Multiplayer, Realism, And Career Modes
Multiplayer: Online multiplayer is the new hotness these days, but it isn't the be-all-end-all in my book. One of the things I like about console games is the socialization they can promote. It used to be that you always gathered at someone's house to play Sega Genesis before heading out for the night, and it'd be a shame to see that disappear. This is why "MotorStorm" is an enormous failure as a multiplayer game; no offline multiplayer. How is there not a split-screen option in this game? Racing online in "MotorStorm" is certainly not without its thrills, in fact it's what will keep people playing after they tire of the single player, but the omission of the offline multiplayer is unforgivable. "Excite Truck" opts to include split-screen multiplayer and lose the online, which is the way to go if you can't do both. I'd much rather lose the ability to race against anonymous internet trolls screaming obscenities than the ability to sit and play a game with my wife. It's a shame "Excite Truck" doesn't support four player split screen, but two player is better than none.
WINNER: Excite Truck
Realism/Physics: It probably isn't fair to judge a game like "Excite Truck" on realism and physics, so we'll consider this category within the context of each game. "Excite Truck" is not concerned with realism really in any way. Between the several thousand foot jumps and the terrain deforming before your eyes, it's clear that they are going for over-the-top action and fun. "MotorStorm" takes liberties with physics as well, but to a lesser extent. What I like about it is the way the cars feel as they change terrain. The cars react like you'd expect as they move from a hard surface into the mud, whereas the trucks in "Excite Truck" just bounce off obstacles like pinballs. After a race, I like to see the damage on the car, and "MotorStorm" delivers in this area where "Excite Truck" does not. Much of that has to do with the power of the platform and the game engine, but it's something I feel is important.
WINNER: MotorStorm
Excite Truck" graphics showcase...very little.
Career: The single player career modes for both games are pretty weak. I don't even feel comfortable calling them "career mode". There is no car collecting, no upgrading, and no customization apart from different paint schemes. These games are truly old-school arcade racing games; you race, you win, you repeat. You can unlock other cars that become available to you, but there is no sense of ownership with them. The "Excite Truck" single player edges out "MotorStorm" because of the variety of achievements. It keeps track of the number of things like super drifts and super truck smashes, which keeps the races fun as you try to unlock the next levels. In "MotorStorm" you just progress through a linear ticket system, and the races can get really frustrating later on. "Excite Truck" wins this category, but only because it is the least upsetting.
WINNER: Excite Truck
Fun Factor: It's extremely difficult to pick one of these over the other. Both games offer a unique experience in the racing genre, and both games do what they do very well. "Excite Truck" has a cartoon silliness and sense of speed that's awesome, but it's tough to beat "MotorStorm" when you're blasting across an open area with motorcycles and semis criss-crossing and blowing up in front of you. It's really an amazing thing to see. Unfortunately, there are a couple of things about "MotorStorm" that just kill me. For a game with this level of visual quality, it is absolutely criminal that it does not have an extensive replay mode. In fact, it has no replay mode at all. Not only that, but I know the functionality is there because after you finish a race the game will continue the race and show it from a set of replay-type cameras. It's asinine! "MotorStorm" is chock full of moments where you're thinking, "Oh man that was awesome!", and to not be able to replay them from every angle, pause them, and store them on the hard drive is blasphemous. The "Excite Truck" replay mode is seriously lacking, but at least it's there. Something else that really irritates me about "MotorStorm" is that the A.I. works to always keep the race close. Frequently, you will run an absolutely perfect race where you lead the entire time only to finish 7th because you took one last turn too wide. It's infuriating. If I'm doing really well in a race, I want a significant lead. "Excite Truck" has a similar mechanic, but I found that I got screwed by it a lot less. Because both games are a ton of fun, "Excite Truck" takes this category for being less annoying in a couple areas.
WINNER: Excite Truck
"Excite Truck" sacrifices visuals for innovation.
OVERALL WINNER: Excite Truck
In a close finish "Excite Truck" wins with a score of five categories to four. "MotorStorm" won in graphics, vehicle variety, music, and realism, but "Excite Truck" took controls, track variety, multiplayer, career mode, and that intangible fun factor for which all games strive. Let it be said that both of these games are worth a look depending on what you like in your racing games. Before I get accused of being a shill for Nintendo, let me say that I am not one of the Miyamoto fanatics. As a matter of fact, I'm probably harder on the Wii as a whole than anyone else (read my initial impressions from E3.) I think it's a bit over-hyped and that the luster wears off pretty quickly. Despite how I feel about the system, "Excite Truck" as a game delivers the goods.
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