Just as you should expect at this point, MXGP has several modes and a reasonable amount of customization. Neither feel particularly meaty, but they do meet the bare minimum with a Career mode, Grand Prix, time attack, multiplayer, and a championship mode which is basically a long string of races that you can arrange to just keep racing and earning XP without stopping. It’s enough modes, but in 2020 it does feel pretty mediocre. The customization more-or-less mirrors this attitude with enough preset colors to basically get where you want your character to be, but no custom colors or anything else that would really bring it up to a remarkable level.

"MXGP 2020 is not totally without improvements over last year’s game, but those improvements are so few and far between that it’s hard to recommend the game to anyone outside of the most hardcore Motocross enthusiasts out there."

I also found it a bit annoying that the game didn’t want to remember my custom rider twice in a row after closing out the game and bringing it back up. It’s something that I imagine will be fixed, but it is sort of inexcusable at the same time. The amount of gear to choose from also isn’t bad, but again, you’re not going to be blown away by the options here. There’s a good selection of bikes and parts. Everything from Husqvarna to Yamaha and even some smaller brands are represented here, so credit where it’s due. The track editor doesn’t go as far as many track editors in other racing games, like say, DiRT 5, have gone, but it’s enough to serve as a worthy diversion and does add to the depth of the game enough to be mentioned.

Overall, if you enjoyed MXGP 2019, you will feel some familiarity with 2020 when you actually hit the tracks. The physics are similar and the track designs follow a familiar philosophy but with some improvements. The problem is that these differences range from the demonstrably worse to the marginally improved. MXGP 2020’s physics aren’t objectively better, they’re just a little different. Allowing you to do whips and have more control in the air is a nice touch, but it doesn’t contribute much to the races from a functional standpoint. Some elements of racing actually feel worse, like corning being a bit more slippery than it probably should be. It’s not hard to get used to but it will lead to some unnecessary slide-outs from time to time.

The game’s efforts to correct you are also inconsistent. Sometimes going off the track is rigorously prevented, with even a slight slip over the edge resulting in a track reset and a complete loss of your momentum, while other times, you’ll completely and brazenly cut through a corner and think to yourself, “man, how did I get away with that?”. The slightest bump of a sign or a fence can also lead to the game treating it like it like some sort of massive wipeout, but other times, it doesn’t. If you play well enough and don’t make any mistakes, you won’t really notice any of this but it would have been nice to see a more consistent implementation of the rules… whatever they are. There is also a rewind mode that you can use to fix any of your errors as well, so depending on how much you like to rely on such things, you may not care at all about how the game handles accidents and cheating at all.

"Overall, if you enjoyed MXGP 2019, you will feel some familiarity with 2020 when you actually hit the tracks. The physics are similar and the track designs follow a familiar philosophy but with some improvements. The problem is that these differences range from the demonstrably worse to the marginally improved."

Thankfully, the moment-to-moment racing isn’t bad at all. Momentum, speed, and traction all feel like they matter and have to be constantly managed. The tracks often have multiple, deliberately-perforated inside lines you can take that have different topography which can introduce a bit more realistic strategy than last year’s outing. This, coupled with more verticality than last year’s game do make this game’s various tracks feel like a nice improvement and probably the game’s strongest single element, with wetter sections of dirt clearly affecting your traction differently than dryer sections, and a whole host of other wrinkles in the ground physics that make you pay close attention to what exactly you’re racing on.

Visually the game isn’t going to blow your socks off. In fact, it’s not even going to tug at your socks at all. The game looks pretty good when everything is moving but when things stop or slow down you will notice some muddy textures here and there, and I’m not just talking about the dirt. When back wheels kick up dirt, that flying-dirt-animation in particular looks kind of bad, with it just looking flat and not connected to the ground at all. Shadows and lighting are all fairly good though and I rarely noticed anything weird in those departments. I also think the lighting engine really shines here when the weather effects start to kick in. Puddles of water in the mud glisten. Mud and rain caking up on the screen looks good and immersive. It can go a bit past the point of obscuring your vision than I would like at times, but it looks good nonetheless.

