Motorstorm or Burnout or Dirt?

[ComputerSpaceFan]

So I got a PS3 for Christmas and really want to get in to some awesome racing games. I'll eventually get all three, but which of these should I get initially? They all get awesome reviews.

I like arcade-style racing over realistic although I have tried Dirt 2 on my buddy's PS3 and it is very appealing. I have always wanted a Burnout game and finally own a console able to play it but the reviews for Paradise are not sounding that good.

Anyone care to make a recommendation?

[moycon]

The only one of those three I have is Burnout and I LOVE it. I think it's a game you're either going to love or hate based on friends opinions. To me it's so worth it because there is just so much to do in the game. I've wasted hours just tooling around breaking through Burnout billboards, yellow construction barriers and trying to do SUPER jumps and to me the game looks and sounds fantastic. I suggest hitting a video game shop and trying each one out.

[Reaperman]

I'm firmly in the 'hates burnout' group of polar opposites mentioned above. Last gen I loved burnout 3, but this new open world one just doesn't give me any fun, and I find myself lost and bored. No arguement that it's a big environment to screw around and collect things in, but there's just too much wandering randomness and not enough 'racing game' for me. It's more like playing a tony hawk game. If you like earning trophies though, burnout paradise hands you one about every 3 minutes, so that's a positive.

 

Dirt 2 is clearly *MUCH* better than the first one in terms of driving experience and general atmosphere, but it's still a little brown for my tastes. And I know dirt tracks really are usually brownish, but I don't see any reason for all the sky and plants to be brown too. It's an overused filter effect that really ruins every bit of the game for me, but at least dirt2 is only about half as brown as dirt1, so by dirt5 I should have something that I can look at. Have you checked out the demo yet? If you like brown, (or at least don't have my hangups) there's a wide variety of racing styles to experience.

 

Of the three, I'd say motorstorm: pacific rift is the slam dunk. Neat scenery, lots of paths around the track--there's fun to be had there. Hell, if you've got an extra 8 bucks or so, check out the first motorstorm too. It's a different enough experience, and packs a high dollar-for-fun value. Both motorstorms have demos online, and the full versions don't really pack any surprises over them, so check those out.

Edited December 31, 2009 by Reaperman

[moycon]

Of the three, I'd say motorstorm: pacific rift is the slam dunk. Neat scenery, lots of paths around the track--there's fun to be had there. Hell, if you've got an extra 8 bucks or so, check out the first motorstorm too. It's a different enough experience, and packs a high dollar-for-fun value. Both motorstorms have demos online, and the full versions don't really pack any surprises over them, so check those out.

 

I've heard great things about the Motorstorm games as well. I have the first one, but sadly have yet to play it for any length of time (I've seen it in action many times though) it looks great, but unlike Paradise, you can't really lose yourself in the game. Too structured.

 

You could probably pick up both Motorstorm (The first one) and Paradise for like < $30 total used. I'd do that and wait for Dirt 2 and MS : PD to drop in price. Then, regardless if you like openness or structure, You'll definitely be entertained for hours and hours while you're waiting.

[Austin]

Hell, I say buy the original MotorStorm.. Only because it has tracks by Pendulum in it.

[HammR25]

I have all three and like all three but Burnout Paradise is my favorite. 2nd Favorite would be Dirt 2 and last of the three would be Motorstorm Pacific Rift.

[Jess Ragan]

You ever try PURE? I think that game is pretty sweet. It's a rock solid racing game with elements of the Tony Hawk series.

[xg4bx]

motorstorm pacific rift is awesome. best buy had it, and may still have it on sale for $20.

[ComputerSpaceFan]

You ever try PURE? I think that game is pretty sweet. It's a rock solid racing game with elements of the Tony Hawk series.

 

There are definitely other racing games like Pure that I am interested in. I confess I really want to try Fuel even though it has had mediocre reviews. But for my first big racing title I want Burnout or Motorstorm or Dirt and it's so tough to decide.

After I have done them (and Fuel if I find it in a bargain bin) I'll give Pure a try along with Grid, Forza, Project Gotham, etc.

[Seob]

I also love paradise. I like the open worlds. I can drive for a hour round without doing a thing (I could also drive for long times in gta:sa, pick a truck hook up a trailer, tune into a country station and drive into the sun).

[CGQuarterly]

I didn't vote, because I hate Burnout Paradise, but LOVE Burnout Revenge (and Burnout 3). Not sure if it came out on the PS3, though. If it did, get it.

 

Chris

[HammR25]

Burnout Paradise is the only Burnout title on the PS3 so far.

[DaytonaUSA]

Burnout, if you're a fan of the series when it began, is horrible. Driving around all the time around the island instead of just starting a freakin race has gotten VERY stale. I hated it when NFS Carbon, and I hated it with this as well. I'll never understand the appeal.

 

I'll choose an actual track that you go into once you select it any day. Motorstorm gets my vote. That and, when you are racing, it's better than Burnout as well. It's simple breathtaking.

[DaytonaUSA]

Of the three, I'd say motorstorm: pacific rift is the slam dunk. Neat scenery, lots of paths around the track--there's fun to be had there. Hell, if you've got an extra 8 bucks or so, check out the first motorstorm too. It's a different enough experience, and packs a high dollar-for-fun value. Both motorstorms have demos online, and the full versions don't really pack any surprises over them, so check those out.

