Developer: Teyon
Publisher: Nacon, Bigben Interactive
Platform: PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, Switch
Tested on: PS5
Monster Truck Championship (PS5) – Review
Monster Truck Championship is a game that is no stranger to our site. We have taken a look at the early release on PlayStation 4, PC and even the Switch version that soon followed. Now, publisher NACON has sent us the PlayStation 5 version to see how well it performs on the new hardware. As it would be a bit too much to dive into the entire set-up of the game again, we advise reading our earlier reviews first. For the handheld version on the Switch, click here, for the PC/PS4 review, click here. We were quite eager to see how this one fared on the PlayStation 5, after going through the very disappointing experience of Monster Jam Steel Titans 2.
We can immediately say, right off the bat, MTC is a very pleasant experience on the PlayStation 5. We do not notice any big differences or changes compared to the original version, but it looks good, it plays smoothly and it’s just a great Monster Truck experience. We get to dive more into the simulation and realistic aspects, rather than the arcade approach of many of its predecessors. Of course, events in which you have to earn points with tricks or the destruction of items still feel a bit on the arcade side of the fence, while the overall management experience is quite nice.
During this management aspect of the game, you’re actually in for quite a treat. You can have contracts with sponsors, who will pay you money and/or parts if you complete their tasks. At the same time, you can also hire team members, who give you passive bonuses. It’s sometimes a bit hard to pick who you want working for you, as it will not always be clear what each bonus does for your racing experience. Of course, you can also upgrade your vehicle, to have it ready for events with higher stakes. If you find your cash flow a tad too low to progress, you can replay older events to grind some extra cash.
Even though the PS5 version looks good, it looks more like a late PS4 title with a few spruced-up elements. The overall picture is quite nice, but there are a few texture pop-ins, a few dodgy disintegration animations and the dust clouds caused by other players look very much like 1998’s first Colin McRae Rally game. We feel that the game does not push the console to its limits or even tap into its actual potential for that matter. We did enjoy seeing the damage to our rigs, as well as the dirt sticking to the tires and the rest of the body, making things a bit more realistic.
Conclusion
While not perfect, and completely ‘next-gen’, Monster Truck Championship is a fun blend between a Monster Truck simulation experience with some arcade elements thrown in the mix. The game runs very smoothly on the PS5, with minimal loading times, exciting races, a lot of management to be done for your own personal team and of course, an impressive variety of Monster Trucks. We suggest picking this one up if you’re looking for an interesting entry in this niche pocket of the racing games industry.
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