MotoGP 2 is new motorcycle racer sequel based on the outstandingly popular sport of Grand Prix Motorcycle racing. MotoGP is the greatest motorbike race in the world, and is accredited by the FIM (Federation Internationale de Motocyclisme). There are three classes, 125 cc, 250 cc and MotoGP. The high performance machines are specially made for the event, which is seen as the Formula One of the motorbike world.

MotoGP 2 features 16 tracks from the real world sport -Suzuka (Japan), Assen (Netherlands), Brno (Czech), Donington Park (UK), Jerez (Spain), Le Mans (France), Mugello (Italy), Phillip Island (Australia), Sachsenring (Germany), Valenciana (Italy), Phakisa (South Africe), Catalunya (Spain), Estoril (Portugal), Rio (Brasil), Motegi (Japan), Sepang (Malaysian), with all the bikes and riders featured in the 2002 season (including Valentino ROSSI, Carlos CHECA, Max BIAGGI, Alex BARROS, Loris CAPIROSSI, Sete GIBERNAU, Garry McCOY, ...and of course Daijira KATOA who recently died - R.I.P.), an arcade style control system, customizable bike and rider liveries, split screen, multiplayer gaming mode supporting up to four players.

You can choose from six different single-player modes - Quick Race (for those who want to jump right into the action), Championship, Stunt (lets you rack up points through both stunts and clearing track sections under predetermined times), Time Trial and Career Mode (complete simulation of the 2002 MotoGP Grand Prix). They finally added a bike set-up option, which allows you to tweak things like gear ratios, tyre compounds, suspension, etc. So, in Career Mode, you'll distribute attribute points into skills such as cornering, braking, acceleration, and top speed to personalize your bike's performance.

MotoGP 2 is definitely not a pure simulation game as GP 500. Instead, this game offers a mix of arcade fun and simulation realism. There are the simulation settings (1-100) which allow you to control the realism of the physics simulation. Sadly the damage model still doesn't exist in any classical sense of the word, as your bike simply gets replaced after a crash, and you can continue the race with several seconds of delay. It doesn't matter how many times you crash, your bike is indestructible and you are immortal.

MotoGP 2 may not have enough options to appeal to the hardcore gamer, but in my opinion, Moto GP 2 is one of the most amazing racers that I have ever played. Normally, I´m not into motorcycle games that much, definitely not the simulation types, but this game rocks :) Overall, MotoGP2 doesn't look substantially different from MotoGP, but it has some nice improvements that make it worth playing/buying. So, if you like motorcycle racing games, get it! ($20).

It seems there are no minimum hardware requirements specified (MotoGP2 website has an error), but they claim that MotoGP has been tested on these cards: nVidia GeForce4 TI, nVidia GeForce2 GTS, nVidia GeForce2 MX, nVidia GeForce 256, nVidia Riva TNT2, ATI Radeon 9700, ATI Radeon 8500, ATI Rage Fury Maxx, Matrox Parhelia, Matrox G400, Matrox G200, PowerVR Kyro II, 3dfx Voodoo5, 3dfx Voodoo3.