Learning when to execute scrubs and whips is crucial, as they’re only effective during larger jumps – it’s easy to misjudge a jump and fall flat on your face. Mastering the advanced scrub and whip techniques is also encouraged: swiping the two analogue sticks in opposite directions will cause your rider to kick the bike’s back end out mid-jump, which not only looks impressive but also preserves some speed by reducing your air time which is highly rewarding. When it all comes together, there’s a lot of fun to be had in MXGP 2 as you perform huge jumps, jostle for position in some close races with some very competitive AI opponents (admittedly I had to switch the difficulty to easy to give me a better chance of securing a podium position – they’re perhaps too overpowered on higher difficulties) and narrowly avoid running over rivals when they take a tumble. This is perhaps best showcased in the Glen Helen USA circuit with its stunning views, steep hillclimbs and uneven terrain. Some of the more demanding circuits really test your ability to balance the bike. You can also now use the clutch to get a holeshot, which is the fastest way to start off the line.

You get far finer control of the bike, as leaning into corners, shifting the rider’s weight back and forth as you approach a jump and tapping the rear brakes to get around tight corners gives you speed advantages. That’s not to say MXGP 2 isn’t approachable on the easier settings after a bit of practice, but riding with the Pro mode is easily the most satisfying way to play MXGP 2. It’s worth spending some time on the Test Track to hone your skills. Juggling the different mechanics is a tad overwhelming at first if you haven’t played many Motocross racing games (the handful of brief videos that teach you the basics don’t do a very good job of explaining the riding techniques – interactive tutorials would have been more effective). Milestone are on fine form here, as MXGP 2’s physics do a great job of simulating the physicality of motocross, even if the rider animation is unrealistically stiff. Activate the Pro difficulty mode, and you’ll also have to contend with balancing your weight distribution by utilising the right stick to lean the rider, as well managing the front and rear brakes independently. Scrub upĪs such, there’s much more to MXGP 2’s responsive controls than simply accelerating, braking and turning left or right. Indeed, this a very unforgiving motocross simulation with a steep learning curve: Motocross Madness, this is not. MXGP 2 continues Milestone’s penchant for authenticity seen in its predecessor, with no compromises in the handling department. Milestone’s games have come a long way since then, even if their ambitions still don’t meet their budgets. It was fun, but hardly a realistic depiction of motocross racing. MXGP was a vast improvement on their first attempt at an officially licensed dirt bike racer, too: the long-forgotten MUD (you can imagine the in-jokes that must have gone around the office since MUD was essentially the bike-equivalent to DiRT) is probably best remembered for its blatant Monster Energy drink product placement, which had you jumping through Monster Energy icons to get speed boosts.

An alternative to their annual MotoGP series, the gritty dirt bike racing of MXGP offered a refreshing change of pace: finding speed on spine-shaking mud banks requires an altogether different approach to the smooth, fast flowing tarmac circuits of MotoGP. The championship was contested over eighteen rounds in Europe, Asia and South America.Milestone’s mission to cover just about every facet of motorcycle motorsport reached a new height with the release of their officially licensed MXGP game. The reigning MX2 world champion, Maxime Renaux did not defend his title as he moved into the MXGP category after he picked up his maiden world title in the previous year. In the MXGP class, Jeffrey Herlings started the season as the reigning champion after picking up his fifth world title in 2021. The 2022 FIM Motocross World Championship was the 66th FIM Motocross World Championship season. 2023 Maxime Renaux in 2022 Hardi Roosiorg in 2022

Mxgp 2 2016