I sit here with a quandary within my brain. It seems that every time I find myself trying to identify with a Moto GP licensed game, I end up turning to THQ and Climax's efforts on the Xbox consoles rather than Namco Bandai's attempts on the PlayStation 2. I don't know why that is. It's not like Namco's made complete failures that aren't worth something to the motorcycle-loving set, it's just that Climax has made such an art out of the racing form that it's hard to really consider the competition. And their latest effort, the excellent Moto GP '06 for the Xbox 360, happens to push the envelope even further. What's Namco Bandai to do in an attempt to sway gamers back over?

Well, MotoGP 4 from the company probably won't sway over too many who haven't gotten addicted to the series already, but at least it has a couple of things working for it that still makes it worthy of some kind of recommendation. The game features a series of racing events and classes to choose from that are bound to keep avid racing fans happy, even if they aren't of the same technical nature that Climax has seem to caught onto. But, hey, different development quirks for different teams. It's not like you can put two development houses behind Ridge Racer projects and expect the exact same thing.

The classes range from 125cc and move up from there to the MotoGP class, so you have time to excel your skills through a series of races and challenges, so you don't have to automatically know what you're doing right away. Of course, SOME racing expertise does help, so the more knowledge you bring into the technical side of motorcycle racing, the better. These aren't stocky NASCAR vehicles, but rather slick little two-wheeled rides where the driver can easily get knocked off if they don't know what they're doing. There's a separate nature to be learned here, and although the game doesn't quite have the nature of Moto GP '06 behind it, MotoGP 4 is more than capable of carrying its load.

The presentation is okay at best, nothing outstanding but nothing non-functional on the other side. The bikes look good, the frame rate is mostly steady, the replays look rather functional, and the game doesn't manage to slow down in any way shape or form. Granted, it doesn't look incredibly different from the other MotoGP games that Namco Bandai has on the market (aside from some cosmetic touches), but the graphic engine is functional and, because of that, it moderately succeeds. It helps to have some decent track design thrown in for good measure, so you actually feel like you're racing on a Moto GP circuit instead of through some chump's backyard.

The game has a variety of modes to revisit, although most may look familiar to those with this series. There's arcade mode and time trial mode, modes that seem to be sub-standard with any racing game that gives the rider opportunity to practice, along with a legends mode where you can challenge great Moto GP riders, a challenge mode with over 125 different individual challenges to conquer, and a season mode, where you have to work your way through a series of races to make yourself better. Namco Bandai did have a small flaw here, basing it on the past 2004 season instead of a current one, which is a bit questionable. But I suppose it was a matter of converting everything to the most current season. It doesn't really affect the "chi" of the game, if you will.

The gameplay is pretty solid, although maybe not as technical as previous games like Moto GP '06 and even Tourist Trophy The turning and handling aspects seem to be just as technical, and you can even provide some adjustments so that the control scheme fits to your liking. Bike addicts will probably utilize this feature more than normal players, but it's still nice to have. Probably the biggest kick most amateur riders will find is that the game has a braking assist option, so you don't go automatically flying off the track after a vicious turn. It takes a little getting used to (especially with the agtgressive AI that the game manages to pack), but it's a great system that helps others adapt to the nature of the MotoGP series.

While the presentation probably won't win any points overall (weather effects are rather lame and the sound/music fail to rise above anything beyond monotonous), probably the biggest thing gamers will like about MotoGP 4 is the online multiplayer. Here, up to eight players can compete in a continuous race for first place through a series of modes and races. It is kinda limited lobby-wise, but the online play is very active and works pretty well, depending on the circuit you're racing in. And it also provides a fresh little twist that this series hasn't seen since the days of it debuting in the arcades as simple ol' MotoGP. Kudos to Namco Bandai for adding this option in, it saves another chapter in this series from just being another addition to the life cycle.

If you want the definitive motorcycle racing experience, Tourist Trophy still kind of has your number, as Polyphony knows the exact nature of the motorcycle engine, stim to stern. However, if you're looking for a decent alternative with online multiplayer and decent functionality, MotoGP 4 is well worth a look, and probably the last chapter we see before Namco Bandai shifts this series to the PS3 and gives us the ride we've been looking for. Here's to hoping an announcement surfaces, giving us something to look forward to in the next-gen motorcycle run. We'll be revving our engines in anticipation until then, gentlemen.