SBK-07 Superbike World Championship (PSP)
- Publisher:
- BlackBean
- Developer:
- MileStone Inc.
- Release Date:
- 18.05.2007
- Number of players:
- n/a
- Type:
- Motorcycle
- Reality Factor:
- Realistic
- Extra:
- Tracks
- Age:
- Modern Times
We play SBK-07 Superbike World Championship...
For 20 years motorcycle fans have watched two world championships compete for their attention. But is there room for both to coexist on in the gaming world?
It's a great time to be a fan of motorcycle racing and video games. MotoGP, the two-wheeled equivalent of Formula One, has long been a successful franchise, and it's been joined by the legendary Isle of Man TT in recent years. But both now face a new challenge from SBK-07, which is officially-licenced by the World Superbike championship.
But it's not an entirely new experience for Italian developers Milestone, as they produced World Superbike games for the PC market in the late 1990s. Returning seven years after their last game in the series, the Playstation 2 version became available earlier this year, and this PSP version will be followed by Xbox 360 and PC adaptations.
The World Superbike series is based around production machinery, adapted from the bikes you'd see in a local motorcycle dealer. But engine, chassis and brake modifications are allowed, giving top speeds around 200mph on certain tracks. It's also a series which has a friendlier reputation than MotoGP, with riders more accessible to fans, and it has a strong following in countries such as Britain, which has seen three world champions with Carl Fogarty, Neil Hodgson and James Toseland.
The PSP version of the game is pretty much a port of the PS2 original, but the graphics actually look sharper on the smaller handheld. A total of 11 current tracks are included, with Britain's Brands Hatch and Silverstone, Holland's Assen, and Italy's Monza and Misano. All of the tracks are instantly recognisable, with details such as race trucks in the paddock areas.
Bikes and riders are nicely detailed, as you can choose from all the names in the 2007 series, including James Toseland, Troy Bayliss, Max Biaggi and Noriyuki Haga. And their machines are also modelled accurately, whether it's the Italian V-Twin Ducatis, or the Japanese four cylinder bikes of Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha and Kawasaki. And the very different engine and exhaust noise from the two types of bike are passably represented.
One limitation of the PSP is the number of riders in the field. During each race you'll be up against a field of 14 riders, which is reduced from the Playstation 2 version. But it's more than enough to provide a challenge, particularly when you begin to tweak the comprehensive realism option.
The handling of the bikes is realistic enough to provide a bit of a challenge, even on rookie difficulty, as you have to adjust to braking early, taking the right line, and getting back on the power without losing grip and sliding into the gravel. But as you up the realism through a large range of settings, you can find yourself dealing with full World Superbike rules, black flags, jump starts, and handling which becomes more realistic and challenging. It takes a little time, but it's worth experimenting with the options to get the setting that gives you the best level to challenge you without becoming impossible.
You can choose to play Quick Race, a full Race Weekend, or a complete Championship, as well as scenario challenges and WLAN multiplayer. So there's options no matter how much time you have with your handheld. The only niggle is that loading screens are quite lengthy for races, which can be frustrating if you only have time for a quick race.
For the first World Superbike game in seven years, it's a commendable effort which does enough to challenge the existing leader in the genre. There's a reasonable challenge and range of options and riders, and the graphics and sound have almost caught up already. And for the first time in several years, it allows you to realistically win as a British rider.
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| Race classic tracks, including Brands Hatch | The bikes are nicely detailed |
It's a great time to be a fan of motorcycle racing and video games. MotoGP, the two-wheeled equivalent of Formula One, has long been a successful franchise, and it's been joined by the legendary Isle of Man TT in recent years. But both now face a new challenge from SBK-07, which is officially-licenced by the World Superbike championship.
But it's not an entirely new experience for Italian developers Milestone, as they produced World Superbike games for the PC market in the late 1990s. Returning seven years after their last game in the series, the Playstation 2 version became available earlier this year, and this PSP version will be followed by Xbox 360 and PC adaptations.
The World Superbike series is based around production machinery, adapted from the bikes you'd see in a local motorcycle dealer. But engine, chassis and brake modifications are allowed, giving top speeds around 200mph on certain tracks. It's also a series which has a friendlier reputation than MotoGP, with riders more accessible to fans, and it has a strong following in countries such as Britain, which has seen three world champions with Carl Fogarty, Neil Hodgson and James Toseland.
 |
 |
|
| Wet weather makes it even more tricky to stay on the track | All the top riders and teams are represented |
The PSP version of the game is pretty much a port of the PS2 original, but the graphics actually look sharper on the smaller handheld. A total of 11 current tracks are included, with Britain's Brands Hatch and Silverstone, Holland's Assen, and Italy's Monza and Misano. All of the tracks are instantly recognisable, with details such as race trucks in the paddock areas.
Bikes and riders are nicely detailed, as you can choose from all the names in the 2007 series, including James Toseland, Troy Bayliss, Max Biaggi and Noriyuki Haga. And their machines are also modelled accurately, whether it's the Italian V-Twin Ducatis, or the Japanese four cylinder bikes of Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha and Kawasaki. And the very different engine and exhaust noise from the two types of bike are passably represented.
One limitation of the PSP is the number of riders in the field. During each race you'll be up against a field of 14 riders, which is reduced from the Playstation 2 version. But it's more than enough to provide a challenge, particularly when you begin to tweak the comprehensive realism option.
The handling of the bikes is realistic enough to provide a bit of a challenge, even on rookie difficulty, as you have to adjust to braking early, taking the right line, and getting back on the power without losing grip and sliding into the gravel. But as you up the realism through a large range of settings, you can find yourself dealing with full World Superbike rules, black flags, jump starts, and handling which becomes more realistic and challenging. It takes a little time, but it's worth experimenting with the options to get the setting that gives you the best level to challenge you without becoming impossible.
You can choose to play Quick Race, a full Race Weekend, or a complete Championship, as well as scenario challenges and WLAN multiplayer. So there's options no matter how much time you have with your handheld. The only niggle is that loading screens are quite lengthy for races, which can be frustrating if you only have time for a quick race.
 |
 |
|
| Disaster can strike at any time as you turn up the difficulty | A good start is always important |
For the first World Superbike game in seven years, it's a commendable effort which does enough to challenge the existing leader in the genre. There's a reasonable challenge and range of options and riders, and the graphics and sound have almost caught up already. And for the first time in several years, it allows you to realistically win as a British rider.