Unfortunately, once all of these effects are firing on all cylinders, the frame-rate can start to dip on the PS4 Pro, making the 30 frames it’s aiming at about as stable as your bike sliding through a muddy turn. Big frame dips aren’t too common, but given the mediocre level of detail on display here, you’d think it would be all but eliminated at only 30 frames per second. I have it on good authority the PC version does perform better, and I assume so will the PS5 version when it launches later in January, but I was generally not impressed with the optimization on the PS4 pro at any time.

"Thankfully, the moment-to-moment racing isn’t bad at all. Momentum, speed, and traction all feel like they matter and have to be constantly managed."

The game’s audio department fairs pretty well most of the time. Bike sounds feel accurate as buzzing motors all around you struggle to overcome various hills and bumps, and landing after a big jump has a nice crunch to it that adds to the satisfaction while also not overwhelming your speakers. What little music there is in the game is forgettable but serviceable for what the game is.

MXGP is a competently made motocross game. If it were in a vacuum, where nobody would compare it to MXGP 2019 or MXGP 3, and it wasn’t being held to the standards of other 2020 games generally, most of its flaws would feel forgivable, but given that the game is not in a vacuum and should absolutely be compared to its predecessors as well as it’s contemporaries, it’s hard to ignore the fact that it comes up short in almost every way. While it never quite crosses the line into “bad game” territory, it also seems unable to cross the line into “great game” territory as well, making it feel mediocre most of the time. Some bright spots in the track design and overall feel of the racing do keep it from feeling totally average, but not by much. At the end of the day, MXGP is a very vanilla motocross game. If you’re a fan of vanilla, then you’ll be right at home, but I struggle to give it any more than a lukewarm recommendation to anybody else.

This game was reviewed on the PlayStation 4.

Cyberpunk 2077

After numerous delays, Night City Wire episodes and seemingly insurmountable hype, Cyberpunk 2077 is definitely, assuredly, 99.9 percent for sure releasing this month. We hope. There’s a lot to look forward to, whether it’s choosing one of three Life Paths and pursuing the story or simply cruising around Night City, completing Scanner Hustles and interacting with the citizenry. There’s an extensive arsenal of weaponry, cyberware and daemons to experiment with, not to mention an entire world of Braindance to get lost in, all while conversing with Johnny Silverhand played by Keanu Reeves. Cyberpunk 2077 releases for Xbox One, PS4, PC and Google Stadia on December 10^th. Hopefully.

Call of the Sea

Out of the Blue’s first person adventure title arrives next month, following the tale of Nora as she travels to a strange island in the South Pacific to locate her missing husband. Inspired by the works of Lovecraft, Call of the Sea focuses more on a dreamy and ethereal atmosphere as opposed to horror. Players explore locations, solve puzzles and take in the sights while piecing together the truth. Releasing on December 8^th for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and PC, Call of the Sea will also be available on Xbox Game Pass at launch.

Chronos: Before The Ashes

Before one was traveling to different dimensions and dodge-rolling with firearms, there was the labyrinth. Set before Remnant: From the Ashes, Chronos: Before the Ashes sees players venturing into said labyrinth and defeating the evils within. The twist is that dying results in expulsion, which means returning a year later. Thus do players begin their journey as a spry, Souls-like adventurer before having to rely on their wits and magic to survive as they mature over the years. Chronos: Before the Ashes is out on December 1^st for Xbox One, PS4, PC, Google Stadia and Nintendo Switch.

