Surprisinglyfew racinggames are big on offline multiplayer these days, except for ones that end in the word 'Kart'. So imagine our surprise when Evolution Studios announced that MotorStorm Apocalypse would not only allow online play, but four-player split-screen too. So the UK GamesRadar team huddled around the TV to put this split-screen action to the test - and you can watch the results here.
The perks are saved in selectable trios, called 'Loadouts'. You can tinker with these before you go online, to make sure you have your favourite combinations ready to go. Perks range from simply giving you more grip to letting you super-cool your boost mid-air while still accelerating. New perks can be gained as you move up through the ranks. And to that, you'll need to earn chips.
Chips are your online currency, and are earned by fulfilling set criteria. Obviously, beating as many opponents as possible is the simplest, but you also earn chips for wrecking other cars and betting againt other players. In fact, the betting system works particularly well - you can nominate one rival in each race. Beat them and you get a bounty in chips. You can then either bank them, or bet them again in the next race.
Consecutive wins will earn you a pretty penny but, similarly, you'll have a lot more to lose if you bet on someone and lose to them. Everyone has their own 'chip rank', with the rewards for beating them tiered accordingly. It works really well and gives online races an even more personal touch, no matter whether you actually know the people playing or not.
4 Mar, 2011
