Despite a delay to its release date, the hype surrounding the release of MX vs ATV Legends has been palpable. It's been four years since All Out was released, and Legends marks the series' debut on PlayStation 5.
So, what does the jump up in console technology bring for this exciting off-roading series? Here's our full review for MX vs ATV Legends!
Review conducted on PS5 with controller. Review copy provided by publisher.
Off-road action
Unsurprisingly, MX vs ATV Legends focusses on off-road racing. When you first boot up the game, you'll be shown the basics of how to get the most out of your dirt bike through the game's tutorials.
When it comes to drifting, and in particular, jumping, there's a lot to learn here. The tutorials are quite lengthy, but you need them to get on top the bike's handling characteristics.
It's also nice how you're now able to free roam around areas such as the Rawlings Farm, where you start the game. This doesn't make the game a free roamer by any stretch, but it does help to ground it more in realism.
Speaking of realism, you're no longer a one-man team anymore. You now have an entourage who guide you down the path to becoming a superstar. The more events you win, the more fans and money you accrue. It's simple, but effective.
Mixed Gameplay
The key to any great racing game is the action that ensues when the overalls are zipped up and the visor goes down. Thankfully, MX vs ATV Legends does deliver on this front, with races being action-packed from start to finish.
The variety of surfaces and jumps keep you on your toes throughout, there's no such thing as an easy race. However, what's disappointing is the lack of accessibility, as even on the easier difficulties, winning races is really difficult for inexperienced players.
What we don't like though, is the lack of options when it comes to choosing your route through a race. In previous iterations, you could pretty much go whichever way you want to, but going off the beaten path in Legends results with you being respawned on the track. This would be fine in a game like F1 22, but Legends is meant to be an all-out off-roading game.
While the arduous frame rate from All Out has largely been fixed, frame rate is still an issue at times. Even on the PS5, it will dip, particularly during cutscenes. On top of this, it is all too easy to land and fall off your vehicle.
The graphics have been turned up a notch since the predecessor, but still lag behind many of its rivals.
Something that also deserves a mention is the soundtrack, which does a good job of providing a backdrop to both your races and when you roam around.
Plenty of choice
Something that hasn't changed since the previous game is the scope of the types of vehicles in it. Most racing series only have one type of vehicle, particularly ones from smaller studios like this.
However, Legends still has Bikes, ATVs (All-terrain vehicles) and UTVs (Utility Terrain Vehicles) in its roster. These three types are all unlocked early on in the Career Mode, so you can forge a path in all, or just a few of them.
All three types are entertaining in their own ways, our favourite has got to be the UTVs though, the sheer chaos of these encounters means there's never a dull moment and hardly a lap where you're not on your roof at some point.
The Verdict
The easy comparison when it comes to MX vs ATV Legends is that with it and MXGP 2021. While MXGP is a game that's better put together, we can't help but enjoy MX vs ATV more.
The unbridled chaos of the races may rub some up the wrong way, but we enjoy almost every moment of it. Lacklustre graphics and a temperamental frame rate doesn't help Legends' cause at times, though.
Legends is definitely a game you can enjoy, despite the frustrating lack of DLC content in the Collector's edition. The series has big potential, but it isn't quite realised here. Still though, most racers won't regret purchasing this one.
RacingGames Rating: 7/10
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