REVIEW – Milestone returns with Monster Energy Supercross 25, the official AMA Supercross Championship game. Was skipping a 2024 installment worth it to deliver fresh innovations this year? Let’s dive into our review of Monster Energy Supercross 25 to find out.

 

After taking a one-year break, Milestone is back in action with Monster Energy Supercross 25, introducing intriguing updates like dynamic track ruts and a significant jump to Unreal Engine 5. I’ve spent recent days thoroughly exploring what the game has to offer—let’s find out if these innovations make it a worthwhile purchase!

 

 

High-Flying American-Style Thrills

 

Supercross 25 is based on the popular AMA Supercross Championship from the United States, a series that boasts IndyCar-like viewership figures—meaning it’s a huge deal. The sport is set on compact stadium motocross tracks, filled with tight hairpins and numerous jumps, rather than extensive straights and sweeping high-speed corners.

Gameplay-wise, this makes Supercross 25 stand out from traditional racing games. It’s less about precision braking or perfect racing lines, and much more about timing your jumps for maximum speed. Sure, you can gain advantages by using corners cleverly, but most of your effort will be spent airborne.

This year’s game features all official riders and current-season tracks from both the AMA Supercross 250cc East/West and 450cc championships. Remarkably—though it sounds odd to say—this is the first game to fully feature accurate, updated layouts for each real-world track. Milestone promises continuous updates throughout the season to reflect any minor changes.

Alongside the official circuits, players will also enjoy fictional motocross courses and straight-line rhythm challenges, including one set dramatically in the shadow of the famous space shuttle.

 

 

“I’ve Got This!” – Or Maybe Not…

 

Before diving deeper, I should clarify that I’m new to the series, having not extensively played previous installments. My motocross gaming history mostly involves classics like Motocross Madness and far too many hours spent on MTX Mototrax. Watching YouTube clips of previous Supercross titles, where influencers effortlessly pulled off jumps, led me to believe I’d breeze right through it myself.

I was very wrong. My initial attempts were embarrassingly poor, yet pride stubbornly prevented me from lowering the difficulty or activating rider aids. Let me strongly recommend against this approach—I eventually gave in, adjusted settings, and found the experience much more rewarding immediately.

As someone unfamiliar with earlier titles, this review won’t directly compare Supercross 25 to previous games, but rather provides perspective from a fresh player’s point of view.

Regarding difficulty, Milestone’s other flagship franchise, MotoGP, comes to mind. Both Supercross and MotoGP rank among the most challenging racing games I’ve experienced on consoles. It’s worth recognizing this upfront. Personally, though demanding, finally mastering techniques provided a uniquely satisfying payoff.

 

 

Fine-Tuning Your Ride

 

When it comes to bike handling, the game offers numerous ways to influence your ride. The Supercross Academy tutorial does a good job teaching specific mechanics, but disappointingly fails to explain the strategic value behind them, which I found frustrating.

I ended up seeking YouTube tutorials from previous titles to learn effective techniques. For example, shifting rider weight with the right stick is straightforward, but the game never clarifies when to lean into or away from turns. Eventually, I rediscovered the preload jump method—leaning back on approach, then forward at the jump’s peak to gain distance—from older motocross games. The game simply assumes prior knowledge of these techniques.

It’s the same with whips (tilting your bike mid-air), scrubs (staying low over jumps), or rear-braking in corners. Supercross 25 tells you how to do these maneuvers but omits guidance on their optimal timing. Getting jump rhythms just right is incredibly tough, though I’m sure perfecting these subtleties greatly improves your lap times.

 

 

Rutting Questions, Tricky Answers

 

Activating rider aids makes these delicate moves automatic, which is fantastic for accessibility and doesn’t overly intrude. Still, I preferred the satisfaction of mastering them myself. If you’re already a seasoned Supercross fan, none of this will likely pose any problems, but newcomers like me may find themselves initially struggling.

