MotorStorm: Apocalypse Written by Dalton "horror_spooky" Cooper Copyright 2011 Contact Information E-mail: horror_spooky@hotmail.com Sony's premiere racing series has already seen two installments on the PS3, as well as a game released exclusively for the PSP. The series has been relatively popular, and debuted alongside Sony's new console back in 2006. This latest entry in the series has come under some controversy. MotorStorm: Apocalypse depicts scenes of cities being absolutely demolished by natural disasters, and as a result, the game has been out-right cancelled overseas in Japan, in light of the recent disasters there. Legal Information - - - - - - - - - This may not be reproduced under any circumstances except for personal, private use. It may not be placed on any web site or otherwise distributed publicly without advance written permission. Use of this guide on any other web site or as a part of any public display is strictly prohibited, and a violation of copyright. If anyone reading this is interested in using my guide on their site, just shoot me an e-mail first. ------------------- TABLE OF CONTENTS ------------------- 1. Introduction and Controls 2. Things to Remember 3. Vehicles 4. Festival A. Rookie (Mash) B. Survivor (Tyler) C. Veteran (Big Dog) 5. Wreckreation A. Multiplayer B. Tracks C. Medals and Part Challenges D. Special Events 7. My MotorStorm A. Perks B. Drivers and Icons C. Vehicle Customization 8. Trophy Checklist 9. Conclusion - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1. Introduction and Controls - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - It's time to get your race on! A group of racing adrenaline junkies have taken to the streets of an island that is being ravaged by natural disasters! With buildings crumbling around them, their main goal is still to get first place!-- and not to find shelter, food, and water, like all that fun stuff you should be doing in case there's a giant tornado hanging out with a tsunami in the backyard with basketball-sized hail breaking your new windshield. Er...anyway, there are a few different options available to players when they first boot up the game for control schemes. The following information won't help you survive a natural disaster, but it may just help you get first place in a race taking place during one! Or ten! -NEW CONTROLS- D-pad (left/right) - Taunts D-Pad (up/down) - Stuns Left analog stick - Steer/Shift Weight Right analog stick - Camera L2 - Brake/Reverse L1 - Hand Brake R2 - Accelerate R1 - Change Camera Triangle - Look at Circle - Ram Right Square - Ram Left X - Boost Start - Pause Select - Reset to track -CLASSIC CONTROLS- D-pad (left/right) - Taunts D-Pad (up/down) - Stuns Left analog stick - Steer/Shift Weight Right analog stick - Camera L2 - Brake/Reverse L1 - Ram Left R2 - Accelerate R1 - Ram Right Triangle - Change Camera Circle - Hand Brake Sqaure - Look At X - Boost Start - Pause Select - Reset to track -AGGRESSIVE CONTROLS- D-pad (left/right) - Taunts D-Pad (up/down) - Stuns Left analog stick - Steer/Shift Weight Right analog stick - Attack Left/Right, Camera L2 - Brake/Reverse L1 - Look Left R2 - Accelerate R1 - Look Right Triangle - Change Camera Circle - Hand Brake Sqaure - Look At X - Boost Start - Pause Select - Reset to track -VINTAGE CONTROLS- D-pad (left/right) - Taunts D-Pad (up/down) - Stuns Left analog stick - Steer/Shift Weight Right analog stick - Camera L2 - Look At L1 - Ram Left R2 - Boost R1 - Ram Right Triangle - Change Camera Circle - Hand Brake Sqaure - Brake/Reverse X - Accelerate Start - Pause Select - Reset to track -STICKS CONTROLS- D-pad (left/right) - Taunts D-Pad (up/down) - Stuns Left analog stick - Steer/Shift Weight Right analog stick - Accelerate/Brake/Attack Left/Right L2 - Hand Brake L1 - Look Left R2 - Boost R1 - Look Right Triangle - Change Camera Circle - Unused Sqaure - Look At X - Look Back (Push) Start - Pause Select - Reset to track Find a control scheme that works best for you! This guide was written using the default control scheme, labelled as "New" in the game. You can also choose to steer the vehicles in the game using the PlayStation 3's SixAxis capabilities. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2. Things to Remember - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - If you fall off the track in MotorStorm, you're not going to have Lakitu bailing you out with a fishing pole. Instead, you'll just regenerate on the track. The game's main focus is to deliver an adrenaline-fueled, high-octane racing experience, and destroying the cars in the game isn't a big deal. This isn't Gran Turismo or Forza here, so feel free to be very reckless. Recklessness may even help you win a race or two! Certain moments in the game will ask you to press triangle to focus your attention on a particular event occuring. This isn't necessary, but it can lead to cool moments. Speaking of "cool" (horrible segway, I know), keep in mind how your engine is doing. The engine can overheat if you use boost for too long or if you drive through fire. To avoid overheating the engine, don't use boost for prolonged periods of time, and if you have to drive through fire, use boost to get through the flames quickly. Driving through water is a quick way to cool the engine down significantly. There is quite a large soundtrack packed in with MotorStorm: Apocalpyse. If a particular song you are listening to just doesn't interest you, you can select a different song by pressing start and using L1 and R1 to cycle through the music. Special Events are special races that you can do. By completing any race in the storyline in first place, you will unlock the right to place the "Hardcore" version of that race. These races give you a target time to surpass. SELECT IS YOUR FRIEND! In this game, more than any. In most racing games when you bump into a wall or something, you just reverse and fix yourself. However, in this game, you can just tap the select button and the game will reposition you in the middle of the track, with virtually no time penalty. Utilize this feature CONSTANTLY. MotorStorm: Apocalypse is unique in that it is a racing game that is story- driven. As a result, this walkthrough has the main goal of getting you to complete all the races and get through the three different storylines of the three different main characters. There are collectibles in the game represented by cards. I will point these out as much as possible in the guide. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 3. Vehicles - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - The following is a list of the different types of vehicles there are in the game, as well as their efficiency in different categories. This information was taken from the instruction booklet that is provided with the game. I altered the information by arranging the cars in alphabetical order. Credit goes to Sony Computer Entertainment and the MotorStorm developers for the following statistics. The vehicles' attributes are rated on a scale of one to five stars. ===== ATVS ===== Speed - **** Handling - **** Toughness - *1/2 ======== BIG RIGS ======== Speed - **1/2 Handling - ** Toughness - ***** ======= BUGGIES ======= Speed - *** Handling - ****1/2 Toughness - ** ======== CHOPPERS ======== Speed - ****1/2 Handling - **** Toughness - *1/2 ========== DIRT BIKES ========== Speed - **** Handling - ***** Toughness - * ============== MONSTER TRUCKS ============== Speed - **1/2 Handling - **1/2 Toughness - ****1/2 =========== MUDPLUGGERS =========== Speed - *** Handling - *** Toughness - **** =========== MUSCLE CARS =========== Speed - ****1/2 Handling - *** Toughness - **1/2 ============= RACING TRUCKS ============= Speed - ***1/2 Handling - *** Toughness - *** ========== RALLY CARS ========== Speed - **** Handling - ***1/2 Toughness - **1/2 ========== SUPERBIKES ========== Speed - ***** Handling - **** Toughness - * ========== SUPER CARS ========== Speed - ***** Handling - **1/2 Toughness - **1/2 =========== SUPER MINIS =========== Speed - ***1/2 Handling - **** Toughness - ** - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 4. Festival - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - The main mode of the game! Festival is where the storylines go down, and what the large portion of this FAQ/Walkthrough will cover. