Moto GP 2: Hands On
	Last year, Moto GP was an incredible sleeper hit.  It came out of nowhere, stunned with its amazing graphics, addictive gameplay and incredible depth.
05.05.05 - 5:23 pm

This year, we see the release of the sequel "Moto GP: Ultimate Racing Technology 2" and after having played the game for almost a month now to make sure we get the best possible feel of the game, this is what we think.

The first thing that hits you?  The graphics!  These are some of the most realistic courses and bikes we have ever seen.  The bike and driver models are amazing and incredibly well animated.  Not only this but once again, the weather effects are unbelievable, incredibly realistic.

The game has done what we thought was impossible and clearly looks better than the original.  The biggest difference is that of a new technique called Fresnel lighting, that hasn't been seen an any game before.  It's a process whereby the amount of reflection off an object varies according to the angle of view.  This means that the bikes are no-longer shiny all over, but realistically reflect according to the view and the properties of the material - the sheen of carbon fibre looks totally different to the glinting chrome.

Ever wondered when we would see games that were indistinguishable from real life?  Check out the replays of Moto GP 2 and you'll soon notice that this is it!

Once you finally get over the graphical side of things, its clear that they have spent even more time refining the gameplay.

Along with the 11 tracks from the original title comes six brand new ones to bring the total to 17, and each is just as exciting as the rest.  What's more, the original tracks have been tweaked and changed to accompany the changes made the tracks in real life over the past year.

The structure of the game in single player has also been drastically changed.  Instead of completely separating the unbelievably addictive training modes from the racing season, the two have been integrated so that each race on the calendar has a selection of challenges for you to try.  The good news is that this means a whole lot more training modes and challenges, which were some of the best moments from the first game.

Unlike the original that had an expansion disc for Xbox Live, Moto GP 2 has it fully integrated into the single-player mode as well so you can see your friends list and compare your times with the worlds best racers without having to end the game.

One of the best bits of the online version of Moto GP was showing off your own custom bike creations.  This time, that section has been re-thought and is now leaps ahead of the first letting you create completely unique bikes within minutes with the aid of the excellent bike customisation mode.

With only a month left until we get the full version, things are looking very bright indeed for the team over at Climax in the UK.  The graphics, gameplay and LIVE support are better than ever and if this build is anything to show for what's coming in May then we could be looking at the best racing game this year!