With any annual franchise, the biggest question I find myself asking upon review is: is it worth forking out for? The biggest problem with these entries (I’m looking at you, FIFA) is often there just isn’t enough to really motivate the purchase, other than the potential peer pressure of, "We’ve all bought it, what about you?"



MotoGP 22 is unfortunately one of those games; a safe step forward, but with nothing really screaming "Must Buy". For those who have worn down their tyres season after season, this is something you won’t be surprised by, Milestone have a tendency to play it safe and there aren’t exactly any major leaps forward technically or visually compared to its predecessor. Still, it has its merits and it remains one of the most comprehensive and deep dives into the biking world on offer across the board.

Milestone have a tendency to play it safe and there aren’t exactly any major leaps forward technically or visually compared to its predecessor.

There is a generous helping of single-player content on offer in MotoGP 22. Aside from the stock standard 2022 championship season which is amply buffered by both Moto3 and Moto2, the most notable addition is the inclusion of the 2009 Moto GP season and its riders.



‘Nine: Season 2009’ is by far and away the most compelling addition to the series and offers enthusiasts a chance to turn back the clocks and race with a group of riders who would become known as ‘the aliens’ - a fitting name given that Valentino Rossi, Jorge Lorenzo, Dani Pedrosa and Casi Stoner would continuously lead the top four in almost every practice, qualifying and race session throughout the season, leaving the rest of the field fumbling in their wake.

The historic mode is presented through a series of challenges and races all peppered with a healthy amount of archive footage which really brings the action to the forefront. This is probably one of the best implementations of ‘historical gaming’ I have seen. While WRC tried something similar this year, it was nowhere near as engrossing. It makes me wonder how much more clout other franchises like F1 or WRC could have among older fans if they replicated this in their annual titles going forward. It’s a strong addition to the series, but unfortunately that’s where things start levelling out.



The usual helping of team management remains present with some tweaks and this offers a deep dive for the technical types who like to micro-manage every aspect of their team. From the get-go you can select a factory team or create your own, complete with livery customization and then go about your merry way as you hire and fire engineers throughout the season to produce a race-winning team, but if you have played previous iterations, there isn’t too much new content on offer here. The experience is, however, bolstered by a healthy offering of tracks and riders. Over 120 riders, including 70 historical faces are present and there are now over 20 tracks to master too.

Bikes are absolute beauties and come across as photo-realistic.

Visually, MotoGP 22 seems to be a VERY marginal step forward. Bikes are absolute beauties and come across as photo-realistic. Trackside, things have improved slightly too. A little more detail in the surroundings is welcomed, with grass density at an all-time high (not that it matters considering the speeds you’ll be doing) and some noticeable improvements to character models. But this again, is very marginal. I may stand to be corrected, but it appears a new filter has been used. A lot of the daytime races feel whited-out at times. To my eye, MotoGP 21 still looks more realistic.



I have often referred to the MotoGP games as some of the hardest racers in their genre. They are hardcore games and really don’t do much in the way of enticing new blood into the fold, and the reasoning is simple; they aren’t cars. That may sound like a daft explanation, but the reality is understanding a bikes handling comes down to almost real-world experience. The devastatingly explosive power of a bike and its power to weight ratio is something that takes time to master, and this is compounded even more with just two wheels. The MotoGP series is best in class when it comes down to this, next to RIMS. Learning how to ride takes time and unless you’re a seasoned vet of this genre, you will find yourself mucking things up far too often.

With improved track surfaces and the ability to adjust your Ride Height Device, Milestone have clearly worked on the handling model for MotoGP 22 a lot. This is also combined with a comprehensive tutorial introduced last year. There are a myriad of assists to tweak too should you still find yourself outbraking into corners. These are welcomed and much more tunable allowing you to slowly find your perfect balance to keep the action compelling.



Overall, MotoGP 22 is a passable step forward for MotoGP fans, with ‘Nine: Season 2009’ being the absolute highlight of the package and almost reason enough to pick it up. Most longstanding fans of the series will undoubtedly fork out for this one, but I am not sure I can recommend it to anyone that already dabbled in the brilliant MotoGP 21. Regardless, the series remains the gold standard for the genre. One can only hope that next year’s installment takes more than just one safe step forward.



*PS5 Review code provided by Milestone