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - A. Rookie (Mash) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - * * * * * * * * * * START YOUR ENGINES! MASH'S PROLOGUE * * * * * * * * * * At the beginning of the game, you control Mash. This isn't actually a race, just a way for the game to teach you how to play. Just follow the yellow and black notifications on the side of the road, and stay on the path. Don't worry about winning. Take this opportunity to get used to the controls and gameplay mechanics in the game. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - DAY ONE - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - CARDS: 31 ------------------- MORNING ------------------- * * * * * * * * * * * * * * UPPER BOHEMIA WELCOME TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD * * * * * * * * * * * * * * QUALIFICATION: 5th CARDS: 4 VEHICLE: Buggy DIFFICULTY: Easy To beat this race successfully, all you need to do is get in fifth place. That being said, this race is actually pretty damn easy. Just use boost a lot, as there are pools of water coming out of fire hydrants to cool your car down scattered throughout the track. So, don't be afraid to abuse the boost a little bit. It's also very easy to ram your opponents off the track and into buildings on this track, as they will often drive right next to you for some really odd reason. As for shortcuts, they are easy to find. Instead of following the big yellow signs with black arrows telling you to stay the course, ignore them and head straight down the road you're currently driving on. These shortcuts aren't concealed in any way, shape, or form. Another way to get ahead easily is by driving up steps that are on the right side of the road when you see them. Finding these shortcuts is simple since the other drivers use them as well. There's really nothing "secret" about them, but they are helpful. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * GOOD HERB BRIDGE TO NOWHERE * * * * * * * * * * * * * * QUALIFICATION: 5th CARDS: 4 VEHICLE: Super Car DIFFICULTY: Easy This race is where you'll first notice the environment changing with each lap. As the title suggests, this race takes place on a bridge, mainly, and the mountainside that the bridges connects to. On the second lap, the bridge will start to crumble, creating new hazards, as well as new ramps. There really aren't any shortcuts for this track. It's basically a straight- forward affair. This race is also quite easy, in my opinion--even easier than the first race. Just use boost as much as possible and try to stay in the middle of the track. Don't bother using the handbrake at all since it will just slow you down and you have plenty of room to maneuver and barely any corners to cut to begin with. ------------------- MIDDAY ------------------- * * * * * * * * * * * * * * MAINLINE OFF THE RAILS * * * * * * * * * * * * * * QUALIFICATION: 5th CARDS: 5 VEHICLE: Racing Truck DIFFICULTY: Easy This race is significant because it's the first race that doesn't consist of the usual three laps, but only two. This race takes place in a canyon and through subway tunnels. The truck is more prone to overheating than the other vehicles you have used thus far, so when you use boost, be sure not to use it for a prolonged period of time, or else you're going to blow up. There's also a lot of fire littering the track, so that can also overheat your engine rather quickly. There's muddy water to cool you down, but it's not that abundant, and is certainly outnumbered by the flames. Once again, this track doesn't really have any shortcuts to utilize. The best strategy is to use the handbrake a lot, and whenever you're close enough to another vehicle, ram them. The environmental defects aren't as catastrophic as they were in the last race, but there is noticeable structural damage on the track during the second lap, but nothing that will cause too much of a concern. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * TERMINUS CITY LIMITS * * * * * * * * * * * * * * QUALIFICATION: 5th CARDS: 4 VEHICLE: ATV DIFFICULTY: Easy This race takes place mainly outdoors, and through small tunnels and such. The damage from the natural disasters has pretty much already occured before the race even begins, meaning that you don't have to change up your game after any of the laps. The best strategy here is to stick to HIGH ground. What I mean by this is when there's an option to keep going forward, go up a ramp, or go down a ramp, don't bother going down any ramps. If you see any ramps, boost up them every single time, as this will give you a significant lead ahead of your opponents. ------------------- AFTERNOON ------------------- * * * * * * * * * * * * * * DOCKLANDS DOCK OF THE BAY * * * * * * * * * * * * * * QUALIFICATION: 5th CARDS: 5 VEHICLE: Dirt Bike DIFFICULTY: Medium I hate driving dirt bikes in this game. They are easily the most prone to destruction, and as a result, make races much more difficult. That is especially apparent in this race, where there are monster trucks that can blow up your vehicle simply by ramming into them. Do NOT bother trying to ram people off the track. It will only result in a headache. Just focus on zooming past the other drivers. The track doesn't change that much, and it's just a straight-forward track. Essentially, just go straight and AVOID the other vehicles on the road. This will ensure success. Man, I hate dirt bikes. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * UPPER BOHEMIA BAKED * * * * * * * * * * * * * * QUALIFICATION: 5th CARDS: 4 VEHICLE: Big Rig DIFFICULTY: Medium Instead of a regular race, this is an Eliminator style race. What this means is that there is a timer that appears every few seconds, and when that timer runs down to zero, the person in last place is eliminated. It keeps going on like this until there is no one left. This race is once again set in Upper Bohemia. It is just a bunch of city streets and the like. Like all the other races, you're only required to get in fifth place. In the Big Rig, the strategy is a little bit different than the other types of cars. Ram them OFTEN, and don't boost nearly as much as you otherwise would. It's very easy to overheat this monster of a vehicle. Ram the other racers to their deaths as often as you possibly can. And race like you normally would, just with a focus on destruction. The Big Rig is noticeably slower than the other vehicles you've driven so far, and it may take a little bit of time to adjust to the slower speed. ------------------- NIGHT ------------------- * * * * * * * * * * * * * * DOWNTOWN MAUL RATS * * * * * * * * * * * * * * QUALIFICATION: 5th CARDS: 5 VEHICLE: Superbike DIFFICULTY: Hard This race is quite annoying. Yet again, you're stuck on a bike. The track is also a maze-like track, with plenty of different paths to choose from, which makes it difficult to outline a truly solid strategy for tackling this track. In any case, follow the other racers on bikes. It's likely that they are in the top places anyway, and it's better to be around them. Why? Because if you tag along with the trucks or bigger cars, the AI will recognize the fact that you are on a wimpy bike, and will take advantage of it. They will ram you into the walls and try to blow you up at any chance they get. The environmental defects that occur in this level are basically just eye-candy and they don't have a real major effect on the actual race. Try not to worry too much about them, and just focus on staying in first, and staying by the other people on bikes to avoid being blown to hell and losing your spot. