Moto GP 09

Moto GP 09 likes to hand out awards. Perhaps the most elaborate is the 'comeback trophy', which it awards if you fall off your bike three times in a race but still manage to come home in first place.

Though it would be unfair to suggest the series ever 'crashed', Moto GP itself is just as deserving of this accolade as any who finish the race with grazed knees.

Rescued from 3D mediocrity at the hands of THQ this time last year, I-play's Moto GP went back to basics, determined to serve up a 2D arcade thriller that captured the spirit of the sport's breakneck pace, rather than the intricate nature of a simulation.

This year's effort is the pinnacle of that way of thinking, taking the ideas that proved so fruitful in 2008's outing and expanding on them deftly to head further down the arcade track.

At heart, Moto GP 09 is what you'd expect, letting you race as one of your heroes across a 17-track championship that sees you automatically upgrading your bike as the races pass and the hunt for the title heats up.

Like its predecessor, it presents you with a set of varied courses that all encourage you to spring from tight corners into long, wide straights. This isn't a game that penalises you for one dodgy corner or lets you off the hook as soon as you slip into the lead. This is tight, tense arcade racing, and whether you're slumping at the back or tussling at the front, nothing is won or lost until the finish line.

It's a style of play that won't go down well with the most hardcore fans, but Moto GP 09 is unapologetic in its determination to proffer fun over overt authenticity.

Yet again, Moto GP's 2D visuals enable it to run far more smoothly that its 3D counterparts, even if that means sacrificing a sense of realism. Nevertheless, I-play's latest remains something of a looker, adding an almost picture-perfect feel to last year's slightly charmless, perfunctory look.

All the positives from Moto GP 08 have stayed on board in this edition, however. The smooth nature of play and the closeness of the pack means each race is actioned packed, and when you consider they're only two laps long and flooded with 18 bikes, there's no chance of inertia setting in here.

There's also a smart qualifying session available, which lets you fly around the track to post your best time, studying the course as you go. Though rarely influencing the final result (even starting first on the grid won't protect you from the hustle and bustle of the pack behind, unless you pull off a completely flawless run), it does balance the package as a whole, letting you fly around the track without fear of collisions or being bumped into the rough.

But its the races themselves, tied together in a championship and given life by pre and post-race commentaries, that really sell Moto GP 09.

It might not be a drastic change from last year's release, and I-play's continued arcade focus won't please everyone. But for the majority Moto GP 09 is the most accessible way to thrash about on a track without worrying about being left frustrated and fuming at the back of the grid.