Empire of Sin

Travel back in time to the Prohibition era, where syndicates and mob bosses battled it out for reign over Chicago. As a strategy title, Empire of Sin is all about recruiting gang members and expanding an empire, dipping into all kinds of illegal activities while evading the law. Other gangs will want a piece of you though, and when negotiations and deception fail, a turn-based strategy combat system lets you deal threats. With numerous perks and traits for characters, resource management and gang warfare, Empire of Sin looks to be a nice change of pace for publisher Paradox Interactive. It’s out on December 1^st for Xbox One, PS4, PC and Nintendo Switch.

Twin Mirror

Developed by a separate team at the Life is Strange studio, Twin Mirror is ultimately a tale of mystery and duality. It sees Sam, an investigative journalist, returning to his hometown in Basswood, West Virginia. Things aren’t what they seem though, and the player will interact with various towns-folk, deciding who to trust, while dealing with The Double, Sam’s “inner voice.” That also means investigating different events and piecing together clues with the unique “Mind Palace” while questioning the truth. Twin Mirror is out on December 1^st for Xbox One, PS4 and PC.

Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond

In the midst of new IPs, Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond is a familiar sight for long-time fans. Developed by Respawn Entertainment, it’s a VR title for Oculus Rift and Steam VR that sees players venturing through Europe at the height of World War 2. Afterwards, it may be worth watching interviews with veterans who experienced the conflict and learning more. Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond could be a dark horse when it launches on December 11^th.

Immortals Fenyx Rising

In the midst of more “serious” offerings like Watch Dogs: Legion and Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, Immortals Fenyx Rising is much less heavy material for Ubisoft. It sees a Greek soldier named Fenyx washing ashore off the Golden Isle and battling the titan Typhon to rescue the Pantheon. While exploring the lush, colorful world and battling mythical foes, players will also deal with Prometheus and Zeus as narrators, each offering their own take on events and humorously clashing. Immortals Fenyx Rising is out on Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, Google Stadia, PC and Switch on December 3^rd.

Haven

A co-op RPG about two lovers exploring a strange world isn’t quite what you’d expect from the team behind the twitch-based Furi. Nevertheless, The Game Bakers’ Haven has looked appealing since day one, focusing on the struggles of Yu and Kay as they scavenge for parts, battle the local wildlife and cook meals. Will their quest for freedom and love ultimately win out? We’ll find out when Haven launches December 3^rd for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, PC and Switch.

MXGP 2020

With many of the big-name racers out of the way this year, MXGP 2020 looks to round things out in its usual fashion. Sporting bikes and riders from more than 110 brands, while offering a track editor and dedicated servers for online play, the title is certainly looking to improve on past experiences. If previous games are any indication, it could end up being another solid racing title. Releasing on December 16^th, MXGP 2020 is coming to previous and current gen consoles along with PC.

Override 2: Super Mech League

Big mech battles are back with Override 2: Super Mech League. It features 20 robots with all kinds of over-the-top abilities and customization for players to mess around with. A new Career Mode allows for earning influence for one’s Club and taking on all challenges. Local and online multiplayer for up to four players also returns with modes like Free for All, Xenoswarm, King of the Hill and more. Battle it out on December 22^nd when Override 2 launches on Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PC.

As is usually the case with console generation transitions, most major games that are going to release for at least the next year or so are likely going to be cross-gen games, catering to audiences across the eighth and ninth generation consoles. Milestone’s upcoming motocross sim MXGP 2020 follows that as well- but only partially so.

When the game launches not long from now, it will be available on both PS4 and PS5 (alongside PC), but on Xbox, it will only be releasing for the Xbox One. Why exactly is that the case?

Speaking to GamingBolt in a recent interview, lead game designer Alex Basilio said that the decision to not release a native Xbox Series X/S port was made due to “a remarkable productive effort” to balance not only a console generation transition, but also having to work remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. That said, Basilio assures that the game will still have optimizations on the new Xbox consoles thanks to their backward compatibility features.

“The transition between two generation of consoles, new digital platforms and the global pandemic that is requiring remote working for all our developers (safety of our people is a priority for us), caused a remarkable productive effort in our studio that forced our dev team to take hard decisions,” Basilio said. “The incredible power of the Xbox Series X/S will allow our players to enjoy an optimized version of MXGP 2020, even without a specific release.”