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - DAY TWO - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - CARDS: 19 ------------------- MORNING ------------------- * * * * * * * * * * * * * * SKYLINE ACES HIGH * * * * * * * * * * * * * * QUALIFICATION: 5th CARDS: 5 VEHICLE: Racing Truck DIFFICULTY: Hard Alright, this level is a serious pain in the ass. As the skyscrapers that you are racing on crumble, each lap becomes more and more difficult. It becomes very easy to fall off the edge and plummet to your death. Not only that, but the truck is significantly slower than the bikes and ATVs that are also in this race. Bummer! Well, to ensure you a spot in the top, use the strength of your truck to knock the other cars and bikes off the ledge. Use boost CONSTANTLY as there are a lot of drop-offs that require you to boost, or at least be going extremely fast, in order to surpass. There is a new environmental effect to keep in mind during this race, too. It is raining in this level, and as a result, your engine gets cooler easier. That means you can basically abuse the boost a lot more than you normally could. Take advantage of this. However, when you're under a roof, there tends to be fire that will work to overheat your engine, and you can't use the boost as much. There is a very nice shortcut on this track. When you come across to the finish line after your first lap (represented by a large sign that says: SKYLINE), there is a ramp to the right. It's hard to see the ramp, but hug the right of the track and you won't have too many problems. Use that ramp to reach a roof, which will then lead you to another ramp. Boost across to another rooftop, and then follow this rooftop to another ramp, which should put you ahead of the other racers by a large margin. However, this shortcut can be kind of difficult to utilize without practice, as it requires a lot of control and precision. ------------------- MIDDAY ------------------- * * * * * * * * * * * * * * GOOD HERB BUENA VISTA * * * * * * * * * * * * * * QUALIFICATION: 5th CARDS: 4 VEHICLE: Rally Car DIFFICULTY: Medium This level takes place on a beach, as well as on various bridges and on highways. The track is clear of hazards most of the time, but this level relies heavily on environmental mishaps and other disasters occuring to mix things up from lap to lap. The most significant one of these occurs on lap two. On a highway where you can usually just drive straight, a helicopter will crash into the structure above it. This creates a flaming obstruction that you can't bypass. Slow down and take a left. Just a tip, you can take this path on the first lap as well for a shortcut, and the other drivers most likely will ignore it--unlike the other shortcuts in the game. The second time this occurs is on the third lap right at the end of the race. A large bridge that you must drive across will get shot with a rocket from a helicopter. The explosion will MASSIVELY overheat your engine, but you still need to drive right through the flames. Just don't use boost at all, or else your car is sure to explode. Another thing to keep in mind, is that the vehicle that is usually in first place for this race is a large truck. It will bully any cars that go near it, and your Rally Car isn't exactly the sturdiest vehicle in the game. When you get close to this truck, don't even think about ramming it off the road. Just boost right past it, using your car's superior speed to your advantage. ------------------- AFTERNOON ------------------- * * * * * * * * * * * * * * INTERSTATE RUBBERNECKING * * * * * * * * * * * * * * QUALIFICATION: 5th CARDS: 4 VEHICLE: Muscle Car DIFFICULTY: Medium More highways! This race is a bit on the annoying side, but it's a pretty standard race for the game. There's nothing really significant or exciting about it. Just stay the course. Try super hard to stay in first, and follow the outlined path. This is probably one of the most straight-forward races in the entire game, where really you just need to employ the most basic racing strategies ever in order to win: accelerate, use handbrake, and boost when you are close to an opponent. Simple stuff here, really. However, this race is still kind of challenging, and it's definitely hard to pass other cars in the Muscle Car. However, it's not hard to maintain your position after you get to it, so just focus on getting by the other cars, and don't worry too much about falling back. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * DOWNTOWN CREDIT CRUNCH * * * * * * * * * * * * * * QUALIFICATION: 5th CARDS: 3 VEHICLE: Monster Truck DIFFICULTY: Medium Another Eliminator-style race! The rules are the same. However, this time you are behind the wheel of a gargantuan beast! The Monster Truck! There are a lot of dirtbikes and the like in this race, as well as a few big trucks to contend with. Just like any other race with a large vehicle, use the vehicle's size to your advantage. Ram those little bikes off the road as much as possible to keep them from using their speed to stay in the front. The other trucks will use this same strategy. In the end, it is very likely that it will be only trucks left. This is when things get difficult. You will have to outrun these guys, as getting into shoving matches with someone your size is generally a bad idea in this game. The way to do this is to take every ramp you see going up. The other trucks will probably do the same thing, but they tend to stay grouped together, and will constantly screw each other over. Once you manage to get ahead of them, you are in the clear. Wait it out until everyone else is eliminated. ------------------- EARLY EVENING ------------------- * * * * * * * * * * * * * * DOCKLANDS RISING DAMP * * * * * * * * * * * * * * QUALIFICATION: 5th CARDS: 3 VEHICLE: Mudplugger DIFFICULTY: Medium How dangerous! Racing large vehicles at absurd speeds through a manned construction site! Hopefully the workers have hard hats! This track isn't so bad; there's a lot of open room, which leaves space for you to avoid confrontations with other drivers, and has plenty of opportune moments to pass your opponents. However, there are certain events that occur that will seriously screw with your driving capabilities in this construction site. First of all, during the first lap, a large concrete tube will fall to the ground. If you time it right, you can actually use this tube to your advantage. You can boost through the thing and use it as a ramp to put some distance between yourself and the other racers. However, during the second lap, an event occurs that makes the track basically unrecognizable from the first time that you traversed the thing. A bunch of construction equipment and debris will fall into the usual path, forcing a detour onto a ship that is docked. It's easy to fall off the ship, so be sure to focus on staying on the ship rather than gaining speed with boosting. Just be aware of these hazards, and the third lap should be a piece of cake since nothing major happens that will bother the racing. Take advantage of the large, open spaces, and use boost frequently when there's a mud puddle to go through as the water will cool down your engine. To master this track, all you need to do is not be so surprised by the environmental hazards that the game throws at you, and hopefully this guide helps you do just that! ------------------- SUNSET ------------------- * * * * * * * * * * * * * * EPILOGUE EXODUS * * * * * * * * * * * * * * QUALIFICATION: N/A CARDS: N/A VEHICLE: Supermini DIFFICULTY: Hard Uh-oh! This island is going to asplode! Resident Evil-style! So, high-tail it on out of here! You have 3 minutes to escape the island. It's not as easy as it sounds. Push on the gas. NEVER let up on the acceleration. Use the handbrake whenever you need to turn a corner, but take solace in the fact that there aren't a whole lot of corners to take. Whenever the big triangle pops up on the screen telling you to look at something, don't do it. Ignore it. It will take away a precious second or two, and you'll need all the seconds you can get! Trust me on this. Boost as much as possible. Avoid using boost when there is fire, but if boost through it if your boost gauge isn't too hot and you want to avoid warming up your engine with the fire. Eventually, the game will show you that a parking garage door is closing. IGNORE this. It is trying