Parents' Guide to

Motorstorm: Pacific Rift

By Brett Molina, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 12+

Off-road racing game promotes agressive behavior.

Game PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2 2008
Motorstorm: Pacific Rift Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this game.

Community Reviews

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age 9+

Based on 2 parent reviews

Tom_Gamer_Tom
Tom_Gamer_Tom Adult
June 22, 2010
age 10+

This is in no way violent, But its difficult.

Motorstorm is clearly a good game. It doesn't have really mature themes, Just a bit of aggressive racing. You are not blowing heads off so its not bad. When you are next to someone you can punch them off the bike or ATV. Which to be honest isn't bad. You can fall off bikes but there is no blood or visual pain. The language is only in the lyrics when you are driving. As there is a lot of background music. Its no more violent than any other racer. Good game and very difficult.

This title has:

Too much violence
Too much swearing
The-Joker
The-Joker Adult
December 10, 2009
age 8+

It is fun for 4 people, not an educational thing.

This game is simple, there are no rules, do whatever it takes to win, again, these games are not meant to be educational or anything else, only for entertainment.
See all 2 parent reviews

What’s It About?

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.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (2):
Kids say (11):

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.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about off-road racing versus standard racers on tracks. Which environment do you prefer and why?

Game Details

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