MXGP2: The Official Motocross Videogame

MXGP2: The Official Motocross Videogame is a realistic motocross racing simulation developed by Milestone s.r.l. that officially licenses the FIM Motocross World Championship. Players compete in a full season across authentic, muddy tracks, controlling official bikes and riders from the 2015 season. The game offers a deep career mode, customizable realism settings to suit different skill levels, and a variety of gameplay modes focused on delivering a true-to-life off-road motorcycle racing experience.

MXGP2: The Official Motocross Videogame: Review

Introduction

In the high-octane, mud-splattered niche of motorsport simulations, the quest for authenticity is a relentless uphill battle. When Milestone S.r.l. released MXGP2: The Official Motocross Videogame in April 2016, it arrived as a direct sequel to a foundation-laying predecessor, carrying the weighty expectation of not just replicating, but truly capturing the visceral, unpredictable chaos of the FIM Motocross World Championship. This review posits that MXGP2 is a game of profound duality: a significant mechanical step forward that demonstrates Milestone’s deep understanding of the sport’s physicality, yet one ultimately hamstrung by a lack of overarching polish, technical stagnation, and a development philosophy that favored iterative, licensed content over groundbreaking innovation. It is a title that will utterly satisfy the hardcore motocross faithful while leaving the broader racing sim audience stuck in the mud.

Development History & Context

To understand MXGP2, one must first understand its developer, the Italian studio Milestone. By 2016, Milestone had firmly established itself as the go-to studio for two-wheeled racing simulations, holding prestigious licenses for MotoGP and the Motocross World Championship. The studio’s modus operandi was characterized by a relentless annualized release schedule, pumping out titles like Ride, MotoGP, and the MXGP series with metronomic regularity.

The first MXGP game in 4 was a proof-of-concept—a first attempt at bringing the official license to the then-new PlayStation 4 and Xbox One generation. While it boasted official tracks and riders, it was criticized for its unforgiving and often imprecise control scheme. For the sequel, the vision was clear: refine the core riding physics to achieve a new level of realism and expand the content to include the full 2015 season, including new arenas like Glen Helen and the historic Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations event.

Technologically, the game was built upon an engine that was already showing its age. Critics noted that the technical foundation felt more suited to the previous console generation, a constraint likely imposed by the studio’s demanding release cadence. The resources were focused on mechanical iteration and content acquisition (a “thick license package,” as one reviewer noted) rather than a from-the-ground-up technological overhaul. This placed MXGP2 in a tricky spot in the 2016 landscape, competing against visually stunning and highly polished racers like Forza Motorsport 6 and DiRT Rally, which set new benchmarks for both realism and presentation.

Narrative & Thematic Deep Dive

As a sports simulation, MXGP2 naturally forgoes a traditional narrative. However, it does craft a narrative of career progression—a thematic deep dive into the grueling, sponsor-driven world of professional motocross. The career mode is not about a rags-to-riches story with a named protagonist; it is about you, the player, constructing your own legend.

The game weaves its themes through its systems. The emails and social media updates that populate your inbox between races are not mere fluff; they are a thematic representation of the modern athlete’s life. Your performance directly influences your “Social” rating, which in turn affects your ability to attract better sponsorships from iconic brands like Fox and UFO. This creates a compelling feedback loop: success on the track begets financial and mechanical advantages (better bike parts, a more prestigious team), which beget further success. The underlying theme is one of meritocracy, where talent and consistent performance are the sole drivers of progress.

Furthermore, the inclusion of the Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations isn’t just a new mode; it thematically represents the pinnacle of national pride in the sport. It shifts the focus from individual glory to representing a country, adding a layer of gravitas to the competition. While the narrative is entirely systems-driven, it effectively simulates the pressures and rewards of the professional motocross circuit, making your rise to the top feel earned.

Gameplay Mechanics & Systems

This is where MXGP2 truly separates itself from its predecessor and defines its entire identity. The core gameplay loop is a cycle of practice, qualification, and racing across a global season, but the devil—and the divinity—is in the mechanical details.

The most significant advancement is the revolutionary separation of bike and rider control. The left analog stick handles the direction of the bike itself, while the right analog stick is dedicated to controlling the rider’s weight and posture. This is not a mere gimmick; it is the absolute core of the experience. Leaning forward to gain speed on straightaways, pulling back to lift the front wheel over a crest, or aggressively scrubbing your weight mid-air to avoid losing momentum is paramount. It’s a system that demands multitasking and feels initially jarring and overwhelming, much like mastering the analog sticks in Skate. However, the payoff is immense. Once mastered, it provides an unparalleled sense of connection to the bike and the terrain.