MGXP 2020 launches on December 10. On the PS5, it will feature support for the DualSense’s new features and run in dynamic 4K at 60 FPS.

"The track editor is a core feature of MXGP 2019 and we are very happy to improve it. In MXGP 20 I’m especially proud of the new environment that we have included in track editor."

Can you talk about the improvements being made to the track editor and what sort of fidelity the creation toolset will have following these changes?

The track editor is a core feature of MXGP 2019 and we are very happy to improve it. In MXGP 20 I’m especially proud of the new environment that we have included in track editor. This new virtual place allows players to create amazing tracks set on a realistic open air ambient with natural climbs and different terrain elevation. We hope that the players will have fun creating the most elaborate tracks ever seen in a motocross game.

Will MXGP 20 support cross-play, especially for tracks created and shared online?

This year, working on the game wasn’t easy at all. We are at an important generation turning point, but at the same time we had to deal with a complicated world health situation. MXGP 20 is our first next gen video game and we obviously have to build all the new structures for the game. In this scenario some feature like the cross gen support had to be left behind a little bit, but we definitely will work on it on the future titles.

Talk to us about MXGP 2020’s new Playground. What are the biggest ways it differs from and improves over the previous Playground?

With the incredible size of 1km x 1km, this playground is the biggest free roaming area ever in a Milestone game. This year we set the playground in a beautiful Norway valley with rivers, fjord, green hills, and three challenging new training tracks.

How soon after launch will Race Director mode be coming?

I can’t answer with a specific date yet, but we are currently working hard on it. We ask our players to have a little patience.

"With the incredible size of 1km x 1km, this playground is the biggest free roaming area ever in a Milestone game."

Wat sort of improvements are you making to MXGP 2020’s career mode?

Essentially the career mode follows the track of the previous MXGP game but has a new flavour thanks to the new consoles. The structure as usual leaves the player free to decide if to race with the most competitive official teams, or to found and bring to victory a brand new team sponsored by a real life sponsor.

Something that’s crucial in simulation games is presentation and authenticity- what can we expect from MXGP 2020 in that area?

The players will appreciate the new game physics and the terrain deformation, so I assure you we will give them an authentic motocross experience.

Many have been wondering why MXGP 2020 hasn’t been announced for Xbox Series X and Series S, though it has been for the PS5 (and current-gen consoles, of course). Can you give us some insight into that decision, and whether or not MXGP 2020 will eventually be releasing for the new Xbox consoles?

The transition between two generation of consoles, new digital platforms and the global pandemic that is requiring remote working for all our developers (safety of our people is a priority for us), caused a remarkable productive effort in our studio that forced our dev team to take hard decisions. The incredible power of the Xbox Series X|S will allow our players to enjoy an optimized version of MXGP 2020, even without a specific release.

What kind of improvements have you made to the game’s online structure and what kind of modes can we expect?

The online mode will be more stable and reliable compared to previous titles thanks to dedicated servers. It will also give some surprise in the future updates.

"The players will appreciate the new game physics and the terrain deformation, so I assure you we will give them an authentic motocross experience."

What resolution and frame rate are you targeting for the game on PS5? What about PS4 and Xbox One?

MXGP 2020 runs on PS5 in 4K dynamic resolution and 60 fps. This is a great improvement because the visual impact is amazing. All tracks, especially the playground, have a different feeling, and it gives to the player a more realistic experience.

Will MXGP 2020 implement the DualSense’s haptic feedback and adaptive triggers on the PS5?

We use the full potential of the DualSense controller. With the haptic feedback we give the players the sensations of the motocross bike with the terrain surface simulation and very useful information like the loss of tire grip or the engine limiter. Adaptive triggers guarantee a realistic strength on the throttle, brake, and clutch.