The physics occasionally exhibit amusing glitches—for instance, rapidly spinning around 180 degrees can unexpectedly launch your bike backward at rocket speeds. Beyond these quirks, the overall physics feel solid, thanks to substantial revisions since the previous title, particularly in terms of bike weight distribution through corners. I spent a lot of time experimenting with shifting the bike’s center of gravity, often favoring a rearward lean.

The standout new feature is the introduction of dynamic ruts, easily my favorite innovation. As the track becomes increasingly chewed up during a race, deep grooves form, sometimes making handling tricky and occasionally glitchy. Still, it’s a genuinely thrilling addition, reminiscent of the terrain deformation from Sega Rally Revo. By the final lap, corners feature massive piles of dirt, easily causing crashes if mismanaged. It’s an excellent gameplay enhancement!

 

 

Is This Look Really “Unreal”?

 

Another significant change is the transition to Unreal Engine 5. Theoretically, visuals should noticeably improve, though comparing footage to previous entries left me uncertain. Lighting is notably different—more diffused and misty—but describing precisely how is challenging.

Overall, the game’s visuals impress from afar. Stadiums look convincing, cloth physics on riders are well-executed, and bikes are visually appealing. However, certain details lack final polish. The pre-race fireworks, while decent, seem slightly dated, reminiscent of effects you’d expect around 2008.

Additionally, stadium atmosphere feels oddly subdued. Perhaps more NPCs around the course would help. At times, the venues feel oddly empty, almost as if a GIF-style crowd has been pasted onto the stands. On a positive note, marshals waving yellow flags during crashes add realism and enhance immersion.

 

 

Supercross AI: Obstacle or Challenge?

 

The single-player AI has received improvements, functioning well overall, though occasionally frustrating. AI opponents frequently obstruct your path, akin to MotoGP’s AI behavior. Generally positive, this ensures opponents don’t unnaturally yield as seen in EA’s F1 games. However, repeatedly landing on other riders after jumps gets annoying fast.

The AI reacts instantly at starts, yet their bikes seem to have minimal power down straights, making holeshots surprisingly easy. Initially playing on hard difficulty, I achieved podium finishes in the Futures class, but after moving to 250cc, found myself lagging several seconds behind. Lowering difficulty to medium resolved this issue.

Otherwise, the AI behaves reasonably well. Given the nature of Supercross, you’re mostly competing against the track rather than directly battling rivals through braking zones. As such, opponents mostly serve as moving obstacles, an approach that seems fine. Previous installments faced criticism for overly easy AI; supposedly, max difficulty now offers genuine challenge—something I haven’t confirmed personally but am eager to hear professionals’ opinions on.

Multiplayer supports full crossplay—a big plus. Controller-based gameplay is clearly optimal, ensuring fair competition even on PC. Unfortunately, due to the review timing, multiplayer was unavailable, leaving me unable to test it directly.

Still, the passionate Supercross community virtually guarantees finding online competition with minimal effort. Milestone plans a full year of ranked seasons, each offering distinct themes, rewards, and leaderboard resets.

 

 

Career Mode: Muddy Road to Glory

 

Career Mode likely constitutes the core experience in Monster Energy Supercross 25. You begin in a fictional futures class, progressing up to 250cc and eventually the 450cc championship. Similar to Milestone’s MotoGP structure, goals are set across multiple races, focusing on beating specific riders and upgrading your bike with team assistance. Naturally, an antagonistic social media feature is also present whenever your rider gets mentioned online.

Customization remains extensive, allowing detailed bike and rider adjustments, including humorous personal touches like quirky patches. There’s also a robust track editor for players more creatively inclined than myself.

 

 

Final Thoughts: Dirt, Bikes, and Pure Adrenaline

 

I thoroughly enjoyed my time with Monster Energy Supercross 25, eager to delve deeper post-release. Hardcore fans will relish the authentic riders and venues, though newcomers may initially struggle with handling complexities. However, mastering the rhythm delivers exhilarating racing battles that feel immensely rewarding.

-Gergely Herpai “BadSector”-

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Publisher: Milestone

Developer: Milestone

Style: motocross

Release: April 10, 2025