Graphically MotoGP '06 looks very nice, and this is shown from the outset. The menus and UI are all rendered wonderfully, and on the track there is a large range of lighting, modelling, and shading effects that all work together to make the game look very crisp and life-like, especially on a HDTV.
The track and surrounding landscapes are all rendered realistically (albeit for the odd piece of low res background), and it's always nice to see the rubber you lay down on the track after power sliding around a corner stay there.
While Climax have delivered us a very smooth 60 fps throughout most of the game, there are times, most noticeably when you are cornering with several other riders, that it will slow down. While the slow down is noticeable, it should not impact on your actual gameplay however.
Bike and rider detail is also adequate, with enough care and attention to detail being given so that it truly does look realistic. From the replays, to sitting your rider straight up as you enter a turn, to the crash scenes - everything looks as it should. Comparing a bike to a car, there is a lot more detail and time that developers are able to put into a car, but I certainly can't fault Climax for the effort they put into this one.
In racing titles the name of the game when listening to audio is making the bikes (or cars) sounds as real to life as possible. It is obvious that Climax put a lot of time into getting the audio right for MotoGP '06. The sounds are definitely not from some sort of digital synthesizer, and instead if you are on a Yamaha, you know that what you are hearing is how a Yamaha would sound in real life, right through the rev range. Same with a Honda or whatever bike make you happen to be on.
In respect of music and other in game noises don't expect anything special, but then again, we aren't here to listen to music, we're here to race.
Multiplayer racing is pretty much as you would expect in MotoGP ‘06. You have the standard split screen and system link, not to mention Xbox Live. I am sure you don't need to be told how split screen and system link work so I'll cut straight to Xbox Live.
Like a lot of other sports titles there is ranked match and player match. Ranked match will group you with other gamers of a similar skill level, while player match will group you with anyone. Which other racers you are grouped depends on your seed, which is a number between 1 and 100. You increase your seed by doing well in single player and career mode, and also by beating other ranked/seeded players on Xbox Live. Conversely you can go down in seed if you lose to other players on Xbox Live or in offline mode.
Up to 16 players are supported in racing over Xbox Live, and let me tell you that when collisions are enabled under the options menu (there is a tonne of multiplayer options by the way), it can definitely make for some hair raising racing and the odd expletive over Xbox Live. Mind you, I don't think you'd be happy if there was a rider and his bike sprawled right over your race line just as you hit 170 mph through a long corner.
Final Word
If you want a top quality motorcycle racing title then MotoGP '06 is what you need to be looking at - no question. In terms of a wider appeal then you need to understand that there is quite a steep learning curve to this game, much more so than your typical car racing title. That said, if you are prepared to put the time into it, then MotoGP really shines. Considering the "monopoly" that Climax and THQ have with the MotoGP series on the Xbox 360, they could have created a decent motorcycle racer that was nothing special. However, master the handling on these motorbikes, and you'll see they created a whole lot more!
