Italian architect Milestone may not have the environment of Polyphony Digital or Codemasters – at least, not yet – but the racing expert has always seen the importance of incorporating many of his games into portable devices. Just being able to play real MXGP -Associated with its & # 39; Compact & # 39; – variant on the PS Vita, years before the switchch was introduced, it was a revelation for off-road fans. Over the years, Milestone has had various success stories in Nintendo's current gen software, and Monster Energy Supercross – Official Videogame it has produced a hole that reflects those years of refinement while not doing enough to lift the series beyond the usual pitfalls of the iterative motorsport series.
The first cousin-based intervention of the MXGP platform has completed a lot of experience, notable modes were completely released as part of the process. When the sequel came to Nintendo Switch earlier last year, it brought a very welcome take on those who wanted to take their two-wheeled race on the journey, including the return of many online players and the popular track editor. Admittedly, it was not perfect, but it was at least a step in the right direction for a studio that clearly wanted to create as much synergy as possible between Change and other platforms. With the entry of the third & # 39; s series, that interaction is much closer than before, including changes to the sandbox map, new physics models and more.
For those yet to get started on muddy motorsport modes, Monster Energy Supercross – The official Videogame 3 is a bike ride based on this year's AMA Supercross Championship. Headquartered in the US, the sport is more like motocross, with dozens of motorcycle rivals lining the road around dirt tracks full of boats, jumps and tight corners. Similar to previous entries, success is about being able to use the inertia of your bike (controlled by the left analogue stick) and balance with your rider's position (controlled by the right stick). When you feed a space in a wide corner, or adjust your angle in mid-air to compensate for the next opportunity, you realize that there is so much more going on here than just training other passengers and taking out the fastest lap times.
With a steady 30fps shift on the Switch, even the shortest track or rider's design fails to affect the feeling of accomplishment that effectively takes your fingers off the gas, leans into the corner, shifts your driver's weight to compensate and hits the gas to gain a few inches of progress. Even removing a screw (when twisting your bike in mid-air at high speed to lower your height) is incredibly satisfying. The physics of the game has changed in this third entry, but only veterans who play with practical settings will really appreciate these adjustments (such as how fast your speed is affected when you get to the ramp or the main cone, or how easy it is to fly your bike when you take the clip.
Years of advancement in this genre have given Milestone plenty of opportunity to analyze its work, but that means we are now in a situation where each entry has a few major and minor changes. The inclusion of female riders is a welcome thing – albeit a bit ridiculously long at this stage – and the newly refurbished & # 39; Compound & # 39; You can play in this sandbox area with up to three other players, and compete in a handful of mini-games and racing games (Treasure Hunt being one of our favorites), but the great environment makes the asset depreciation real. out.
Dedicated multiplayer online servers – which, according to Milestone, prevented online players from being kicked off the lobby when the keeper leaves or are disconnected – is another major development announced by the game's marketing campaign, but by writing online completely empty logos so we were not in a position to check their integrity; which is a shame considering the game has been gone for two weeks and has become like a ghost town. You can still play locally with friends, but it makes you wonder if the servers shared by players on multiple platforms can help avoid this kind of online void.
The Monster Energy Supercross series – in fact, the rest of Milestone's series – continues to prove Double-A studio can produce solid racing physics and a highly customized experience, but even the popularity of EA's internal game studios has been complicated by franchise fatigue over the years. Supercross and MXGP games don't have the size of viewers, say, Codies & # 39; F1 series, but the next little dedicated game is still worth something & # 39; good & # 39; t helps you appear in the previous game. Whether it's using Compound as an Arcade-driven hub, or including narrative-driven story mode, you're just looking for something else.
Conclusion
If you've played the previous entries and series and appreciated the re-enacted rosters, the introduction of female riders and improved physics (for those who play in realistic settings) then Monster Energy Supercross – Official Videogame 3 will be attractive, but with a completely offline community, this port is a stronger seller than those on PCs and other console platforms. However, without its drawbacks, this is a solid two-wheeled race that maintains all the standard and extra modes and runs as a control in hand-held mode. Just don't expect it to feel much different from previous installations.
