Ben-DutkaWe just learned that MotorStorm 2 is now called MotorStorm Pacific Rift , and thanks to a CVG interview with game director Nigel Kershaw, we have a few more details, too.
First and foremost, Kershaw has confirmed that this sequel is going to have a "strong presence" on Sony's upcoming PlayStation Home service when it finally releases. This is good news for anybody who loves to get their racing fix online and with friends, and these days, that's a lot of people.
"Home is a really exciting area for all PlayStation 3 developers," said Kershaw. "It's going to have a huge impact on the gaming public when it comes out. I think it's going to really start binding the PS3 online community together. I'm really looking forward to watching it progress, and MotorStorm will be a strong presence from the off."
Now, onto the game itself. The original was a solid racer, but most critics agreed that it didn't have quite enough tracks. Having only 8 for the entire experience seemed to limit the size and scope of the title, but don't worry about the sequel: Pacific Rift will boast twice as many tracks! Yep, 16, and Kershaw also says we can expect more interaction with every last one of 'em.
"The environments are much more interactive in the new game," he said. "This is especially true of the new track elements – the water, vegetation, lava and so on. And again, their effects differ from one vehicle class to the next."
Course destruction is always fun, and with improved physics due to a brand new racing engine, this sequel is bound to deliver the goods for all off-road racing fanatics. The physics were great in the first one, but there's always room for improvement, right?
"The engine is completely new," boasted Kershaw. "For MotorStorm we were working on a brand new console with brand new tools and libraries. They have all now matured a bit, and of course we now have more experience and knowledge of how to get the console to work to its enormous potential. So rather than try to improve upon the previous tech base, we built a new one using what we'd learnt during the previous game's development."
Things are shaping up nicely for MotorStorm Pacific Rift ; the more we hear, the more excited we become. How about you?
Related Game(s): MotorStorm Pacific Rift
