Developer: Milestone
Publisher: Milestone
Platform: PC, PS4, Xbox One, Switch
Tested on: PS4
Monster Energy Supercross 2 – Review
Monster Energy is a very popular drink amongst teenagers and young adults. Its endless range of tastes ensures that everyone has a drink that he or she prefers. Because of its huge influence on the market it isn’t uncommon to spot the M logo anywhere. With this established it was only a matter of time before the brand decided to sponsor a game, but for some reason they decided it would be even better to actually be the ones behind a complete game. Last year we reviewed the first title and it got received quite well, and from there on out they improved the formula to pack an ever bigger punch with Monster Energy Supercross 2.
Story
You start the career mode by fully creating your own rider: you choose the attributes and your first bike. Now you are lucky to already have some good connections in the motocross world and you may sign your first sponsor. In the beginning you will have to work really hard for everything, from training to sponsored events to get the money flowing and promotional events to increase fame. Slowly, your reputation will grow, and bigger sponsors will start to hire you, making your career more profitable but with more demanding contracts. There isn’t that much of a story or flow, you can split your time between training, getting famous or rich quick, or concentrate on one of those for quicker progression.
Graphics
Graphically the game has both its merits and demerits. Everything on the foreground looks quite decent, with bikes and riders in many colors and forms. Characters and vehicles have many customization options and look genuinely nice. The bad part is the attention to detail of other things. Tracks look quite similar without many differences, the crowd belongs in a title that came out in the early 2000s and the pretty sign lady and well there is something special about her features.
Sound
The music in this game is just as amazing as ever. Because of modern games skimping on good music, choosing generic or even complete silence in games, it is heartwarming to have these adrenaline-inducing punk rock tracks blasting out the speakers while flying through the air on your dirt bike. One thing that is really missed is an energetic announcer to go with the music, sometimes you won’t notice that you are racing the final lap and in this racing scene some fun commentators would make the experience even better.
Gameplay
Monster Energy Supercross 2 is a racing game that feels like a simulator. Because of its powerful engine, you will notice each small difference in the track and you must utilize all your rider’s skills to come out on top. Unlike other bike games, you have full control of rider and bike in Monster Energy Supercross 2 and players must master this combination to land that podium finish. Tracks consist of many hills that must be conquered and only with the right weight distribution, you will fly over these obstacles. Now if it rains, these rules change drastically; when sand gets wet, it turns into mud and this absolutely destroys your grip. This makes the game play very different and you will see the opponents struggle getting on a slippery hill. The first thing the game teaches you is how to control your machine in depth, driving like in classic games won’t always cut it, since you need to shift your weight around with the right stick. This might not be that practical at first, but when you learn to move your weight in combination with frontal braking then taking corners will be much faster than utilizing rear brakes to speed down.
Another fun aspect about Supercross is the wide range of personalization options that are available. Because you are only as famous as you make your character, it is essential to stand out from the crowd. The fans will be cheering for that guy rocking the full pink outfit with a patch on his rear with a funny quote. Customization ranges from full bike building with many parts from well-known manufacturers to hundreds of outfits and helmets to create the rider you want. Of course, you must work hard to pay for all these goodies, and there are a few ways to make money. In the beginning you will barely scrape by, since initial sponsors won’t pay much for an unknown face. You will earn some cash by winning races and completing challenges and if you put your sponsor in a good daylight, they will happily fork over some cash for a fresh pair of boots. Sponsors will pay even more for a well-known face, so it’s interesting to pick a social event with the press and fans to increase popularity, in this you see your rider interacting with those that cheer for you and the player can use this cutscene for a coffee break.
These happenings must be carefully planned as a rider needs his or her rest. After each weekend you have alternating rest and event days, on which you can either train to increase skill, earn a little extra money with sponsor events, visit social happenings or challenge a rival. You will make your way through the career mode and work yourself up to higher classes, but it’s a slow process. However, due to the sheer fun of the mechanics, this game will have you playing for quite some time.
Conclusion
Monster Energy Supercross 2 is a highly realistic game that combines the creation of a famous rider with intense simulation racing and beautiful foregrounds. With banging music playing through the speakers, you can feel the adrenaline rush as you fly over hills and take sharp turns. The only real downside is the less detailed backgrounds with some arenas being quite bland. However, that must not stop you from getting this title.
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