Monster Energy Supercross 25 – The Official Video Game Review
Monster Energy Supercross 25 – The Official Video Game (Supercross 25), the latest installment in Milestone’s long-running off-road racing series, has roared onto consoles, aiming to be the definitive Supercross experience. While it undeniably boasts a visually polished presentation and a deeper career mode than previous iterations, it stumbles in familiar areas, potentially leaving seasoned veterans craving more impactful innovation and newcomers overwhelmed by its unforgiving difficulty.
Visually, Supercross 25 is a significant step up. The bike models are meticulously detailed, reflecting their real-world counterparts’ intricate designs and branding. Track environments are rendered with impressive fidelity, showcasing the gritty texture of the dirt and the vibrant energy of the stadiums. Dynamic lighting and particle effects, such as crowd flares and roost, add to the immersive atmosphere, creating an environment that accurately simulates a motocross event. The improved rider animations, albeit still occasionally stiff, give a greater sense of weight and realism to the on-track action.
Feeling Familiar
However, pretty visuals can only take you so far. The core gameplay of Supercross 25 remains essentially unchanged from its predecessors. The physics engine, while refined, still feels somewhat forgiving, allowing for unrealistic recoveries after near-catastrophic crashes. While this might appeal to more casual players, it diminishes the sense of risk and reward that should be inherent in a sport as dangerous as Supercross.
Even with the action feeling a bit too forgiving at times, Supercross 25 will be brutal for most rookies. Mastering the basics – throttle control, leaning, and scrubbing – is crucial for success, but the learning curve is ruthless. Newcomers may struggle to land jumps consistently and maintain traction, leading to frustrating initial experiences.
The revamped career mode is one of the most touted additions to Supercross 25. This year, players embark on a more structured journey, creating their rider and working their way up through the ranks. Skill trees allow for rider customization, enabling players to specialize in areas that match their riding style. Earning skill points through completing races and challenges unlocks new abilities, such as improved cornering or enhanced air control. This adds a layer of progression and personalization previously lacking in the series.
Wheelin’ and Dealin’
Furthermore, the career mode features a more robust team management system. Players must negotiate contracts with teams, manage their sponsors, and invest in bike upgrades to improve performance. This provides a welcome strategic element to the overall experience, forcing players to make informed decisions about their career trajectory. The inclusion of social media interaction, while somewhat simplistic, adds a touch of realism, allowing players to respond to fan comments and build their online presence.
Despite these improvements, the career mode feels somewhat repetitive after extended play. The objectives of each race season remain largely the same, and the lack of meaningful narrative or character development makes the overall experience feel somewhat shallow. The truth is, while the team management aspects offer a welcome diversion, they don’t fundamentally alter the core gameplay loop. As such, I quickly felt as if I was in a monotonous cycle of repeating the same few things repeatedly.
Game Mode Missteps
Beyond the career mode, Supercross 25 offers a variety of other game modes, including Single Event, Championship, and Time Attack. These modes provide ample opportunity to hone your skills and compete against AI opponents or other players online. The track editor, a staple of the series, also returns, allowing players to create and share their own custom tracks with the community. I expect Supercross 25 to, quite literally, live and die based on how much effort the community puts into the track editor.
However, the online multiplayer experience remains inconsistent. While Supercross 25 features dedicated servers and various race options, I found that connectivity issues and lag would often plague online matches. This led to numerous frustrating racing experiences, particularly when trying to compete at a high level. Supercross 25’s AI opponents also suffer from occasional bouts of erratic behavior, often exhibiting unrealistic aggression or inexplicably slowing down.
Ultimately, Monster Energy Supercross 25 is a competent but unspectacular entry in the series. The improved visuals and deeper career mode are welcome additions, but the core gameplay remains largely unchanged. The steep learning curve and inconsistent online experience may deter some players, while seasoned veterans may find the lack of groundbreaking innovation disappointing.
***A PS5 code was provided for this review***
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