to trick you into trying to drive under the door. This will result in certain death. Hang a right or left and then keep racing down the road as fast as you possibly can. When you reach the parking garage area, your time should be a little bit above 1:30, or else you will for sure lose. Eventually, you will reach a bridge. You need at least :20 on the clock in order to reach the boat from the bridge. Use the boost as much as possible on the bridge, but don't be afraid to let your engine cool down all the way. You will be rewarded with a super-long boost that just might save your life. Anyway, once you ramp off the bridge and reach the boat, you've completed Mash's storyline! Congratulations! - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - B. Survivor (Tyler) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - DAY ONE - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - CARDS: 24 ------------------- DAWN ------------------- * * * * * * * * * * * * * * PROLOGUE TYLER'S PROLOGUE * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Just like Mash's prologue, this level is for leisure, really. There's nothing to gain from it, except you could try ramming people to their death for fun. Besides that, just follow the track to the end. It's not a competition. Just reach the end of the race to complete this quick level. ------------------- MORNING ------------------- * * * * * * * * * * * * * * SKYLINE THE MILE HIGH CLUB * * * * * * * * * * * * * * QUALIFICATION: 3rd CARDS: 5 VEHICLE: ATV DIFFICULTY: Hard And by "hard", I mean, EXTREMELY, IRRITATINGLY, AGGRAVATINGLY DIFFICULT. This race gave me the most problems out of any other race in the game. It just drove me nuts. ATV + skyscrapers = serious issues. Everyone else has bikes or ATVs as well, making everyone as fast as everyone else. No one really has a clear advantage over anybody in this race, so I guess it's the most balanced, but it also happens to be one of the, if not THE, most difficult. So, be prepared. I hope I can give you a couple of hints and tips to help you out with this one. Use boosts AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. This race is all about speed. Handling is important, too, obviously, but if your finger is letting up on the acceleration at all, then you're doing it wrong. With Tyler, qualifying for fifth place doesn't cut it. Now, third place is the new goal to reach. And I'd be lying if I said it was an easy goal. It's extraordinarily difficult, for this race at least. Anyway, speed is what you should focus on. Learn this level. Memorize it. There are plenty of opportunities for Tyler to fly off of a ledge or wreck into a wall, giving your opponents plenty of time to pass you and make winning this race a near impossibility. You basically need to get in the lead right off the bat and maintain your lead, or else you're doomed for certain failure. My best advice, besides being fast and learning from your mistakes as regards to the different obstacles and hazards encountered, is to stick to the low ground. I know that sounds ridiculous since this level takes place on the roofs of a bunch of skyscrapers, but hear me out. Whenever you have the option to go lower as opposed to higher, GO LOWER. This will be very helpful as the AI almost always sticks to the high ground. This will give you more room to maneuver, and hopefully it will allow you to pass them much easier. Towards the end of the race on the third lap, a giant skyscraper will topple over. You need to boost onto it, and make sure you land towards the higher area of the skyscraper. Otherwise, you will crash, which will waste time you don't have to begin with. At least there's not MUCH environmental hazards to deal with. Yeah, stuff blows up and what-not, but there's nothing that really morphs the track. So, just try to memorize it, get in the lead and STAY in the lead at all costs, and crashing is your worst nightmare for this level. Oh, and STAY LOW. You'll thank me later--I just know it! ------------------- MIDDAY ------------------- * * * * * * * * * * * * * * INTERSTATE ROAD WARRIORS * * * * * * * * * * * * * * QUALIFICATION: 3rd CARDS: 4 VEHICLE: Superbike DIFFICULTY: Medium This level is significantly easier than the last, but it's still kind of challenging. Since you're on the Superbike, speed isn't an issue. You'll be able to overtake any cars pretty easily that end up passing you. However, there are a lot of corners in this level, and that's where the problems will arise for you and your bike. Take the corners gingerly. But don't sweat it if you wreck and then end up in nearly last place; the only part of this race that really matters is the last lap towards the end. During the last lap, that's when you really want to kick it into next gear. It's not hard to pass people on the Superbike, so you really shouldn't have a whole lot of problems. Use the handbrake for corners, don't be afraid to slow down when you need to, and avoid dealing with the bigger cars. ------------------- AFTERNOON ------------------- * * * * * * * * * * * * * * BOARDWALK PIER PRESSURE * * * * * * * * * * * * * * QUALIFICATION: 3rd CARDS: 5 VEHICLE: Racing Truck DIFFICULTY: Easy Whew. After the last couple of races, this level is a walk in the park! A BOARD walk in the park! Yeah, I can use puns, too. Anyway, this race is fairly simple as long as you keep in mind a couple of things. Shortly after the race begins, and after you complete each lap, there is a fork on the track. ALWAYS take the left. This will basically guarantee that you will pass the people that take the right, and it's a great help in putting some distance between you and your competitors. The other thing that you should keep in mind is that when you come across the titular boardwalks, don't drive on them. It's actually faster and easier to stick to the beach and just boost your way through the sand. The beach provides another great opportunity to pass your competition and ensure victory. Getting first on this track is a piece of cake if you follow these two rules. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * DOCKLANDS SHIP SHAPE * * * * * * * * * * * * * * QUALIFICATION: 3rd CARDS: 5 VEHICLE: Rally Car DIFFICULTY: Easy Eliminator! What a breath of fresh air amidst all thise frustrating racing! This is very easy. Just boost a lot and use the large, open spaces to your advantage to pass other cars. Simple as pie. ------------------- SUNSET ------------------- * * * * * * * * * * * * * * TERMINUS WARGAMES * * * * * * * * * * * * * * QUALIFICATION: 3rd CARDS: 5 VEHICLE: Mudplugger DIFFICULTY: Medium Aaaaaand back to the races! Gentlemen, start your engines! I guess. This level is a virtual copy of the Terminus track you raced as Mash in the last storyline. The first two laps, you'll know exactly what to expect. Just race like you normally would. However, on the third lap... Things get a little bit cr-ay-ay-ay-zy! Helicopters starting blowing stuff up with their missiles like a bunch of jerks. This creates new obstacles and other hazards for you to deal with. At one point, a rocket will blow up part of a bridge, which will in turn make the bridge collapse onto the ground. This will turn the bridge into a giant obstacle you will have to dodge in order to avoid blowing up and allowing your competitors to get the lead. At another point, the helicopter will be firing at the road in front of you with its rockets. Be sure to not be blown up by the rocket, but use the concrete that raises from the force of the rocket explosion as a ramp to propel yourself ahead of the competition. The third lap will surely be the most challenging aspect of this otherwise straight-forward race, but once it is conquered, you'll be satisified. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - DAY TWO - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - CARDS: 36 ------------------- DAWN ------------------- * * * * * * * * * * * * * * BOARDWALK WAVES OF MUTLIATION * * * * * * * * * * * * * * QUALIFICATION: 3rd CARDS: 4 VEHICLE: Big Rig DIFFICULTY: Medium This stage is basically an excuse for visual flair. You will undoubtedly be stuck in the bottom numbers for the first couple of laps. It's inevitable. On the bright side, it's also pretty inevitable that you'll wind up in the top number of cars by the end of the race. Even though things look bleak at first, just remember that there is a LOT of crashing that goes on in MotorStorm. As long as you aren't the one crashing, it will very likely play to your advantage and you will wind up jumping from the bottom of the barrel to the top of the food chain by the top the race is over. There is a tornado neard the boardwalk on this level, but it really isn't a threat to you. It is a threat, however, to other racers, which it will destroy just so the game can show you how cool it looks. This is VERY convenient, as you might have already guessed. The strategy here is to just go through the paces, until you wind up in second place. The first place vehicle is a Big Rig, and it is a pain in the ass. If you get close to it, it will ram you and try to send you into a pole or something. You really have to boost past it as soon as you come to its wheels, or it's going to cost you a lot. If you are more concerned with just completing the level and unlocking the next one, you are free to just coast behind the Big Rig and not mess with it at all. Most of the environmental obstacles are just thrown in there for show, and don't pose a real threat to you. There is one exception. There is a shack that you drive under the first couple of laps. There are two ways to enter the shack, a right side and a left side. The left side will collapse under itself, so get used to driving through the right side. Also, there is a giant ferris wheel that breaks apart, and it might give you a jolt, but unless you purposely drive into it, it shouldn't be a big problem. ------------------- MORNING ------------------- * * * * * * * * * * * * * * UPPER BOHEMIA SUBURBAN SHAKEDOWN * * * * * * * * * * * * * * QUALIFICATION: 3rd CARDS: 5 VEHICLE: Supermini DIFFICULTY: Medium This is another level that is pre-occupied with trying to show off the crazy weather effects and doesn't pay much attention with actually providing a true racing experience. That being said, it's a nice change of pace from having to be worried about racing all the damn time. Yes, I know it's a racing game, but a lack of variety is enough to kill the enjoyment in a game, no matter what genre. Regardless, just like the last race, you will most likely be stuck near and around last place for much of the race, until the end. There is a lot of neat graphical tricks during this race, like earthquakes that completely morph the street and what-not, but it's nothing that really changes how you should handle this race in particular. Just go through the motions. Boost constantly due to the rain, but really, just treat this like any other race. The only reason I have this race listed as "Medium" difficulty is because of the poor handling of the Supermini. Turning corners with this thing is a true nightmare. It's especially bad because there are a lot of corners and turns on this track. Just try to use the handbrake and lift off of the acceleration when taking the sharper turns in the stage. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * TERMINUS TERMINAL VELOCITY * * * * * * * * * * * * * * QUALIFICATION: 3rd CARDS: 5 VEHICLE: Rally Car DIFFICULTY: Medium The key to this race is drifting. It's a skill I haven't really touched on before in this guide, and that's because before, it's virtually useless. But now that it actually matters, let me take this space to tell you a little bit about drifting. To drift around corners, accelerate as fast as you can with your car. Use the boost. Then let go of both the acceleration and the boost and hold down the handbrake. Turn with the direction of the turn you're trying to make, release the handbrake, and then push on the gas again. Wa-lah! You'll need this for a tricky corner in this race. The corner I'm talking about comes right before you drop down into the hole in the ground to race in the sewer system. You have to curve around this large building, so employ the drifting technique I just taught you, and you should do splendidly. In the sewer system, by the way, you will most likely just want to go straight and focus on passing your competitors. However, after you've already completed this race, you should return. Drop down into the sewer system and take a left. There are two very easy-to-get collectible cards down here. First, hug the left wall, and then hugh the right wall after collecting the first card. These cards aren't worth much of anything, except for a 100% statistic, and a couple of trophies. ------------------- MIDDAY ------------------- * * * * * * * * * * * * * * DOWNTOWN RETAIL THERAPY * * * * * * * * * * * * * * QUALIFICATION: 3rd CARDS: 4 VEHICLE: Super Car DIFFICULTY: Medium Yay! ELIMINATOR! I love these things. Well, treat this like every other Eliminator race you've encountered thus far. The Super Car is a freakin' beast, so you shouldn't have to worry about falling behind too much. Just stick with the pack and make sure you're at least in the top three and you should do fine. However, this race is quite long. There is something like 15 other cars that you are contending with. One little mistake could screw you over, so be very careful not to wreck, especially towards the end. Having to redo this entire Eliminator can get really tiresome. The track is pretty straight-forward (by MotorStorm: Apocalypse standards), so it really shouldn't give you all that much trouble, even for your first time trying this thing out. Still, it's just so damn long... * * * * * * * * * * * * * * MAINLINE END OF THE LINE * * * * * * * * * * * * * * QUALIFICATION: 3rd CARDS: 4 VEHICLE: Buggy DIFFICULTY: Hard This Buggy race is a little bit on the chaotic side. It's fast-paced, and there is going to be a lot of crashing on the part of the AI and yourself. This is just a standard race...but really, really annoying. The reason it is so annoying is that Buggies fly off into random directions when they hit objects, and they get stuck on walls easy as well if a wall is hit at the right angle. I constantly found myself having to tap select to reposition my buggy in the center of the road, or mash on the X button after I blew up from a completely ridiculous wreck. The only thing that you really need to be aware of for this track occurs at the very beginning of it. Hug the right of the track, and race up the subway tracks on the right. The reason for this is because on the opposite side, a subway train will fall off the tracks and the cars will fly everywhere. By hugging the right, you can completely avoid getting knocked around by these damn things, and for a fast-paced, chaotic race like this, taking the precautions to dodge any avoidable nuisances is a necessity. ------------------- AFTERNOON ------------------- * * * * * * * * * * * * * * GOOD HERB A BRIDGE TOO FAR * * * * * * * * * * * * * * QUALIFICATION: 3rd CARDS: 4 VEHICLE: Superbike DIFFICULTY: Medium Ah, this level is a real pain in the ass at first. The track is basic enough; I mean, you just go in one direction without any big surprises or anything. It's just that the Superbike is so difficult to control when it comes to turning corners and the like. Well, as you may have guessed since this is an atypical four lap race, that you shouldn't worry if you're behind for the majority of the race. Chances are that you will catch up by the end. The real trick to this track is to learn how to use the handbrake effectively. You really need to pull off the corners without wrecking or even slowing down all that much, and you'll be golden. Once you get the hang of the corners, this level becomes one of the easiest to earn first place in as Tyler, but until that mountain is climbed, this may be a bit of a headache. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * UPPER BOHEMIA UP IN SMOKE * * * * * * * * * * * * * * QUALIFICATION: 3rd CARDS: 5 VEHICLE: Dirt Bike DIFFICULTY: Easy Two bike stages in a row?! Come on! Well, hope on the old dirt bike...and be pleasantly surprised! This is a very easy race. It's as straight-forward as they come. No gimmicks, no shenanigans. No earthquakes, no tornadoes, no tsunamis, and any of that stuff that has been plaguing the tracks throughout the game. The only real threat to be aware of is the fire. Overheating your engine is made a lot easier in this level thanks to all the patches of fire scattered throughout the track. Don't be afraid to use your boost, just use your boost wisely. ------------------- EARLY EVENING ------------------- * * * * * * * * * * * * * * INTERSTATE THE END IS NIGH * * * * * * * * * * * * * * QUALIFICATION: 3rd CARDS: 5 VEHICLE: Racing Truck DIFFICULTY: Medium This race is actually pretty easy until the third lap. It's a straight-forward race, but I'm going to let you in a little secret. There are constantly branching paths in this race. STICK WITH THE LEFT ONES! These will lead you to a bridge which you can then drive right off of onto another bridge that you can ramp off of onto the roof of a nearby building. This is a major shortcut and will help a lot in this level. There is something to note here. On the third lap, the bridge completely collapses. It's likely that if you are on the bridge that your car will be destroyed. The only way to avoid this is to time it so you are jumping on the bridge right before it is about to collapse. By jumping onto the bridge WHILE it is breaking, it's less likely that you'll wreck. However, it can still happen. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * EPILOGUE DUEL WITH DEATH * * * * * * * * * * * * * * QUALIFICATION: N/A CARDS: N/A VEHICLE: Muscle Car DIFFICULTY: Medium I found Tyler's epilogue to be MUCH easier than Mash's epilogue, so that's good news. There is a different goal here than just to reach the carrier and escape the island, however. That damn traitor Muerte is trying to escape the island, and you need to escape before he does...because that somehow ensures his death. Ridiculous plotholes aside, this guy means serious business. If you aren't ahead of him like, right off the bat, you're done with. You might as well restart the race. As SOON as the race begins, push down on the boost and accelerate to top speed. Only relinquish the boost when your engine is about to overheat. Otherwise, stay on the left side of the road off the bat, as there will be no obstacles that will get in your way. Eventually, a large oil truck will burst onto the street, covered in flames. Keep speeding down the left side of the road, until a helicopter comes into view. Right when you see the helicopter, switch over to the right side of the road to avoid a nasty explosion. The first time that you go down into a tunnel, there will be a wall straight ahead that is somewhat shrouded in smoke. So, be sure to use the handbrake and to head to either the left or right. If you do wreck, it's not a huge problem, assuming you're ahead of Muerte already. But more than one mistake and you might as well restart the race. The rest of this track plays out almost identically to Mash's. However, there are some slight differences. At one point, the ground caves in, and that adds another underground driving section that wasn't there originally. At another point while driving through the subway system, the wall will collapse, so be sure to avoid that debris as well. You'll know when you're close by the blue lights in that area of the subway. Otherwise, just race as fast as you can towards the carrier, and be sure to outrace Muerte to complete the stage, and finish the story of Tyler... OR IS THE STORY OF TYLER FINISHED?! Cliffhanger! - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - C. Veteran (Big Dog) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - DAY ONE - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - CARDS: 20 ------------------- DAWN ------------------- * * * * * * * * * * * * * * PROLOGUE BIG DOG'S PROLOGUE * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Another straight-forward prologue. Just race to the end. There are no penalties for being slow or wrecking a ton of times. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * DOWNTOWN FINANCIAL RUIN * * * * * * * * * * * * * * QUALIFICATION: 3rd CARDS: 5 VEHICLE: Mudplugger DIFFICULTY: Hard This is another extremely difficult race. The Mudplugger isn't a very fast vehicle to begin with, and the key to this race is really to memorize a certain path, which I am going to lay out for you: Right at the start of the race, take the MIDDLE floor on the parking complex. Boost right through here, and then you'll see a building with a big hole in it. Most of the other cars will drive around the building, but boost through the hole in the wall. Then keep going as usual, avoiding the pieces of earth that will jut out of the ground and tried to stall your progress. When you see the finish line, press on the boost hard. Stay on the right as all the other cars will stay on the left. Try to zoom past as many as possible. You have five laps to get up to at least third place and win this race. There are environmental hazards to contend with during this race. During the last lap, the ground gives away right before the finish line. Holding onto boost will nearly ensure your safety. And even if you do wreck, there's a good chance that your flaming body will fly through the finish line, which counts as winning the race, by the way. Another thing that happens right before the finish line is that a few pillars will collapse. You can avoid these pretty easily by sticking to the right side of the road, which you should be doing anyway if you've listened to my advice in the previous paragraph. ------------------- AFTERNOON ------------------- * * * * * * * * * * * * * * INTERSTATE HIGH WAY * * * * * * * * * * * * * * QUALIFICATION: 3rd CARDS: 5 VEHICLE: Super Car DIFFICULTY: Easy Gotta love that Super Car! This is a standard race, with no crazy explosions or natural disasters that will impede your progress. It's nice and easy. Just race your heart out, using the boost as much as possible (especially on ramps), and you will do absolutely fine. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * DOCKLANDS CAR GO * * * * * * * * * * * * * * QUALIFICATION: 3rd CARDS: 5 VEHICLE: Buggy DIFFICULTY: Medium Ugh. Super Car to Buggy? Well, the Buggy is, as usual, a huge pain in the ass to operate. Luckily, this track has a ton of open space, which equates into a much less stressful race. Whenever there is any open space at all, use boost like crazy. Use boost like crazy for the entire race, actually. When you see a large tanker, drive through it for a faster route, by the way. You may fail once or twice, but this track is easily conquered. ------------------- NIGHT ------------------- * * * * * * * * * * * * * * GOOD HERB DOUBLE-DECKER * * * * * * * * * * * * * * QUALIFICATION: 3rd CARDS: 5 VEHICLE: Supermini DIFFICULTY: Easy ELIMINATOR-STYLE! Not only is this one of the easiest Eliminator-style races, it's also one of the most entertaining. You and the other races are racing on a large bridge, which is being pummeled by rockets in the middle of a rain storm. It's quite epic, if you ask me. The only things that you really need to keep in mind are to be sure not to overheat the engine. It is easier to overheat the engine during this level because of all the fire that is lying around, not to mention the place is filled with flaming barrels that, if destroyed, will heat up your engine to dangerous levels. It is raining, though, so a quick cool down is possible, so if you are in a tough situation and feel like you need to boost anyway, go ahead; it just might work. