Monster Energy Supercross 4 Review – A BUMPY RIDE!
The face of motocross video games, it’s safe to say, has really always been the MX vs ATV series. Whereas developer Milestone’s Monster Energy Supercross series has sat in the background, trying to deliver a realistic simulator, that would portray the true to life aspects of motocross. And it would seem as though they may have come closer to this goal with Monster Energy Supercross 4! So the question is, did Monster Energy Supercross: The Official Videogame 4 achieve this?
Is This A Simulator Or Arcade Racer?
Monster Energy Supercross 4 attempts to be a top of the line motocross racing sim, but constantly runs into issues that make it even unplayable at times. There is one problem that becomes immediately obvious upon starting the game. The quick tutorial provided does not explain the game’s mechanics, but rather only gives basic instruction on what the control layout is. In any simulator, it is important to understand the mechanics thoroughly, not just the basic controls. And from this, the many other faults of this game become clear.
Now, I understand that motocross is a very difficult sport, but Monster Energy Supercross 4 makes it damn near impossible!
This motocross game’s attempt at taking the simulator approach is way overdone! There is no way to properly learn how this title works, aside from trial and error, and it honestly becomes quite painful to play. Now, I understand that motocross is a very difficult sport, but Monster Energy Supercross 4 makes it damn near impossible! Making even the slightest of errors whilst out on a track will heavily punish you, sometimes even throwing you straight to last place.
Issues In Supercross 4’s Gameplay
Now, I have no issue with the idea of a game being punishing. Take a look at how well the Dirt and TrackMania series does it! However, when you get punished for a supposedly incorrect landing, or have the bike just randomly flip even when you haven’t made a mistake, it does become quite irritating after a short while. Add to this the fact that it seems impossible to gain a decent lead in a race, because there are always riders in close pursuit. And if you make even a slight mistake, you can say goodbye to that race. It is just shy of impossible to be able to make up any lost ground. Fighting for first place is tiring and frustrating! It honestly does not feel worth the effort for how little the reward is.
One mode that was actually a bit of fun to play was the compound game mode. Here, you can free roam in a massive open outdoor area which has multiple tracks that you can come across. Each track has their own challenges and race, which are all very similar. This mode is the ideal way to learn how to control your bike and learn, by trial and error, basic types of tricks and maneuvers. However, it does get a little stale after a while because there is not much to do in this mode aside from the aforementioned races and just riding around an empty and repetitive space. There are also a few collectibles to be found here, but again, it just isn’t worth the effort.
Supercross 4’s Game Design
Another big issue with this title, is that the presentation is really average. Featuring outdated graphics and very basic character models, this game is not very interesting or enjoyable to look at! It does feel like it was completely copied from Supercross 3 with minimal changes being made! It was good to see that the devs did design a few different arenas and outdoor tracks. However, they are all quite similar and can cause the game to feel repetitive.
Supercross 4’s best feature is it’s incredible soundtrack. It features some hard hitting EDM vibes, mixed with some awesome metal tracks with epic solos (I am particularly a fan of these!). The music here sets a great atmosphere for the races and really helps give the feeling of an adrenaline rush. However, the clunky gameplay will remove that feeling almost immediately.
Decision
Monster Energy Supercross 4 doesn’t provide players any reason to get invested. It realies on cheap tricks to give the illusion of difficulty. Getting punished for playing a game correctly seems illogical, and this is exactly what Supecross 4 does! If you are looking for a punishing motocross simulator, then you may find something here to enjoy… but it’s not likely. If you want a dirt bike game to play, just go with MX vs ATV. You’ll thank me in the long run!
By Samuel Incze
Bad
Monster Energy Supercross The Official Videogame 4 struggles to impress with its inconsistent gameplay and dated visuals. This game gives you no reasons or incentives to try and learn its clunky mechanics, and even if you “master” it, you will still run into constant problems with errors being made at no fault of your own!
This game was reviewed using a download code provided by Milestone. The Beta Network uses affiliate partnerships, however, this does not influence reviews or any other content published. The Beta Network may earn commissions for products purchased via affiliate links that are on the website.
