Monster truck racing games are usually hit or miss. They either have weighted physics while controlling the massive vehicles as they destroy everything in their path, or the controls are super loose and uninviting with the gameplay that is too unrealistic to be taken seriously. In its current preview state, Monster Truck Championship - from developer Polish studio, Teyon - leans towards the former, but still feels like a little tightening up could make it be one of the standout titles within the monster truck racing genre.
Realistic Focus
Monster Truck Championship is touted as “the first monster trucks simulation game with real physics.” Rather than another awkward racer, Teyon decided to make a game that doesn’t really exist yet within the market. The game was developed with three pillars in mind: being realistic and challenging, showcasing the spectacular side of the sport, and providing players with rich content in the way of customization options and game modes.
The game definitely delivers on its third pillar, offering up 16 different monster trucks with over 50 customizable elements, from engine and performance upgrades to cosmetic options. There are also 25 different arenas, while featuring a Career mode, a Quick Play mode with different events such as Race, Drag Race, Freestyle, and Destruction, as well as an online multiplayer mode for up to eight players.
Gameplay is pretty straightforward, especially if you’re already familiar with the sport. Race, Freestyle, and Destruction modes are pretty self-explanatory, but I was surprised to find that Drag Race quickly became my favorite mode. Drag races are condensed 1-v-1 races against another truck that take place on shortened tracks, where one wrong move could be the difference between first and second place. Not only did this mode provide fast-pace and surprisingly exhilarating gameplay, it was also a great way to learn how to handle my truck - which proved to be a bit more difficult than I had imagined.
There’s a bit of a learning curve when learning how to control your monster truck. Obviously, with a machine so big, controls aren’t quite as tight as you’d expect from a typical racecar. But there were plenty of moments - most notably during normal races - where my truck’s handling was overly sensitive, causing me to fly off the track after the slightest attempt to correct my trajectory. The touchiness of the controls extended into other game modes - such as it being a bit of a headache to try and line up with a jump in Freestyle mode - but the Race mode seemed to be the biggest offender. That said, taking control of your monster truck definitely feels better than most other monster truck games I’ve played. There just seems to be room for improvement.
A Promising Preview
Monster Truck Championship doesn’t necessarily do much for the monster truck racing genre in general, but it does seem to be on the right path for being one of the more realistic games out there.
Teyon is certainly capable of producing the type of niche games that players want. After all, although Terminator: Resistance (which was also developed by Teyon), didn’t necessarily hit the mark with critics, a Metacritic Use Score of 8.1 is nothing to dismiss. With Monster Truck Championship’s audience primarily being fans of the sport (and likely younger players who are into big, loud trucks), it’s easy to imagine the game striking a chord and being generally well-received. With the studio also partnering with Nacon - a notable publisher within the realm of racing titles - Monster Truck Championship could become a go-to title for players looking for a more realistic monster truck driving experience.
Monster Truck Championship will be available in October 2020 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC, with a Nintendo Switch version releasing in November 2020.
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