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - DAY TWO - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - CARDS: 20 ------------------- MORNING ------------------- * * * * * * * * * * * * * * BOARDWALK SEA SPRAY * * * * * * * * * * * * * * QUALIFICATION: 3rd CARDS: 5 VEHICLE: Dirt Bike DIFFICULTY: Easy Ah, nothing like waking up in the morning, hopping on a dirt bike, and completing another leisurely race as Big Dog! This race is a carbon copy of the Boardwalk race that you did as Tyler; you know, the one with the tornado and stuff? Well, employ the exact same strategy as before. Abuse boost and stick to the beaches when given the option. This race is really quite a simple task, and it's nice and sunny out, so there's no weather ailments to contend with. The one thing that may become a problem is cars ramming into you, so be sure to steer clear of any vehicles bigger than the one you're riding. ------------------- MIDDAY ------------------- * * * * * * * * * * * * * * TERMINUS COACH PARTY * * * * * * * * * * * * * * QUALIFICATION: 3rd CARDS: 5 VEHICLE: Monster Truck DIFFICULTY: Easy Yup. It's nearly the end of the game, and the races are still super easy. Monster Trucks are some of my favorite vehicles in the game, and for good reason. They handle good, they can get good speed, and no one pushes you around when you're behind the wheel of one. A Monster Truck in this game is basically the opposite of a Buggy. This is another extremely straight-forward race, until the end. But I'll get to that in a second. For this race, just focus on boost at opportune times, avoid wrecking, and just try to get in first. It's the lamest advice ever, I know, but that's all there is to it, really. If you've made it this far, your skills should be honed enough that this track will be a walk in the park (a BOARDwalk!). Now, towards the end of the final lap, you might want to hang back if you're in first place. The reason for that is a giant airplane crashes right at the finish line, and there's a chance it will blow you up, and your body won't fly towards the finish line. However, I've had a 100% success rate with getting the plane to destroy any AI enemies that were ahead of me when it crashes. This leaves open a wide opportunity to nab first at the very end. ------------------- AFTERNOON ------------------- * * * * * * * * * * * * * * MAINLINE MAINLINING * * * * * * * * * * * * * * QUALIFICATION: 3rd CARDS: 5 VEHICLE: Muscle Car DIFFICULTY: Easy Vroom, vroom. The Muscle Car makes this Eliminator race even easier than it should be. The reason for this is that the Muscle Car tends to drive on the walls in the tunnels if you move it in their direction. This makes it easy to pass people without risking taking any damage. This race takes place on a track that basically has the only option of going forward. At the end of the tunnel, there's an option to either drive off the cliff to the left or keep going straight. Either way works fine, though if you are nearing elimination, the left side is a bit quicker--only by a small margin, however. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * SKYLINE FALLING DOWN * * * * * * * * * * * * * * QUALIFICATION: 3rd CARDS: 5 VEHICLE: Super Car DIFFICULTY: Medium This track can be a bit tricky. It's the same track that I touted as being part of the most difficult race in the game, back when you played as Tyler. While it certainly isn't as difficult as last time, it can still be quite a challegen, especially compared to the last few races. The trick to this level is to always pick the high ground, and boost to ridiculous speeds at every single ramp. Never miss a jump. The AI will almost always be ahead of you, except they always miss the really big jump in the level at the beginning, and right before the end of each lap. This almost always propels you to 3rd or 2nd place, assuming you actually do make the jump. If you can master boosting off the ramps, then this one's in the bag. Remember: stick to high ground and boost at ramps. ------------------- EARLY EVENING ------------------- * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ROUTE 666 FINAL DRIVE * * * * * * * * * * * * * * QUALIFICATION: N/A CARDS: N/A VEHICLE: Chopper DIFFICULTY: Medium Big Dog needs to distract the helicopter so the carrier can escape with all of the racers. The helicopter can be a real pain in the ass, as it makes using boost a problem. You see, the helicopter is constantly firing machineguns at you, and when they hit you, it heats up your engine. When you boost, your engine also gets heated up. The combination can be deadly. At the start, you'll want to boost as much as possible. Smash through the gates and then use the red flares on the ground to guide you. Boost a lot, but be sure not to boost so much that the helicopter can turn it against you and blow you up. Keep going until you reach a large ship. At this point, if there is :30 on the clock or more, you have a very good chance of winning. Anything less than that, you shouldn't get your hopes up. The ending comes when you drive under some street signs. Getting there is a bit difficult, but just don't abuse the boost too much and there shouldn't be all that many of problems. ------------------- SUNSET ------------------- * * * * * * * * * * * * * * EPILOGUE EXIT STRATEGY * * * * * * * * * * * * * * QUALIFICATION: N/A CARDS: N/A VEHICLE: Chopper DIFFICULTY: Easy Leisurely epilogue. There's no consequences to anything you do here. Race to the end. That's it. You beat the game! You're welcome. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 5. Wreakreation - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Well, now that you've completed the three main storylines in MotorStorm: Apocalypse, what else is there to do? Quite a bit, actually. First of all, there is this Wreakreation hub. This is how to access the multiplayer modes for the game. MotorStorm: Apocalypse has online multiplayer, four-player split- screen multiplayer, as well as bot support. Basically, it's the bee's knees when it comes to racing multiplayer on the PS3. Hell, it's probably one of the top racers this gen. My personal opinions aside, let's go a little more in-depth with the multiplayer facet of MotorStorm. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - A. Multiplayer - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - The multiplayer in the game is separated out into three different game types. Only two of these modes are available to play online. Those two are Race and Eliminator. Chase is a multiplayer mode only available to play when playing offline. When one starts searching for an online game, they choose between Race or Eliminator. RACE - A standard race to the finish with multiple laps. ELIMINATOR - A "survival" game. Every few seconds, a timer begins. When the timer runs out, whoever is in last place is eliminated. If two people share the same amount of time in the "danger" zone of being eliminated, there is a sudden death to see who can stay out of the danger zone the longest. Whoever does this is safe from being eliminated. CHASE (offline-only) - You need to stay close to the "leader" to gain points. The first one to 20 points wins. There can be up to 15 AI bots applied for any given race. Their difficulty level can be altered. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - B. Tracks - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - The tracks in the multiplayer mode are taken right out of the storyline in the main game. MotorStorm: Apocalypse is a very straight-forward racing title with story-driven gameplay. As a result, it's a bit more difficult to suggest short- cuts and the like as you would do with normal racing games, since you really only have to drive forward for most of the time, dodging obstacles and the like. However, I have taken the liberty to list the different multiplayer tracks available, and whether or not hazards can be applied to them. Hazards are basically gigantic obtrusive set-pieces that occur during the races. They can be toggled on or off, depending on if you want to have a race with a more classic MotorStorm feel. I go a little more in-depth with each track in my walkthrough of the game's storyline. Refer to that if you need more strategy. BOARDWALK TRACKS: Pier Pressure Waves of Mutilation (Hazards) Sea Spray DOCKLANDS TRACKS: Dock of the Bay Ship Shape Car Go Rising Damp (Hazards) DOWNTOWN TRACKS: Financial Ruin (Hazards) Maul Rats (Hazards) Retail Therapy Credit Crunch GOOD HERB TRACKS: Bridge to Nowhere (Hazards) Buena Vista A Bridge Too