MotoGP 26 brings the world’s premier motorcycle championship back to PlayStation, offering another chance to throw yourself around famous circuits at alarming speeds. With official riders, teams and tracks all present and correct, it aims to deliver the intensity, precision and spectacle of modern MotoGP racing in video game form.
Gaming Heaven
The racing itself is impressively authentic. The bikes feel fast, twitchy and constantly on the verge of catastrophe, which is apparently exactly what riding a MotoGP machine is like if every documentary I’ve watched is to be believed.
The handling model is deep and demands genuine skill. Leaning, braking and body positioning all matter, creating races that feel rewarding when everything clicks together.
Visually, the bikes and riders look excellent during races. Replay mode and photo mode produce some genuinely stunning shots, allowing you to admire your crashes from multiple cinematic angles.
There’s also plenty of content. Career mode, multiple racing classes, customisation options and additional bike disciplines provide a fair bit to get through.
Gaming Hell
The problem is that much of this package feels about as welcoming as a wasp trapped inside a crash helmet.
New players are given only the basics before being hurled onto the track. Learning the finer points often feels less like progression and more like being punished for existing.
Outside the racing line, visuals can be surprisingly rough. Empty grandstands, lifeless environments and forgettable music constantly chip away at the illusion.
Final Judgement
MotoGP 26 is undoubtedly realistic, and that’s partly the problem. It captures the difficulty of professional motorcycle racing with alarming enthusiasm while forgetting that games are supposed to be enjoyable.
There is a brilliant racing simulator buried in here somewhere. Unfortunately, extracting that enjoyment requires patience, persistence and probably the emotional resilience of a saint.
