MotoGP

Though it?s the first N-Gage racer off the line, MotoGP will never see the checkered flag.

MotoGP, the popular motorcycle racing sim, is the N-Gage?s first racing game and THQ?s latest attempt to bolster a less-than-colossal roster of titles for Nokia?s mobile platform. But don?t expect any of the qualities that made MotoGP a console hit.

Right off the bat, MotoGP earns the dubious award for Worst Sound Ever with its abrasive, grating music and effects. It?s tough to find the proper analogy: the soundscape is part buzzsaw, part dentist drill, a jigger of pink noise, and a dash of Front 242-style industrial decay. The Options menu mercifully contains a volume control, which should be immediately set to 0.

But unfortunately, Sound isn?t the only category in which MotoGP is deficient. The graphics lack depth and a sense of speed. Headaches and sore eyes will be your reward if you actually try to perceive MotoGP?s third dimension. Forget depth perception. The only way to corner properly is to use the big red indicator arrows and the speedometer. The poor quality of the graphics naturally makes controlling your bike difficult. Acceleration and deceleration feel arbitrary because of the flat landscapes, which amounts to a death knell for a racing game. In and of themselves, the controls are simple and passably responsive. However, they cannot take root in the moribund visual environment.

Each track has a unique set of corners and straightaways, but they all end up looking the same. The bland graphic design consists mainly of pavement and either lawn or gravel. Not if, but when you careen off the track, try to err to the lawn side. Gravel makes for a more difficult recovery.

MotoGP?s play modes don?t offer much to be surprised about. Grand Prix mode unlocks new tracks and riders, while Time Trial mode lets you upload your best time to a global leader board. Up to four players can compete against each other locally over Bluetooth. A simplistic Track Editor seems to have been added on as a gimmicky afterthought, giving players a miniscule grid in which to construct a dream track. Though it?s the first N-Gage racer off the line, MotoGP will never see the checkered flag.

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