Games Database
PlayStation
Racing: Motorcycle
| Also for: | PC | ||
| Viewed: | 2D First-person / Third-person | Genre: | Racing: Motorcycle |
| Arcade origin: | No | ||
| Developer: | Interactive Entertainment | Soft. Co.: | Interactive Entertainment |
| Publishers: | Midas
(GB) |
Released: | 9 Feb 2001
(GB) |
| Ratings: | 3+ | ||
| Accessories: | Analogue JoyPad, Memory Card | ||
| Features: | Vibration Compatible | ||
Video
Summary
What a great idea. Take one of the biggest motorcycle manufacturers in the world and get the licence to base a game around the most mouth-watering machine to come out of Japan in years (and yes, that includes PlayStation 2). That’s what Castrol Honda VTR is all about – just the VTR, races full of ‘em. For the bike fiends among us, it’s a bit of a shame to discover there’s no competition from other manufacturers. The new V-Twin legal racer from the people who brought us the step-thru fishcake all those years ago is indeed a beautiful thing, but a biking game with no Suzukis, Ducatis and the like seems churlish. The price of the licence I guess.
The pattern the game follows is very basic. Choose your bike (this won’t take long) and in Championship mode, you start out as a novice rider. A season of successful races will see you promoted through the ranks to amateur and eventually professional status. The learning curve is challenging, encouragingly enough, and the computer riders are a pretty intelligent set of bikers, so there are some moments where you think maybe this isn’t too bad. Then again, the drab landscapes you endlessly race around are enough to make you want to draw the curtains for good. Castrol Honda VTR just isn’t visually appealing. The grainy graphics make things, well, boring to look at to be truthful. The only real respite from the ocular drudgery is the handlebar view. You’ll find yourself leaning left and right as you dip into the corners. Unfortunately, Castrol Honda VTR will not have you falling off your seat with excitement. Motorcycle titles haven’t been well served as far as the PSX is concerned, EA’s Moto Racer series exempt: Castrol Honda VTR is a missed opportunity.
The pattern the game follows is very basic. Choose your bike (this won’t take long) and in Championship mode, you start out as a novice rider. A season of successful races will see you promoted through the ranks to amateur and eventually professional status. The learning curve is challenging, encouragingly enough, and the computer riders are a pretty intelligent set of bikers, so there are some moments where you think maybe this isn’t too bad. Then again, the drab landscapes you endlessly race around are enough to make you want to draw the curtains for good. Castrol Honda VTR just isn’t visually appealing. The grainy graphics make things, well, boring to look at to be truthful. The only real respite from the ocular drudgery is the handlebar view. You’ll find yourself leaning left and right as you dip into the corners. Unfortunately, Castrol Honda VTR will not have you falling off your seat with excitement. Motorcycle titles haven’t been well served as far as the PSX is concerned, EA’s Moto Racer series exempt: Castrol Honda VTR is a missed opportunity.
