MotoGP 2006

As with the previous games in the series, it's all about the unique breaking system. Climax has nailed it, making perfect use of the shoulder triggers for the front and back brakes meaning you play like you ride.

Accompany that with the ability to change your biker's position as he rides and you've got something far more complex than your average racing game.

That's not to say that the handling mechanism isn't tricky at first, but over time this turns into the most rewarding control system you'll ever see, requiring genuine skill as you race through the various tracks on offer.

Securing the official licence for the real GP, the game will be launching alongside the start of the competition complete with all the official 2006 information - something of a first as most stat-based games can sometimes be anything up to a year behind.

It's even been hinted at that the game will automatically update stats as you play (via Xbox Live) to create an even more authentic experience.

Featuring every possible online mode you could ask for from quick, arcade races to full fledged tournaments and 20 players online simultaneously, MotoGP also looks set to deliver the top notch online experience it made its name with back when it originally launched with Xbox Live. It even includes a spectator mode similar to that of Gotham TV.

Making a welcome return is extreme mode, for the less hardcore gamers out there - offering a vast selection of custom-made tracks featuring wider roads and a different assortment of bikes to thrash. You can even modify your ride using cash you've earned in competitions to make your speeding death trap even faster.

Custom decals and paint jobs are an option also, although how in-depth these will be isn't yet clear. Something along the lines of Forza seems fitting, so that when you win that race online everyone will know it was you - the tit with the bright orange bike - that ran them into the dust.

As with most 360 titles, Climax assures us there will be plenty of downloadable content on offer in the shape of new bikes and tracks.

Overall, MotoGP is shaping up to be a fine next-gen version of an already great game. There's nothing particularly new or groundbreaking included in the update, but with a development time of a little over seven months, Climax has done a very decent job.

CATEGORIES
Latest in Racing
A decorated purple car speeding head-on down a road in Toyko Xtreme Racer
Tokyo Xtreme Racer is a novel throwback to classic PS2 racing games like Midnight Club, and I can't get enough of it
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Nintendo knows you're waiting for Mario Kart 9, but it still wants you to run a million laps in Mario Kart 8 first
Wheel World
The spirit of Burnout Paradise lives on in this fabulous bicycle racing game from the makers of my favorite indie fighting game – a true Steam Next Fest gem
Sonic Racing CrossWorlds
Sonic Racing CrossWorlds announcement trailer proves Sega is coming for Mario Kart 9's throne with transforming cars and a closed beta this month
Need For Speed Unbound
The Need For Speed series is pumping the brakes as "Criterion are joining their colleagues working on Battlefield" instead of tuning more cars
Forza Horizon 5 the real deal reasonably priced car seasonal championship volvo 850 R racing
Forza Horizon 5 is the latest Xbox game to make the leap to PS5, and it's launching this spring with all of the same content and DLC
Latest in Features
A decorated purple car speeding head-on down a road in Toyko Xtreme Racer
Tokyo Xtreme Racer is a novel throwback to classic PS2 racing games like Midnight Club, and I can't get enough of it
Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba and Ariana Grande as Glinda in Wicked
Wicked: For Good release date, cast, story, and everything else you need to know about Wicked Part 2
Invincible
Invincible season 4 release date speculation, story, cast, and more
Key art for Assassin's Creed Rogue Remastered showing Shay Patrick Cormac in a black and red outfit that's a cross between Assassin and Templar armor, with his ship The Morrigan behind him
Assassin's Creed Shadows can wait – I spent 40 hours mopping up the map in the one game in the series everyone skipped
Avowed screenshot showing a corpse-like figure's face with glowing purple mushroom/spore growths
I thought I was going evil in Avowed, but one quest changed everything I thought I knew about morality in this RPG
Assassin's Creed games in order: All of the current Assassin's Creed protagonists on a misty white background.
How to play the Assassin's Creed games in order (release date and chronological order)