Monster Energy Supercross 2 Review: Gameplay Videos, Features and Impressions

Improving a series annually is a difficult feat, yet the team at Milestone has managed to make appreciable gains with the release of Monster Energy Supercross 2.  

A year ago, the debut was well-received thanks to cornering its niche well. The Unreal Engine had some spotty issues, but the immersion aspect of the racing and environments, as well as a solid track editor, laid a nice foundation for growth. 

The sequel takes these areas and expands upon them smartly. Like a muddy race in the middle of the motocross season, the game is far from perfect—but Monster Energy Supercross 2 manages to separate itself from the pack. 

Graphics and Gameplay

In most cases, graphics were a strong point of last year's release. 

The same applies here. On the tracks themselves, things look sharper than before, and it seems like the color palette of the compound is more diverse. Attention to detail on the bikes and riders is still apparent, from patches to the wear and tear on tires as a race progresses. 

Big stadium races are still impressive, as the track and riders feel small in scope while cameras and lights flash throughout an event. In more rural settings, mud kicks up and puddles form when different weather sets in. 

Negatives from a year ago carry over, though. Things look good on the tracks but not quite so during the limited cut scenes, where characters still come off looking blocky. There is still little in the way of announcer presence, with only a few quips here and there before and after races. Also, there is a large disparity between volume during the menus and gameplay, with the latter coming in much quieter. The inclusion of a fitting soundtrack with punk music and others is a welcome addition at least. 

Gameplay itself remains a big selling point. This has pick-up-and-play potential just like its predecessor, yet the skill ceiling is immense. Those who want to really dial in and improve can learn the ins and outs of a control scheme that has one analog stick controlling the lean of the bike, and the other the rider. 

Thankfully, Milestone seems to have ironed out some of the issues with physics present in the last game. Whether a rider sticks a landing or goes flying still feels random at times, but other odd hiccups seem correct. That said, crashes that dislodge a rider from his or her bike still feel weird, with the rider often going fully limp for no reason, even on low-speed crashes. 

Assists are again present like in any racing game, so players will decide whether it plays more like an arcade game or a straight-up simulation. Most typical assists are here, including a colored line helping players navigate the course, should they choose to use it. 

Dialing in and improving is rewarding when it comes to tearing through turns and properly navigating a series of jumps. Opponent AI riders don't get in the way of this often, as they generally don't get aggressive and cause wrecks. 

The aforementioned dynamic weather deserves a nod as well, with varying conditions making courses play differently. Compensating for these alterations can decide races outright, which is a nice touch for a sport where weather plays a bigger factor than most. 

Overall, Milestone doubled down on the strengths of the first game.  

Career Mode and More

Some of the bigger talking points surrounding Monster Energy Supercross 2 are the upgrades to the career mode. 

Players can fire up a career with a created driver and hit the track in various classes while competing against real-life stars. It's a fun mode with worthwhile achievements to pursue, which creates a fun gameplay loop—but it isn't perfect. 

Some of the mode's additions feel like small back-of-box selling points and nothing more. A player's Fame level will influence which sponsors they can earn. Better sponsors means more Sx credit gained per event and perhaps even Sx credit modifiers based on things like place of finish and signing bonuses. 

But the weekly schedule, which allows players to book events to boost Fame and prepare for the week's main event, are where things fall a bit flat. For example, a player can choose to do a promotional day for Sx credits or a media day for Fame. But the latter is simply a soundless clip of the player's created character chatting with a reporter. The former is a soundless clip of him or her leaning against a bike, with both going by quickly. Gameplay is the main selling point of this title, but it would have been nice to see these ideas expanded upon. 

Luckily for players, the customization aspect of Monster Energy Supercross 2 has worthwhile depth. 

There are almost an overwhelming number of unlockable customizations for riders and bikes. These are sectioned off behind credit requirements and otherwise. Players start off at a prestige level of one, with some of the best items in the game locked behind 400-plus prestige levels. Similarly, some of the more unique items can cost 20,000 or more Sx credits. But credit gain and prestige level doesn't feel unbalanced in the general gameplay loop and the wealth of options, from helmets to something as minute as a butt patch means unique-feeling characters. 

The compound also makes a return and is much more diverse in its offerings this time around, not to mention it feels bigger. Granted, some parts are blocked off at the beginning of the game and locked behind gameplay feats, but it's a small gripe. It still serves as an open world for the player to explore while working on riding across various surfaces. From the menu, players can alter the weather and time of day, experiment with tuning and bikes. 

The compound could use some quality of life adjustments. It is fairly fluid, but the map doesn't show what direction a player is pointed, which can make it hard to navigate the sprawling playspace. 

At the launch, Monster Energy Supercross 2 boasts 17 tracks and graphic upgrades, and attention to detail—not to mention the way they play—have started to give each track a unique feel. 

The track editor also returns and is as snappy as ever. There are more pieces to play with this time around, and it should again be fun to see what the creative side of the community can come up with for players. A helpful tutorial at the onset works wonders, though like the customization, it can be intimidating to see just how many tools are left in the hands of players. 

But the track editor also highlights one of the game's issues. Load times can be painfully long, whether it is hopping from the track editor to the track itself to try it out. 

Conclusion

Monster Energy Supercross 2, despite its growing pains in certain areas, is a fun ride for casual and hardcore fans thanks to the gameplay. 

It seems Milestone wants to hit on all the big talking points most sports games have, from a career mode to an open-world offering where players can improve their skills. It doesn't hit all these points impressively, but most sports games don't. 

Where many struggle, though, Monster Energy Supercross 2 doesn't. Gameplay is nailed down incredibly well and is as difficult or simple as an individual wants it to be thanks to a suite of options and overall solid controls and feel. 

For players who want an upgraded game in this niche, Milestone has delivered again while expanding in interesting ways. The blueprint for additional growth seems obvious and obtainable in future years, but new players also have the perfect opportunity to jump in and hit the ground running.