MotorStorm (Playstation 3, 2007)

I say investment due to the price tag on accessories and games you really have to be careful which ones you choose to purchase. I bought Motorstorm on its release date and have been extremely satisfied with game. As far as graphics and attention to detail go, this game is flawless. When you go over the track your grooves in the mud and changes you make to the environment stay modified. You vehicle takes damage and gets dirty (which was my only complaint about the Gran Tourismo series, you hit a wall doing 150 mph and your car is still showroom condition) I really like that they combined different types of vehicles and that they all have distinctly different characteristics. It allows you to specialize in different vehicles and once you master one you can move onto the next. Going through the game you are forced to experience all vehicles and different combinations of opponents which makes things interesting. The music is fantastic which really makes a difference in a racing game. I also really like the online multiplayer option which is a lot of fun.
Now the bad; I only gave this game four star because it lacks a two player mode which I think is crucial for any racing game. The load time for selecting your vehicle is also a little long (I can deal with this, but it’s still annoying on a brand new $600 system). And there could have been a few more tracks, after you get through the first 2 levels of difficulty it gets a little redundant. I’m glad it took me a while to complete this game because when I tear through a $60 game in a few days I feel cheated.
In summary the graphics, music and game play make this a worthy purchase. Play a few tracks, get the hang out it then go online to really test your skills.