Monster Energy Supercross 4 Review – Gets Your Energy Drinks Ready

It may not come as a surprise, but my backside has never graced the seat of a 250 cc 4 stroke motorcycle. In fact, I know little to nothing about the sport of supercross, and the closest I have come is a tiny orange 50cc mini bike, and even that beast was too powerful for me. Still, that doesn’t mean I don’t want to experience it.

Here is where the beauty and majesty of video games come into play. For those of us without the accessibility to hurl ourselves 40 feet into the air on a massive 250-pound vehicle consisting of metal and rubber, Milestone S.r.l. has provided us with the opportunity to soar in Monster Energy Supercross 4. So let’s gear up, rip into a monster energy drink and eject our feeble bodies into the exhilarating sport of supercross.

Monster Energy Supercross 4 is the most recent installment of the Monster Supercross series. It’s a racing game, but to be more precise, this is a dirt bike simulator. By creating your own character or choosing your favorite pro, you can jump into a single event or take on an entire career in some of the sport’s most memorable arenas.

Right out of the gate, this game is pretty. Graphics and gameplay are seamless and fun to watch, on the verge of being realistic. Though certain textures feel a little flat, Including the crowd. Some minor details make the game feel more life-like. Dirt particles fly as you whip around corners, and your player gets progressively dirty throughout the race. There is even a night and day cycle that creates pleasant shadows on the track of the bikes and players.

The gameplay is very technical and realistic; there’s a defined weight and speed to the bike. Hitting jumps just right and getting massive air is extremely satisfying. Further, Control and handling are very responsive. There is even an option for enhanced physics, and you can adjust your bike and fine-tune it to your liking.

There definitely is a steep learning curve to the experience. It’s easy to fly right off the track on the first few laps during a race, but it’s not long before you grasp the mechanics. The ruts can impact your bike; controlling your speed around turns and choosing how to hit that triple can win you races. It’s also nice to see some tracks have elements such as sand to vary the gameplay.

Races are exhilarating and fun. With 21 other players, it can seem chaotic, and most of the time, the AI likes to bunch up around the front of the group. I’ve restarted multiple races on futures mode just to perfect how I hit the course. The AI is aggressive, downright challenging at times. This really pushes you to ride better and master each track. Although there are numerous tracks and each one is different, they all share similar elements, making them feel repetitive after long play sessions.

A great new addition is the Compound, where you can go out and ride through a significantly open-world environment filled with mountainous regions, big drop-offs, unique obstacles, time trials, and collectibles for your rider and bike. This new gameplay mode is entertaining and increases the replay value, but it still feels a little dry and empty.

Personally, I would have liked to see more jumps and fewer rocks that can toss you from the bike if hit wrong. Also, adding anything that moves in this environment would breathe some life in this location. This new mode is a nice change of pace from the tight turns in the campaign, giving you the ability to explore, let loose and have fun. Still, a few more challenges or missions from NPC’s could make this mode really stand out.

Monster Energy Supercross 4 is a stunningly beautiful game. It’s exhilarating and unique, but some elements feel unfinished. I’m sure Multiplayer will be the biggest draw to play with friends or race online, but I still had a lot of unexpected fun playing single-player races. While graphics are perhaps the best in the series to date, they still appear flat in some areas, especially the compound.

It’s nice to have character creation, but the lack of female pro riders feels like a tremendous missed opportunity to grow the popularity of the sport and game. This will satisfy the series’s longtime fans, but I feel there’s still room to grow.