 

I've heard great things about the Motorstorm games as well. I have the first one, but sadly have yet to play it for any length of time (I've seen it in action many times though) it looks great, but unlike Paradise, you can't really lose yourself in the game. Too structured.

 

You could probably pick up both Motorstorm (The first one) and Paradise for like < $30 total used. I'd do that and wait for Dirt 2 and MS : PD to drop in price. Then, regardless if you like openness or structure, You'll definitely be entertained for hours and hours while you're waiting.

 

Even though I've had Pacific Rift for some time, I still have to say every time I boot it up I have the biggest grin on my face and I'm just as amazed with the graphics as the day I bought it. I can honestly say, it's the only game this generation that does that for me. It's nothing but pure adrenaline which is exactly what a good racer should be... not aimlessly wandering around a city ala GTA in burnout. It really does get old very quickly and the races themselves are too influenced by NFS for me to care much about them at all. Or maybe I'm just sick and tired of the street racing genre.

 

Also, as a side note, Motorstorm has humans... that crash along with the car. Burnout cars are mysteriously driven by no one... no one is in the car. It really annoyed me...

 

It was the first game I sold on my PS3. Huge disappointment for someone who loved 1, 2 and 3 in Burnout.

[Jess Ragan]

B-but it's a SANDBOX game now! That makes everything better! Just look what it did for Tony Hawk!

 

(notice how there hasn't been a new Burnout game in over two years? I blame Paradise.)

[moycon]

B-but it's a SANDBOX game now! That makes everything better! Just look what it did for Tony Hawk!

 

(notice how there hasn't been a new Burnout game in over two years? I blame Paradise.)

 

Notice how there has been about 8 updates/expansions to Paradise in the last two years, some free the rest $12 or less?

What do you want a new $59.99 Burnout every 4 months ala Guitar Hero??!

 

I don't need to rebuy the same game every year. LOL I thank Paradise.

[DaytonaUSA]

I thank Paradise, too.

 

I don't have to see a new sandbox game on the shelves all the time. Now it's all dloadable content that I never have to look at to trick myself into thinking that that damn annoying idea is FINALLY GONE.

 

I like linear games. It also usually makes the story, if there is one, a lot better as it's pre-planned.

 

I don't want to go find what I want to do, I just want to do it. Can you imagine if games like Tekken were like that? You had to walk around a big honkin city for no reason just to find a fight instead of fighting. That's what Paradise feels like to me. Useless driving around to do the thing you wanted to do when you booted up the game 45 minutes ago.....RACE.

Edited January 8, 2010 by DaytonaUSA

[moycon]

I like linear games. It also usually makes the story, if there is one, a lot better as it's pre-planned.

 

Based on the responses, not everyone shares your enjoyment of linear games, good thing gamers have such a wide variety of games to choose from eh?

[DaytonaUSA]

I like linear games. It also usually makes the story, if there is one, a lot better as it's pre-planned.

 

Based on the responses, not everyone shares your enjoyment of linear games, good thing gamers have such a wide variety of games to choose from eh?

 

Just giving our opinions here, Moycon. I'd hate it if the gaming market only made games I liked. Cause the gaming market would be dead and I wouldn't get the games I like .

[liveinabin]

Um, I'd say none of the above. I love arcade racers too but the current crop just seem pretty charmless. Even Ridge Racer 7 is a bit sterile.

I'd say, if you have access to a Wii, get Excite Truck. That's genuinely fun.

[ComputerSpaceFan]

Um, I'd say none of the above. I love arcade racers too but the current crop just seem pretty charmless. Even Ridge Racer 7 is a bit sterile.

I'd say, if you have access to a Wii, get Excite Truck. That's genuinely fun.

 

Actually I have a Wii and have played the heck out of Excite Truck already.

 

Many thanks to all who responded to my question. After reading a lot of comments, I decided to buy Motorstorm and I have rented Burnout. The reason I bought Motorstorm is my main goal here is to have a hop-in-and-play racing game and the split screen coop of Pacific Rift is also appealing for my gaming needs. I am really enjoying it.

I rented Burnout because it's definitely a try-before-I-buy proposition. I have played it for a couple of hours and so far I am liking it but I admit the open world sandbox approach is not what I would have liked to see in a Burnout game. When racing, it's awesome and I am loving the Take Downs, but needing to drive around the city in order to initiate an event is not really the way I would have liked to do this. The jury is still out for me as to whether or not I am going to buy Burnout. Maybe if I find it cheap.

[DaytonaUSA]

If you played the heck out of Excite Truck and loved every minute of it, Motorstorm is the obvious upgrade. You'll prefer that game over Burnout if Excite Truck is your idea of a great arcade racer .

 

but I admit the open world sandbox approach is not what I would have liked to see in a Burnout game. When racing, it's awesome and I am loving the Take Downs, but needing to drive around the city in order to initiate an event is not really the way I would have liked to do this.

 

+1 on this^. Sandbox games are fine, but it was an unnatural fit to a franchise like Burnout. If Excite Truck was like this, I would have hated the game.

Edited January 12, 2010 by DaytonaUSA

[atarian63]

liked dirt 2 pretty well! Fun game.

[bdog_147]

Motorstorm and Burnout are both good racing games. I liked Burnout more as I had a little more fun with that one. Dirt 2 I haven't played yet so i cannot comment.