MotoGP 23 preview: More of the same?

In my MotoGP 23 preview, I take the latest annual bike racer of the official race for a spin. Here is what is new plus some early first impressions.

Think you are good at racing games? Well, allow MotoGP 23 to bring you down a notch or seven. The latest instalment of the Milestone-developed two-wheeled racer is back and just as tough as ever.

Based on a limited preview, in which features such as online multiplayer and career are missing, MotoGP 23 comes across as similar to MotoGP 22. Not just in terms of presentation and features but also handling. More on that in a minute.

Please note: This is the script from my YouTube video, click play above to watch or go here.

Like before, you get to enjoy all the official riders and tracks from the 2023 MotoGP season. That includes all categories: MotoGP, Moto2, Moto3 and MotoE. You also get more than 80 riders and bikes

There are, however, some notable additions and improvements. First and arguably one of the most important is the neural aids system, which now works harder to help you. Like in Forza Horizon 5 before the developers nerfed it, every assist on in MotoGP 23 acts like autopilot.

Fortunately, you can dial it down to help you get up to speed without holding your hand. Or turn all off and enjoy some hard-as-nails bike control, which involves controlling rider position, level of braking, level of acceleration and when to turn in.

Honestly, MotoGP 23 does not take any prisoners and as with its predecessor there is a big focus on braking early and for a while. But not so much you tip over the handlebars. As a result, there is a big contrast between the lightning fast straights and markedly slower corners.

What about the handling?

As for the physics, bikes rarely do anything unexpected if you are smooth. It is just tempting to enter corners too fast and put the power on too early, neither of which end well. At least you can usually save the bike from throwing you off.

Neural aids is not the only thing designed to tackle the steep learning curve. MotoGP Academy comes with challenges aimed at improving your bike control while adding a few extra hours of gaming to the package.

Split-screen multiplayer makes a return, too (except on Nintendo Switch), as does time trial and custom grand prix events. Then there is dynamic weather and flag to flag, which involves the chance of rain during a race so racers potentially have to pit for a different bike.

Unfortunately cross-platform multiplayer is unavailable between PC and Nintendo Switch, however it does work between consoles – current generation and before.

As for those who want to add a personal touch, MotoGP 23 features a graphics editor. Here you can make custom stickers, edit your helmet, racing number and ‘butt patch’ as Milestone calls it.

Turning a corner

And lastly, the MotoGP 23 career mode will feature something called ‘Turning Points’. These allow you to make it faster to progress to Moto2 and MotoGP, change team, develop the bike via special challenges or become a legend, according to the press materials.

There is even a fictional social network you can use to “build relationships with riders, teams and manufacturers”. Or make rivals with trolling memes. Possibly. Meanwhile, teams develop their bikes differently so one that is initially dominant may later fall behind.

As with MotoGP 22, I enjoy the racing once it starts to click. But you have to be a pretty die-hard fan to stick with it long term, especially now that Ride 5 is looming – and likely to offer a wider variety of bike racing.

And that is it for my MotoGP 23 preview – any questions, I can pretend to know what I am talking about in the video comments. Feel free to like, subscribe and maybe even join my Patreon to help the channel.