As far as racing games go, cars seem to dominate the market with F1 games coming out of our ears and yearly updates guaranteed so it's a pleasure to try two wheels instead of four, especially when it plays as good as this. Moto GP is the first motorbike racing game to fully capture my attention and hold my interest, and it's testament to the way it plays and the staggering depth of the game that guarantees a fantastic experience to fans of the sport and non-fans alike.

Gameplay:
There are so many different ways to play Moto GP that you are a bit inundated with choices to start with. Do you go for the quick race that lets you get a feel for the game, or go for an arcade championship? How about ploughing straight in to the Grand Prix mode, or better still creating a character and going through the test stages to build up your stats and make the GP season easier to handle? It's entirely up to you, but once you get stuck in, it's very hard to let go. The training is extremely well done and sets you a series of challenges which when completed you can bump up your stats as you see fit. The four categories that demand your attention are: cornering, acceleration, top speed and braking. It's entirely up to you as to where you allocate your points earned to completely tailor the rider to your style of play. When you feel confident enough you can take part in the Grand Prix mode and earn more stat points depending on your finishing position in each race.

Control of your bike couldn't be easier; the left thumbstick is set for cornering and leaning forward and back on your bike. There are a number of cool tricks you are able to do with the correct weight distribution, and if balanced properly you can pull off some insane wheelies. The main use however, is to help with cornering and coupled with independent front and rear brakes (L + R buttons); you have total control over your bike. You can either use the right thumbstick for analogue acceleration and braking (both together) or use the A button. Personally I prefer the analogue option as it offers much more precise control - essential when stuck deep in a pack of riders. One cool feature you can turn on in the game is to have the riders names displayed when racing. Trust me, once you get deep into a season, you'll need to know where your main rival is on the track!

Graphics:
Moto GP is as pretty as they come. Beautiful bump mapping, fantastic textures and highly atmospheric lighting are just the start. It moves so smoothly you'll start to wonder why every game can't look like this, and just check out the bump mapped tarmac - stunning! The animation is as realistic as they come, each move of the bike makes it feel correctly weighted and the riders move around convincingly.

Stand out features include the sky's colour ranges from deep blue on a sunny day to fantastic sunset reds, yellows and oranges. A racing game wouldn't feel complete without rain, however and I've only seen it done as well on Wave Race: Blue Storm. Droplets hit the camera as they would in real life while lightning fills the sky in the distance, lighting up surrounding clouds and creating an extremely atmospheric experience.

Sound:
For me, Moto GP's bikes sound a little too shrill. I would have preferred a more 'meatier' sound but it doesn't affect the game too much. If you have the equipment, you'll be able to listen in 5.1 surround sound and the placement of each sound in relation to where you are is nicely done. You can tell when someone is behind you and what side they're keeping to so you can alter your tactics accordingly.

I love the music, the main menu theme is great and other tracks keep up with the feel of the game. Whilst not being astounding, it fits with the game. If, however, you think it sucks, Moto GP supports custom soundtracks so you'll never run out of anything to listen to.

Longevity:
There's just SO much to Moto GP, it's staggering. In the unlikely event that you complete and unlock everything there's always multiplayer modes or just shaving seconds off your lap times in the time trials. If you like racing games, you'll be playing Moto GP 'till the cows come home, and then some. Nothing seems redundant and the desire to see everything that the game offers is just the icing on the cake. Every great game keeps you coming back for more and Moto GP is no exception.

Round Up:
Thank god for Moto GP. Go on, thank him. Then thank Climax for actually doing the job properly. Never before have I had the desire to play a motorbike racing game as much as Moto GP, the graphics, gameplay and longevity make for a complete and rounded package. Climax really shine with this game and I can't wait for the next one. Awesome.

Pros:

• Superb gameplay
  
• Technical without being over complicated
  
• Easy to get into and deep as they come
  
• Fun, fun, fun!
  

  Cons:
  

  • Engine sounds are a bit weak