Monster Energy Supercross 25 Review

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As I grow older, I find myself increasingly attracted to racing simulation games. Previously, I was more inclined towards games like “Need for Speed” and “Forza Horizon”, rather than opting for “Gran Turismo” or a Formula One game.

In the realm of dirt bike racing, my preference has traditionally leaned towards the fast-paced, arcade-style action found in games like MX vs. ATV, rather than the more realistic Monster Energy Supercross.

It’s unclear exactly what changes occur within a person when they reach their 30s, but my fascination with the sim racing world has unexpectedly grown stronger than ever.

I’m looking for a racing game where I can experience the authentic physics of driving, so I can challenge myself rather than effortlessly executing stunts like a turbo-charged triple backflip over my opponents at the finish line without colliding with them.

Since I’ve been eagerly waiting for a long time to delve into the world of Monster Energy Supercross, a series I’d only vaguely known before, and now being an experienced gamer who regularly follows some kind of racing event, it seemed like the perfect moment to embark on a comprehensive supercross racing adventure.

As a gamer, I soon discovered that this game was designed to knock me down time and again. But instead of discouraging me, it fueled my determination to master it. The Soulslike player within me rose up, determined to trounce each opponent until I was leaving them all in the dust.

Despite its imperfections, Supercross 25 offers an enjoyable experience overall when you master the intricacies of dirt bike simulation racing and find your rhythm with each tabletop, triple, and roller section.

Whether you’re just starting out with this series or have been a fan for a while and want to know if number 25 is worth investing in, I’ve got some insights to share. Let’s get started!

Unreal Presentation

This season, the Monster Energy Supercross game has stepped up to Unreal Engine 5, offering a fresh batch of physics and graphical prowess that outshines its predecessors significantly. It appears that this upgrade has greatly benefited the game, as demonstrated by its impressive performance.

Although it may not be the game with the most captivating visuals globally, its graphical representation during races maintains a level of realism and clarity that effectively preserves your sense of immersion.

The bikes appear stylish, the genuine collection of branded customizable accessories gives a realistic feel, the rider’s shirts billow convincingly with wind, and every groove and mound on the track stands out distinctly.

The problem with maintaining visual accuracy lies primarily in the depiction of riders’ faces, which have quite restricted customization options. However, since you’ll be donning a helmet and goggles for most of your riding experience, this issue might not be as significant as it seems.

Beyond that, the visual representation is commendable, and it’s definitely robust enough to satisfy the expectations of many gamers.

For someone hailing from Indiana who’s witnessed numerous Indianapolis Colts games, experiencing Lucas Oil Stadium transformed into an expansive supercross track was truly exhilarating on a personal note. This time around, real-life racers will be part of the action too, making it even more exciting for sports enthusiasts.

In all, there are 17 supercross courses officially recognized, along with 6 motocross tracks and 4 rhythm attack tracks. These rhythm attack tracks feature quick, straight-line sections similar to a drag race, complete with numerous jumps and rollers throughout. Mastering each segment precisely is crucial due to the intense focus on perfection in every aspect.

As a music enthusiast, I can confidently say this blend is more than ample to satisfy my ears. Plus, it offers an editor feature where I can give designing tracks a shot myself! Not only that, but I can also download and experiment with tracks crafted by fellow global music lovers. What a fantastic opportunity to broaden my musical horizons!

Although many attempts may not provide the same level of enjoyment and fulfillment that professional racetrack engineers experience when designing tracks for their livelihoods, the concept of limitless user-generated races remains incredibly enticing.

Bottom line, this new engine works great for the series.

The game leverages Unreal Engine 5 to incorporate an engaging and dynamic racing element, specifically, the changing track conditions during a single race.

Riding through the track, I notice that as we lap repeatedly, the grooves dug by other riders become deeper, creating fresh obstacles and difficulties with each loop. The rainy conditions have left pools of mud and eroded the ruts into corners, making a slip-out inevitable if one isn’t cautious.

Essentially, this novel engine performs exceptionally well within the series, offering an authenticity and total excellence that consistently engages you. It’s truly remarkable, showcasing exceptional functionality given it’s the first attempt using a fresh toolset.

In terms of audio quality, bikes produce an impressive growl during races, especially when all riders are vying for the initial lead. The selection of background music in the menu is quite common, featuring a mix of rock and heavy metal instrumentals.

As a devoted fan, I must admit that the commentary often focuses on pre-race chatter and post-race analysis. Yet, there’s something undeniably cool about having racing icon Ricky Carmichael lending his voice to the action – it’s always a treat!

At certain instances, the commentary provided an unusual amount of inaccurate information. To illustrate, during a pre-race segment, an overly enthusiastic announcer mistakenly declared that the event was the last race of the season in Salt Lake City.

It turned out that the event was the opening race of the season, and I found myself in Alabama. Although these facts aren’t major issues, they do create a sense of discomfort and incongruity when they occur.

Learning Curves

For beginners or those unfamiliar with the Monster Energy Supercross series, Monster Energy Supercross 25 might seem challenging due to its focus on accurately replicating dirt bike racing and the complexity of the supercross sport itself.

The positive aspect is that there’s an easily accessible set of training goals to accomplish and a dictionary of equestrian terminology to peruse, both intended to provide comprehensive introductions for beginners. However, it should be noted that, in practice, these resources may not offer as clear explanations as intended.

