Surprisingly few racing games are big on offline multiplayer these days, except for ones that end in the word 'Kart'. So imagine our surprise when Evolution Studios announced that MotorStorm Apocalypse would not only allow online play, but four-player split-screen too. So the UK GamesRadar team huddled around the TV to put this split-screen action to the test - and you can watch the results here.
Offline play
Connecting up controllers is simple enough, although everybody has to be signed is as a separate user in the XMB. This is presumably to keep track of everyone's stats and award trophies, but it also means everyone can go online with their PSN accounts in split-screen too. Yep, the game boasts split-screen online play so you can "mix and match" your competitors between those sat next to you and those halfway around the world.
The game runs surprisingly well from a technical point of view. Not only are all the environmental hazards and pedestrians present that are found in the single-player game, the split-screen is borderless in 4-player (though it does have borders in 2-player mode, bizarrely.) The frame-rate takes a hit in busy scenes, but for the most part, it's impressively detailed and smooth, with only slight draw-in.
Online play
The game gives you a choice of two tracks before you play, and the players in the lobby vote for the one they want to race on. It keeps things moving along and each stage of the pre-match process is on a short timer so indecisive players can't hold up the game.
The perks are saved in selectable trios, called 'Loadouts'. You can tinker with these before you go online, to make sure you have your favourite combinations ready to go. Perks range from simply giving you more grip to letting you super-cool your boost mid-air while still accelerating. New perks can be gained as you move up through the ranks. And to that, you'll need to earn chips.
Chips are your online currency, and are earned by fulfilling set criteria. Obviously, beating as many opponents as possible is the simplest, but you also earn chips for wrecking other cars and betting againt other players. In fact, the betting system works particularly well - you can nominate one rival in each race. Beat them and you get a bounty in chips. You can then either bank them, or bet them again in the next race.
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Check out the video here
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