Winning the next-generation war is going to take more than just verbal mud-slinging—it’ll take a little dirty work and that’s exactly what Sony Computer Entertainment is doing with MotorStorm. Dredging up amazing visuals, fantastic gameplay, and more mud than you can handle, Evolution Studios has crafted an energetic title that totally revs up your PlayStation 3. While a surprising lack of basic gameplay modes and features prevents the game from achieving its full potential, MotorStorm passes the finish line as one of the best titles thus far for the system.

MotorStorm depicts a fictitious off-road racing get-together known as the “MotorStorm Festival.” Set to the picturesque backdrop of Arizona’s Monument Valley, the MotorStorm Festival brings together thousands to celebrate off-road racing at its finest. The gear-grinding, mud-drenched, high-octane racing you’ll experience on your way to seizing the MotorStorm Festival championship is unbelievably entertaining. Working through the lengthy single player portion of the game involves tackling 21 event tickets, spanning dozens of races with bikes, ATVs, buggies, rally cars, and trucks.

Whether you race through ditches or up on canyon bluffs, there’s a lot to explore among the game’s eight tracks. Each highlights a distinct type of terrain, ranging from the muddy ravines of the Tenderizer to the arid mesa-tops of the Grasshopper. Additional venues would have been nice not only to enhance the variety, but to extend the game’s value. With only eight tracks, MotorStorm begins to feel familiar after a short hour or two; working through the single player festival, you’ll pick up a sense of repetitiveness due to the limited number of courses.

Learning to deal with variations in terrain is vital in keeping your vehicle intact and winning races. You definitely feel the physical affect of the terrain on handling, especially when using the Sixaxis’ motion-controls. For example, rocky mesas can cause you to bounce about the screen, whereas viscous mud puddles will slow your vehicle down. Exploring branching paths will allow you to avoid speed-draining terrain or simply circumvent competitors. Split second decisions can make a huge difference between taking the lead or falling back amid a flurry of competitors. Depending on the type of vehicle you’re driving, you can opt for paths that will maximize your speed. Taking paths high up from the mud makes sense with a bike or ATV, but staying low to the ground is best when driving a mud plugger or big rig. In this way, MotorStorm encourages careful use of vehicles when tearing up its multi-tiered courses.

The structure of the single player game is rather unusual, focusing purely on the MotorStorm Festival as a sort of campaign. Placing first, second, or third in a race rewards you with points that unlock new tickets and vehicles; unfortunately, these are unlocked at set intervals. There are no other single player modes of play beyond the Festival—no quick races against the computer, garage for customizing vehicles, or even time trials. Despite the intensity of its racing MotorStorm ultimately feels shallow, lacking basic modes and features expected of contemporary racing games.

Beyond the lengthy single player festival, MotorStorm offers up addicting online multiplayer racing; sadly, a lack of support for split-screen play holds back what is otherwise a fantastic experience. Jumping onto the PlayStation Network, you can compete against up to 11 other players in customizable races—venue, number of laps, allowed vehicle types, and even the ambience (time of day) can be tailored as a host. Since you can only participate in straightforward speed races, the online experience is rather limited; however, it’s simply so well executed that you’ll keep signing in for more. Absolutely no technical issues with online play make it effortless to venture onto the Network for a couple of matches. There’s no question that offline multiplayer modes ought to have been incorporated in the final design, but what multiplayer functionality MotorStorm does offer is pretty solid.

Playing MotorStorm is a surreal experience, a wild ride through a digital reality synthesized by means of an intensely detailed presentation. Amazingly, MotorStorm exudes a unique style that breathes life into the fierce fictional off-road festival amid its pursuit of photorealism. Meticulously-rendered vehicles featuring location-specific destructibility and gorgeous courses peppered with vegetation and decorated with fluttering flags and banners only hint at the incredible visual design. Running your motor into the dusty wastelands of the Arizona wilderness draws up voluminous clouds, mud flings about when traipsing through puddles, and bright sunlight dynamically fills the screen depending on its range from your view. The advanced graphical features showcased are simply amazing, especially running at a maximum resolution of 720p. Thankfully, the framerate is rock solid throughout the entirety of the game, even online. A sweet soundtrack and grinding engine sounds complement the high-octane action, like a dollop of whipped cream on this little mud pie.