Many of the terms and ideas you’ll study are clarified using lingo specific to supercross/riding, which may remain puzzling unless you already have a decent understanding of the sport. This also applies to the practical exercises you’ll perform.

After wrapping up all my training sessions, I must admit, I was far from confident about my skills. The controls seemed complex and unwieldy, making me feel like a fish out of water. Despite having three customizable difficulty settings to help me along, it’s clear that I’ll be taking a beating as I familiarize myself with the gameplay mechanics for some time.

This problem largely requires self-discovery, which could feel quite challenging during the initial few hours.

I wish there were more visual guides on the track to enhance the learning process. Currently, there’s a guide that suggests the ideal jump lengths, but since it doesn’t come with throttle or speed indicators, its usefulness is somewhat limited.

Like the adjustable braking zones found in games such as Gran Turismo, having changeable markers could assist in determining the appropriate speed and aggression needed at first glance.

Supercross involves mastering the timing and sequence of landing each jump and navigating every turn flawlessly. A single mistake can disrupt your rhythm for an extended period, leaving you struggling while others effortlessly continue their race.

It’s truly gratifying to embrace this challenging learning process wholeheartedly. Every time I manage to take off a guide, move up to the next level of complexity, and enhance the AI’s abilities, it feels incredibly fulfilling.

After getting the hang of the game and completing an ideal lap that made me feel synchronized throughout, I found myself deeply captivated by the game’s progression system and felt compelled to continuously improve my skills.

If you’re starting this series for the first time, make sure you’re prepared to invest effort to fully grasp the rules of this game.

If you find my early struggles with these games amusing because they’re familiar to you, I understand. Since you’ve played them before, your gaming experience might be quite different – you’ll likely dive into the game without giving it a second thought.

Even though it’s important to note, if you’re diving into the series for the first time, you should be prepared to invest effort in mastering this game. The sense of accomplishment will be worth it, but it’s not uncommon for players to find it challenging initially and move to a less complex racing simulation instead.

Making A Career Out Of It

For the first time, there’s an exciting new career mode that allows you to develop a character who starts from scratch in the racing world. As you progress, your rider will move up through various levels of competition, encountering different classes and teams eager for your services if you demonstrate exceptional track performance.

At heart, climbing up the ladder was gratifying, and it was delightful to discover which teams showed interest in me following every race, pondering whether to switch teams for improved bike capabilities, swifter teammates, or just a more appealing paint job.

Regrettably, the career mode lacks significant depth beyond attempting to impress potential employers and continuously participating in races to establish a reputation within the sport.

Every now and then, non-standard events are interspersed among the official racing competitions. These events can range from a motocross race to a knockout tournament focused on rhythm attacks. However, these events don’t have much significance beyond helping you accumulate a few more social media followers.

From my perspective as a racing enthusiast, managing my social media platform is no walk in the park. It’s flooded with repetitive, simplistic messages from competitors, commentators, teammates, and sponsors. I find myself limited to two primary responses to these interactions, which can significantly impact aspects like team dynamics and the formation of healthy rivalries among drivers.

In 2025, this feature of the sports game seems rather outdated and lackluster, especially when compared to the innovative approaches other franchises take on similar concepts.

Beyond it, the career mode is quite minimalistic. It lacks narrative arcs, extended cutscenes, and any engaging drama that you might encounter in top-tier sports games.

In essence, you’ll primarily focus on competing and climbing the leaderboard towards the next league category by 2025. However, this career mode may seem surprisingly simple and conventional compared to contemporary standards, resembling a gameplay feature more commonly found in sports games from the last few decades.

As a passionate cyclist, I can enhance my ride by instructing my team to refine specific aspects of my bike: speed, acceleration, handling, or braking. After a week-long development process, this improvement will be implemented, and I’ll enjoy the benefits for quite some time!

Unfortunately, there really aren’t a ton of exciting modes outside of this basic career experience.

Upgrading significantly enhances performance, yet alternative titles may introduce variables such as team funds and the technical expertise of the engineers, which can influence the effectiveness of your upgrades.

Unfortunately, beyond the fundamental job-related experiences, there aren’t many captivating modes to explore. Most other activities within the game are essentially combined in the career mode, making it a probable choice for gameplay. However, if you’re looking for variety, there isn’t much here besides repetitive racing to entice continued play.

After a full day, the racing becomes enjoyable when you delve into it, however, it’s important to note that the limited number of gameplay modes should be acknowledged.

Closing Comments:

The Monster Energy Supercross 25 game offers challenging yet rewarding racing simulation experience. The latest physics, powered by Unreal Engine 5, provide an unprecedented level of realism, with dynamic track surfaces that keep each race unique and exhilarating. However, the career mode isn’t particularly impressive compared to many other modern sports or racing games, and the training mode could be more effective in helping new players get the hang of it. Nevertheless, once you get accustomed to the game, the races can be incredibly fun and exciting. Moreover, the prospect of countless custom tracks for testing is an interesting feature if you choose to make use of it. The game modes are solid, but may not offer extensive variety to keep you engaged indefinitely. If you’re willing to learn the mechanics or are a fan of the series, 25 is a valuable addition to your racing simulator library.

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2025-04-07 18:11