Sadly, the emphasis on tricks has meant that there will be no handlebar view, as you wouldn't be able to see how far through each trick animation your rider is. We would love to see it featured in a race-only event as the sensation of speed and vertigo would undoubtedly be enhanced by a rider's-eye perspective. But we can understand why it's been omitted.
The main game will take place in World Tour mode, which we weren't shown but were told will take place over 10 tours, totalling 50 events in all. Seven real-world locations will be present, including Wyoming USA and Lake Garda in Italy. The latter is the best-looking of the tracks we've seen so far, with the lake stretching into the distance as we hit the jumps. And the blue skies make it look like a holiday destination.
Graphically, it does slightly fall shy of the variety and detail of Motorstorm, but it's certainly no slouch, with dense 3D grass covering the track surface, and those vertigo moments are genuinely exciting. We found ourselves noticeably stoked after playing it, although we were playing on a TV the size of a mattress.
It's amazing how much of a step-up the game is over the mediocre ATV games of recent years. And, while it's unclear how much longevity the game will have once you've mastered the tracks and tricks, it's looking like being a welcome entry into the extreme sport genre when it is released this autumn.
Above: If you think it looks fun, you're absolutely right. We'll be watching this one carefully
