I imagine when Italian developer Milestone struck a deal with Monster Energy Supercross over some pasta and energy drinks, they were probably like, “do you want us to make you a new game every single year?” I mean it’s a sport, right? FIFA can pull it off, what’s wrong with dirtbikes? Some may argue that this extreme sport does not have as large a fan base as, say, soccer, basketball, or football, but in the realm of video games, it’s pretty good. Annual releases are often frowned upon unless they are SPORTS! It’s one of the industry’s long-standing traditions that DLCs, games as services, digital distribution, and nothing else have yet managed to shake up.
So, the new Monster Energy Supercross – The Official Video Game is here! Sixth one already, oh my. So is it any good? What’s new this year? Let’s take a large sip from that Monster Energy can and read on, YEAH!
Monster Energy Supercross – The Official Videogame 6 Review
Studio Milestone are, without a doubt, the experts for bike games in the gaming industry today, not so much because they are particularly very good, but because few other developers bother with simulations of all conceivable disciplines and forms of motorbike racing. Okay, there might be another small studio here and there (strangely, also from Italy), but Milestone releases at least three to four bike games per year! Be it the photorealistic RIDE (we all saw that clip!), licensed MotoGP, or MXGP with dirt bikes, most of these games bring small improvements each year, and in general, the Italian developers always manage to outdo themselves somehow. Yet of all their moto franchises, Monster Energy Supercross seems like the series where they play it the safest. So let that set the tone for your expectations for this year’s release.
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Although the game arrived now, in March 2023, the traditional coverage of the previous season continues, so through the sixth game we will follow the events of the 2022 season; all the drivers, teams, and tracks from this licensed championship from the last year are here. What the sixth edition introduces for the first time in the series is a slightly easier entry for newcomers, because believe it or not, this is not an arcade game. Landing those dirt bikes from crazy jumps ain’t easy! At the beginning of the game, you will have three presets for the simulation level, and there are also many new riding aids and a bunch of tutorials (narrated by “King” Jeremy McGrath) that will actually help you better master the mechanics of this extreme sport.
“This is not an arcade game. Landing those dirt bikes from crazy jumps ain’t easy!”
The career mode is, as always, very rich and complex – you can start as a complete newbie in the entry-level Futures league, looking for the first sponsors and leveling your skills on RPG-like skill trees. Later, you’ll move on to the stronger Supercross 250 machines in the East and West divisions with the goal of breaking into the Pro League and the mighty 450 Championship.
However, if you played the career in last year’s edition, it is not as if you will have an incredibly different experience this time around, which can be said for more or less everything else in the game. The only real major novelty here is the Supercross Park, a kind of open-world free-roaming zone that you can explore alone or with friends. There are all kinds of activities thrown in here in the style of open-world racers, but you can also just goof around and drive freely, which is very cool as a break from serious non-stop competitive sports.
“At one point, my bike started sounding like the intro riff from Detroit Rock City“
There is multiplayer, of course, which comes with something called 1v1 Rhythm Attack this year. And no, it’s not some kind of a music minigame, just a straight racetrack with a lot of jumps where you need to keep the rhythm of jumps and landings better than your opponent. I say it is not a musical mode, but I swear at one point, my bike started sounding like the intro riff from Detroit Rock City!
Overall, this is a nice package for fans of this sport, but I think it’s due time for some bigger changes next year. Maybe a new engine? Unreal 4 has already been used to the max here for years, it’s time for a real upgrade. As for this year’s release, the good thing about using the old tried-and-true engine is that the game just flies and runs smoothly in high resolutions on both new consoles and mediocre PCs.
Pros:
- Actually useful tutorials and help for new players
- Supercross Park is a lot of fun
- Performance is top-notch
- I LIKE TO DRINK MONSTER AND DIRTBIKES ARE HELLA COOL!
Cons:
- Not much has changed from the last year
Score: 7.5
A copy of this game was provided by the publisher for review. Reviewed on PS5.