The PS5’s SSD has been one of its biggest talking points- how has it impacted the game and the way you have designed the game?

The PS5’s SSD is a massive step forward for every video game. In the future, it will be impossible to come back when we will get to be used to zero loading times. Current loading times will become a very “old past”. I have experienced the PS5’s new loading times and quick resume, and I’m sure that these features will change our way to play video games.

The PS5 has a lot of new features to look forward to that collectively hold the promise of completely new and fresh next-gen experiences, and among those, the DualSense controller’s haptic feedback and adaptive triggers have drawn quite a bit of attention from developers and audiences alike. Developers have been talking about how their games will make use of these quite regularly, and another game that you can expect to see those features incorporated in is Milestone’s upcoming motocross simulator MXGP 2020.

Speaking to GamingBolt in a recent interview, MXGP 2020 lead game designer Alex Basilio told us that the game will “use the full potential” of the controller’s new features, and explained exactly how the developer has ensured that.

“We use the full potential of the DualSense controller,” Basilio said. “With the haptic feedback we give the players the sensations of the motocross bike with the terrain surface simulation and very useful information like the loss of tire grip or the engine limiter. Adaptive triggers guarantee a realistic strength on the throttle, brake, and clutch.”

MXGP 2020 will launch for PS5, PS4, Xbox One, and PC on December 10. There’s no word yet on a potential Xbox Series X/S launch.

On PS5, MXGP 2020 will run at a dynamic 4K resolution at 60 frames per second. In our interview, Basilio also spoke to us about the console’s SSD, and how it will impact games going forward. Read more on that through here.

Our full interview with Basilio will be live soon, so stay tuned for that.

The upcoming next generation consoles are making many promises about how they’re going to take the medium forward, and one among many is the promise of better performances and faster frame rates in games. 60 FPS is something that audiences are hoping will eventually becoming the standard, and with many upcoming titles promising the same, things are definitely looking good so far on that front.

Another game that’s promising that is Milestone’s upcoming MXGP 2020. Speaking to GamingBolt in a recent interview, lead game designer Alex Basilio told us that the upcoming racer will run at 60 frames per second and a dynamic 4K resolution on the PS5. As per Basilio, the effect that this achieves is “amazing.”

“MXGP 2020 runs on PS5 in 4K dynamic resolution and 60 FPS,” Basilio told us. “This is a great improvement because the visual impact is amazing. All tracks, especially the playground, have a different feeling, and it gives to the player a more realistic experience.”

MXGP 2020 is out for PS5, PS4, Xbox One, and PC on December 10. In the same interview, Basilio also spoke to us about the PS5’s SSD and what impact he sees it having on games in the next console generation. Read more on that through here.

Our full interview with Basilio will be live soon, so stay tuned for that.

Faster load times in next-gen games and even older games on the upcoming consoles is something developers and publishers have been emphasizing heavily these past few weeks and months. From Devil May Cry 5: Special Edition to Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart to Kena: Bride of Spirits, we’ve seen more than a few examples of this on the PS5. That this is going to be a major step forward is something that all in the industry seem to agree on.

That includes Italian studio Milestone as well. We recently spoke with Alex Basilio, lead game designer on the upcoming MXGP 2020, and when asked about the PS5’s SSD, Basilio said that it’s going to be “a massive step forward” for games, before adding that it’s going to be hard to go back to older load times once next-gen consoles are out.

“The PS5 SSD is a massive step forward for every video game,” Basilio said. “In the future it will be impossible to come back when we will get to used to zero loading times. Current loading times will become a very old past. I have experienced the PS5 new loading times and quick resume, and I’m sure that these features will change the way we play games.”

Faster load times is something that the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S are going to benefit from as well, and we’ve seen plenty of examples of how games are going to leverage their hardware to do just that.

Milestone’s MXGP 2020 is due out on December 10 for the PS5, PS4, Xbox One, and PC. Our fill interview with Basilio will be live soon, so stay tuned for that.