With every new console generation fans of the racing genre look forward to see what is in store for their addiction with speed. For the Xbox 360 Forza and Project Gotham were breakout successes but the PlayStation 3 has been kind of quiet up until now. Motorstorm has finally arrived and it is one of the best white-knuckled, adrenaline pumping racing games that you'll find on the market today.

The premise behind the game is quite simple really. Basically instead of offering you pristine tracks or a sprawling cityscape to zoom through Motorstorm makes you get down and dirty in the mud. Out in Monument Valley Arizona a big dusty and muddy party is about to take place. This is Motorstorm, an event where lovers of extreme racing come together to show their peers what they've got. Ok, so it's kind of a silly concept but I'll be damned if the game isn't a ton of fun.

That fun factor is really the biggest draw for Motorstorm. Not since Burnout has a game provided this much action and intensity on every track and at every bend in the "road". Whether you're playing the single player mode or taking the game online with multiplayer you're bound to have a good time. This has a lot to do with the diverse selection of vehicles and some very original and insanely designed tracks.

While playing through the single player game you're forced to pick a new ride with every race. It's important to keep in mind that depending which vehicle you are using your driving style will change drastically. Take the bike for instance.

If you find yourself on a crotch rocket you'll want to stick to the high road away from the mud and away from the competition (if possible). Bikes tend to have this nasty habit of exploding when getting knocked into a wall or sliding into one and they don't have much traction in the mud. Sure they're fast and nimble but you have to be VERY careful if you want to have any chance of surviving until the finish line. On the flip side you could hop into the big rig truck and just plow through the mud and run everyone else off the road. This particular ride is like a tank but tends to be a little slower and can't access the speedways that smaller vehicles can. There are seven sets of wheels in total and each has their own strengths and weaknesses. Just trying to figure out which one works for you is a blast though it's kind of annoying that you're forced into particular vehicles most of the time.

As far as the track selection is concerned there are eight tracks to pick from. Each offers their own spots where you'll yelling "Oh $&%#! Oh $&%#!" kind of like the cliff side speed track for Rain God Mesa or the sloppiness of The Mudpool. For argument's sake there isn't a lot of variety among all eight tracks, or rather I should say that there's not enough. After a couple of hours with the game you'll essentially feel like you've seen everything that Motorstorm has to offer. Perhaps future content will become available down the road to broaden the experience?

Ok, so the vehicle variety is nice and the tracks are intense, though somewhat limited in diversity, what's next? How about the actual racing itself? Each section of the game offers multiple pathways for you to take. Most of these require a certain amount of risk put out in order to obtain the reward. A narrow pathway with no room for error becomes tempting once you realize that it may give you the lead. It's these moments where split decisions are necessary that Motorstorm excels. I can't tell you how many times I tried and failed only to try again on the next lap and succeed with a profound feeling of accomplishment. It's deep and a lot of fun to be sure, especially when you add in some Boost for extra speed and the risk of blowing up should you use too much.

Once you take Motorstorm away from the single player roots and bring it online the game becomes even more exciting. Trash-talking your way through matches as you force your opponent off of a cliff or even just overtaking the lead at the last minute provide an exhilarating experience. The online component here is very smooth and finely tuned. Quite easily Motorstorm is one of the best online racing games that I have ever played.

It's undeniable that Motorstorm is a game that will sell many PlayStation 3 systems and for good reason. The gameplay is a ton of fun, the vehicles are unique, multiplayer is amazing, and the tracks provide some incredible moments. It may sound strange to say but there is a part of the game that feels like a letdown in the end. I suppose it has to do with the limited amount of tracks and fact that you'll experience just about everything the game has to offer in less than two hours. Despite that, it would be a crime if racing fans miss out on playing Motorstorm.

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When Motorstorm was announced there was a trailer to accompany the hoopla that featured mind-boggling graphics and effects. While the game itself doesn't quite match the promise offered by that trailer it is without a doubt one of the best looking racing games you'll find anywhere. It also helps that the game is output at 720p though I can imagine what it would have looked like if Sony used full resolution.

Vehicle models are well designed and take damage as the race progresses. It's also worth noting that as they go through the mud and dust they get dirty and show the wear that accompanies the slop. The most impressive aspect of the vehicles in the game has to do with the physics engine and how they are destroyed. If you ever found yourself wowed by Burnout's car crashes and explosions just wait until you get a gander of a Racing Truck careening off of a cliff and into a rock-face; it's stunning to say the least.

Tracks are also another high point in Motorstorm's presentation value. Each looks realistic in their own right and throughout the presence of the vehicles make an impact. Tracks form in the mud and destroyed segments such as fences lay in rubble through each course. It certainly adds an amount of weight to the game and verifies the presence of your and your opponents on the track.

Nearly as captivating as the visuals found in the game, the sound direction is another big part in the Motorstorm experience. The soundtrack provides rocking and dirty songs that only add to the sense of adrenaline that you'll get while racing. Sure some of the tracks weren't quite my cup of tea but when they work, they work well. Sound effects are equally, if not more important, to a racing game as the soundtrack is. In that regard Motorstorm offers up some fantastic engine effects and crashing noises while you make your way through each course. The Dolby Digital helps to add that extra "something" with a great deal of immersion and a booming presence.

Conclusion:

Motorstorm is one of the first exclusive non-launch games for the PlayStation 3 to make the system worth taking an interest in. The action is intense and packed with adrenaline. It's without a doubt one of the most heart-pumping racing games that I have ever experienced.

Despite what you may think the eight tracks unfortunately don't go a long way to making the game diverse and things can become a tad dry after a while. Luckily the online play makes up for it and the variety in vehicles forces you to change the way you drive constantly. There are few games on the market that are as fun as Motorstorm and for the foreseeable future this is the racing game to check out if you want a down and dirty experience. Highly Recommended