope that others creating career systems for other sports games will sit up and pay attention.
In addition to the regular Grand Prix, Championship, and Time Trial modes, which allow you to control your favorite real-world rider in a series of races or timed laps, there is also the standard multiplayer fare. Racing enthusiasts will be pleased to learn that local 2-player split-screen is still available (which is regrettably not a guarantee nowadays), and there are numerous online multiplayer possibilities. These range from casual races in lobbies to the most intriguing aspects of LiveGP. LiveGP is MotoGP 24’s ranked multiplayer mode, in which players compete in qualifiers and races at predetermined intervals throughout the day against others of similar level. You’ll slowly but steadily climb the rated ladder and reach the top of the leaderboards.
MotoGP 24’s rated calendar now includes four to six events per day at a variety of tracks. With 21 tracks to compete on, spread throughout the globe and visually quite close to their real-world counterparts, there’s a lot to learn if you want to be the best rider out there.
Are you interested in the sport? You’re going to enjoy MotoGP 24.
Coming in, I had high expectations for MotoGP 24, given that it is the officially licensed game of such a big race, and this is far from Milestone’s first rodeo. Well, the Italian developers have certainly delivered, with a number of innovations (namely, the Guided setup system and approach to Career Mode) that many other racing simulations should take note of.
Although a decent tutorial is still required to captivate even the most bike-shy of players, if you are a fan of MotoGP or are intrigued in the sport, MotoGP 24 is the finest method to participate online.
Review Overview
Gameplay – 85%
Graphics – 87%
Content – 82%
Accessibility – 80%
Sound Design – 84%
Value – 83%
Overall Rating – 84%
Very Good
Summary: MotoGP 24 offers a highly immersive racing experience, with realistic controls, impressive visuals, and detailed sound design that brings the thrill of motorcycle racing to life. While it’s packed with content, including various game modes and a deep career mode, the steep learning curve might be challenging for newcomers. Despite a few minor graphical glitches, the game provides solid value for fans of the sport, delivering a well-rounded and engaging simulation.