This is complemented by a nuanced braking system, offering three distinct methods: standard braking, hard braking, and rear-wheel braking, each mapped to different buttons (X, L1, L2). Choosing the correct braking technique for a specific corner, while simultaneously managing your rider’s weight, is the key to shaving off precious seconds.

The track deformation system is another pillar of the gameplay. Ruts, bumps, and berms form in real-time as the race progresses, meaning the optimal racing line in lap one is a treacherous, choppy nightmare by lap three. This introduces a brilliant layer of strategic unpredictability and reinforces the game’s commitment to realism.

Yet, for all its mechanical brilliance, the systems are flawed. The AI riders can be frustratingly aggressive, often causing unfair crashes through seemingly minor contact. The much-maligned “rewind” feature—a limited-use ability to reverse time after a crash—feels less like a quality-of-life tool and more like a necessary crutch to counteract the game’s occasional jank. Furthermore, the practice and qualification sessions are locked to a rigid 30-minute real-time countdown, a baffling design choice that punishes players for being competent and quickly encourages menu-skipping, breaking the immersion the mechanics work so hard to build.

World-Building, Art & Sound

MXGP2’s world is one of mud, adrenaline, and corporate sponsorship. The art direction is one of faithful, if unambitious, replication. The game’s numerous real-world tracks, from the hardpack of Europe to the sand of Lombardia, are recreated with geographic accuracy. The vegetation and track-side details are adequate, but the overall visual presentation was consistently cited as the game’s weakest aspect. Textures are often flat, the crowd is a laughable sea of identical clones, and the lighting lacks the punch expected from a PS4/Xbox One title. A German critic from 4Players.de succinctly captured the sentiment: the technical foundation felt in dire need of modernization.

The sound design is a mixed bag. The roar of the 250cc and 450cc bikes is satisfyingly throaty and distinct, effectively conveying the raw power between your legs. The sound of mud spraying off your tires and peppering the helmet visor adds a great tactile layer. However, the soundtrack is largely forgettable, and the ambient noise of the crowds is generic and fails to build atmosphere.

The UI and menu design, however, are a standout success. Eschewing bland lists, the interface is a slick, stylish array of hexagonal motifs, diagonal lines, and dynamic panels that blend real-life photos with in-game assets. It feels modern, professional, and perfectly in tune with the energetic, extreme sports vibe it aims to evoke, even if the game it fronts doesn’t always live up to that visual promise.

Reception & Legacy

Upon release, MXGP2 received a mixed to average critical reception, with aggregate scores settling around the low-to-mid 70s. Praise was almost universally directed at the refined and deep physics model, the extensive official content, and the robust career mode. Critics from Gameplay (Benelux) (79%) and MAN!AC (75%) celebrated its “adjustable realism” and “packed races.”

The criticism was equally consistent across reviews: a lack of technical polish, underwhelming graphics, long loading times, and frustrating AI interactions. The most damning criticism, notably from 4Players.de (59%), was aimed at Milestone’s entire business model: the practice of releasing “middling” games in rapid succession rather than focusing resources on one polished, prestige title.

Its legacy is twofold. For the MXGP series, it represents a crucial evolutionary step. It established the separate rider/bike control scheme that would become a franchise staple, proving that Milestone was listening to core feedback. Commercially, it found its audience among motocross enthusiasts, the very players who would value its authentic mechanics over its graphical shortcomings.

In the broader industry, it stands as a case study of licensed sports development. It exemplifies the tensions between catering to a niche hardcore audience and appealing to a broader market, and the perils of prioritizing annualized content updates over technological innovation.

Conclusion

MXGP2: The Official Motocross Videogame is a game of frustrating contrasts. It is a mechanical triumph, a simulator that so deeply understands the physical nuances of its sport that it achieves a level of authenticity few racing games ever do. The act of riding the bike—of truly managing it—is brilliant, challenging, and ultimately rewarding. For the dedicated motocross fan, this is undoubtedly the definitive video game representation of the sport at that time.

However, it is impossible to ignore its shortcomings. The underwhelming visuals, technical hiccups, and dated design choices surrounding its career progression prevent it from being a great video game in a broader sense. It is the quintessential “solid 7/10” title; a flawed gem that excels in its single most important area but is merely adequate everywhere else. Its place in history is secure as the game that set the new mechanical standard for virtual motocross, but it remains a cautionary tale about the limits of iterative development.