Motorstorm: Pacific Rift (PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2)

Sony returns to the roads less traveled with off-roader MOTORSTORM: PACIFIC RIFT, an intense and thrilling racing game. The sequel to MotorStorm packs a wealth of new tracks and game types that give the series more heft. The story revolves around a racing festival on a remote island in the Pacific Ocean. As you win races, you'll earn experience points that earn you festival tickets to tougher challenges. Players can also enjoy the game online through 12-player races, rankings, and matchmaking.

Pacific Rift packs a ton of options for players to choose from. Vehicles vary in speed and size, ranging from motorcycles and ATVs to monster trucks. The tracks look fantastic, offering multiple paths toward the finish. For example, big trucks can muck it up on muddier tracks while ATVs take higher, narrower paths and jumps. Environments are equally balanced. One moment, you're racing through thick brush in a forest. The next race, you're jumping over lava flows or through waterfalls. You'll also earn the opportunity to unlock different events like time trials and eliminators.

For those unfamiliar with MotorStorm, each vehicle includes a boost meter to ramp up your speeds. But if you use your boost for too long, your vehicle explodes. Overall, the racing is exhilarating. Computer-controlled drivers are pretty smart and aggressive. They'll often attempt to bump you off the road or into embankments. When you rush through mud or water, specks will splash onto the screen. Wrecks look explosive. Chunks of metal fly across the screen as vehicles crunch against obstructions. One minor annoyance with Pacific Rift is you're not punished very severely for crashes. This is good for novices, but can feel cheap to the expert player. This proves to be a minor speed bump in the long run, as Pacific Rift presents an invigorating style of off-road racing.