This is not your traditional racing game.
If you want a challenging, gritty, and exciting racing experience, then MX v ATV Legends is the ideal game for you.
Mastering your vehicle on either two wheels or four will take some serious skill, but you will have plenty of fun along the way!
First impressions
Tough. This is not like your other racing games where the brakes are an afterthought.
In MX v ATV Legends, you will need to understand all the controls to ensure you are not losing ground on your rivals.
The introductory tutorials are quick, well-explained, and easy to complete, allowing you to get on the track quickly and with some idea of what you are doing!
There are characters to meet along the way that intertwine with the Career Mode too, so best to get to know them along the way.
Put in the practice
Free riding around the farm is arguably the best way to get used to riding or driving your chosen vehicle, but you can also take the pressure off in exhibition modes.
Time Trials will test your speed, while Quickplay offers a variety of different modes to help you hone your skills.
Selecting the Freeride mode will give you the best opportunity to experience different vehicles and maps if you are solely looking to practice.
You can also challenge your own ‘ghost’, so you can see certain areas of the track where you are fastest. A real benefit when trying to improve!
Career choice
Career Mode is likely where you will spend most of your time in MX v ATV Legends, and if you are only interested in the racing side of things, this is perfect.
However, the lack of custom options for your character and the generic interactions with your teammates leave the mode feeling a little lifeless outside of race day.
The absence of proper rivalries, storylines, or cut scenes is noticeable, especially after playing some of the other sporting career modes currently available.
That being said, the racing side of MX v ATV Legends Career Mode is still thrilling, so if that’s all you want then it is ideally suited to you.
Locker room charge
It is quite disappointing that just changing the colour of your character's outfit or your vehicle costs in-game currency.
Without adding any perks to performance, this seems unnecessary to limit players on how much they can customise their look from the outset.
The Garage and Locker are the places to set your preferences though, but again there are limited options for your character.
Just two body types are on offer, and at no stage does your helmet come off. This adds to the lack of character felt during Career Mode.
Verdict
The fundamental of any game is that it should be fun, and MX v ATV Legends has that box ticked.
Hurtling around the various trails and tracks is scintillating, and the feeling of leaning into a tight turn and accelerating away is fantastic.
The option to play both online and on a local split-screen is also a bonus so you can take on your friends in a variety of racing situations.
However, the Career Mode feels like it missing a bit of depth, so if you want a fully immersive racing experience, it may be worth looking elsewhere.
