Reviewer: Sameer Desai, Editor, GamingIndians.com

MotorStorm, while a commendable first effort on a new platform, was far from the killer app Sony hoped it would be. The lack of an offline multiplayer option, repetitive track environments, unstable frame rates and small niggles like long load times ensured that it fell short of being the PS3's first must-buy racing game. But being one of the better games in a shockingly scarce PS3 launch line-up ensured that the game sold well, paving the way for an inevitable sequel.

A lot has changed since the first game. The game's developer, Evolution, was acquired by Sony, bringing hope that technical know-how from other first-party studios would help them overcome the flaws from the first game. And as with any sequel, the aim was to better the first game in every aspect.

With that in mind, MotorStorm Pacific Rift now moves away from the deserts and canyons to a tropical island filled with beautiful yet treacherous terrain ideally suited to MotorStorm's aggressive, in-your-face approach to off-road racing. A major complaint from the first game was the monotonous nature of the tracks, and Evolution seem to have taken that criticism to heart when creating Pacific Rift.

Photographs: Sony

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