MotorStorm: Apocalypse

Did You Know?

• The City houses two factions: the Crazies and DuskLite, who vie for survival.
• The game received 'generally favorable reviews' according to Metacritic.

Story

MotorStorm: Apocalypse shifts the series toward a stronger narrative focus. The three-day festival unfolds in a ruined urban environment called The City, set on the West Coast of the United States, inspired by California's Bay Area. This is the first game in the series to leave natural landscapes behind. The story is told through three racers: Mash, Tyler, and Big Dog, each representing a different difficulty level. Over the course of the festival, each sees a different side of the disaster. The single-player mode includes 40 tracks spread across three difficulty levels, with each level tied to one racer's perspective. The tracks themselves are dynamic, reshaped by earthquakes, tornadoes, and helicopters crashing into buildings. Multiplayer supports up to four-player split-screen locally and two-player split-screen online, along with 16-player races, vehicle customization, performance perks, and a wagering system.

Development

After watching the title sequence for Smokin' Aces, Alan McDermott from Evolution approached VooDooDog to explore developing a Hollywood blockbuster title sequence for the game. This was the first time VooDooDog had worked on a game title sequence. Paul Donnellon noted in an interview that the approach was similar to creating a music video, with music being a key element. In an article by Edge, mention was made of how VooDooDog developed custom fonts; Donnellon explained they wanted to try different handmade fonts built into walls like graffiti, and that typography alone was not enough.

Release

The game was released in spring 2011 in Europe and North America. Initially scheduled for release in New Zealand on 16 March, it was delayed indefinitely after a magnitude 6.3 earthquake in that country in February. Sony Computer Entertainment Europe delayed the UK release, citing sensitivity to parallels with the disaster. The game first released in Asia on 16 March 2011. In Australia, it launched on 17 March as scheduled, but Sony halted further shipments and pulled advertising. In North America, three DLC packs were available as pre-order incentives, each from a specific retailer, including a PlayStation Network avatar, an XMB theme, and unique vehicle designs and stickers.