Far Double-Decker INTERSTATE TRACKS: Road Warrior (Hazards) High Way Rubbernecking (Hazards) The End is Nigh (Hazards) MAINLINE TRACKS: Off the Rails (Hazards) End of the Line (Hazards) Mainlining SKYLINE TRACKS: The Mile High Club (Hazards) Aces High (Hazards) Falling Down (Hazards) TERMINUS TRACKS: City Limits Wargames (Hazards) Terminal Velocity Coach Party (Hazards) UPPER BOHEMIA TRACKS: Welcome to the Neighborhood Baked Suburban Shakedown (Hazards) Up in Smoke - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - C. Medals and Part Challenges - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Similarly to games like Call of Duty, MotorStorm uses a "challenge" system in its multiplayer to encourage experimentation and replayability without adding to the trophy count. These are separated out into two distinct categories; Medals and Part Challenges. * * * * MEDALS * * * * There are eight different Medal types. These are completed in the game's multiplayer mode. By earning Medals, players earn chips. These chips can be used to bet on races in the game's multiplayer mode. ACCOLADES - These are medals for completing particular challenging racing tasks. COMBAT - As the name suggests, these medals are for particpating in violent acts during races. There are only two of these. One is for punching an opponent off of their vehicle, and another one is to destroy another vehicle using ram. RACING - Basic racing achievements. PART CHALLENGES - Medals awarded for completing the Part Challenges, which I will also talk about in this section. TRACK - You come by these medals by defeating opponents on every track in the game. VEHICLE - These medals are rewarded for completing specific tasks using specific vehicles. EXHIBITION - These are show-off medals, essentially. There are only two of them, like the Combat Medals. You can earn one by performing a stunt on a bike or ATV. The other is earned by customizing any vehicle. MASTER - These are especially difficult challenges. You can't even view these challenges until you reach rank 50 in multiplayer. To do this, you need to win matches, win bets, and earn all the different medals in the game. Specific medal information can be found easily in-game under the Progress menu. * * * * * * * * PART CHALLENGES * * * * * * * * These challenges require you to complete certain tasks, similarly to medal tasks, but the reward is different. Instead of unlocking spending chips, you unlock new parts to customize your vehicle with. Each different vehicle has the same set of initial challenges. They are as follows: Opponents Beaten Opponents Wrecked Distance Drifted (m) Time Spent In-Air (s) There are slight differences in the number of opponents you have to beat or the amount of seconds you have to spend in the air depending on what vehicle it is. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - D. Special Challenges - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - There are two different kinds of Special Challenges. They are the Hardcore Festival and the Time Attack modes. * * * * * * * * * HARDCORE FESTIVAL * * * * * * * * * In this mode, you complete races that you already completed in the Festival mode. However, there is now an added time limit, and the AI is much more vicious in nature. You can unlock more levels in Hardcore Festival mode by coming in 1st place in the particular races in the storylines. * * * * * * TIME ATTACK * * * * * * Time Attack challenges you to beat your own scores on different races from the main storyline with all the different kinds of vehicles. Your goal is to just keep beating the old score you have set. You can also download ghosts from PSN of the developers to try to beat their times. All of this is on the global leaderboards set up with the PlayStation Network, so if you manage to pull off an amazing time, you can share it with the world. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 7. My MotorStorm - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - My MotorStorm is the hub where you can alter things about how you're represented in the multiplayer portion of MotorStorm. This ranges from the appearance of your human character, the appearance of your car, as well as the different perks you are using for the multiplayer mode. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - A. Perks - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - There are three different categories in the game for perks. These categories are Handling, Boost, and Combat. Perks benefit these different attributes of your vehicle in a variety of different ways. The following perks are available to mix and match, though some have to be unlocked by ranking up in the multiplayer mode: ======== HANDLING ======== Burn Rubber - Increased grip Swift Return - Halves the time it takes to reset to track after wrecking Sunday Driver (rank 3) - Improved brakes Flight Control (rank 9) - Increases the amount of in-air control Hot Rod (rank 15) - Improved acceleration Part Fish (rank 18) - Reduced water drag Aerodynamic (rank 28) - Faster top speed ===== BOOST ===== Critical - Stay longer in Critical Boost before exploding Up and Away - You can hold Accelerate and still gain In-Air Boost cooling (at a reduced rate) Asbestos (rank 5) - The effect of fire on your engine temperature is reduced Chilled (Rank 8) - Faster Boost cooldown rate Aquatic (Rank 23) - INcreases the cooling effect of water on your engine temperature Shoot the Breeze (Rank 25) - Improves your in-air Boost cooling Slow Burn (Rank 30) - It takes longer to reach Critical Boost ====== COMBAT ====== Parting Gift - Creates a Shockwave whenever you wreck Cheap Shot - Performing a Ram uses less Boost Heavy Weight (Rank 7) - Your Rams are more effective against other vehicles Armor (Rank 11) - Take more damage before wrecking Immovable (Rank 12) - Rams against you are less effective Critical Strike (Rank 21) - While in Critical you can perform Rams without a Boost penalty Explosive (Rank 22) - Increases Shockwave range when Overboosting Only three perks can be activated at any given time, one for each category. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - B. Drivers and Icons - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - You can also change the character that you control in the multiplayer by accessing My MotorStorm. However, there are many characters that are locked at the start of the game. They can be unlocked by ranking up in the multiplayer, similarly to how you unlock new Perks. These characters have no statistical differences between one another, and are purely for a visual purpose. Sarge (rank 30) Kookaburra Oscar Zero Hunter (rank 3) Vigilante (rank 10) Muerte (rank 50) Stone (rank 17) Dice (rank 45) Loner Dynamo (rank 8) Lucky (rank 20) Flameboy (rank 38) Big Blue (rank 10) Bueno (rank 2) Howitzer (rank 20) Poet (rank 4) Kid Million (rank 32) Calamity (rank 40) Piper (rank 26) Eight-Bit (rank 13) Memphis Red (rank 30) Ratfood (rank 27) Chip (rank 5) Psycho Billy (rank 23) Tanks (rank 5) Casket Dan Chronic (rank 40) Mr. Magic (rank 36) Queen B (rank 34) Six (rank 42) Mash Tyler Big Dog The characters that don't have a ranking by their name are unlocked by playing through the three different storylines. There are also a ton of Icons that can be unlocked by also ranking up in the multiplayer game. These icons serve no purpose other than to be by your PSN ID during online gameplay. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - C. Vehicle Customization - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Each vehicle in the game can be customized using a variety of different parts. The parts are unlocked by completing Part Challenges. Please refer to an earlier point in the guide to learn more about Part Challenges. Once the parts are unlocked, it's time to customize the vehicle. Practically everything on the car can be customized. Every color under the sun can be chosen, and there is a lot of designs as well. Cars can be adorned with stickers, and they can be customized even further. The weariness of the car can be altered, as well as the number on the vehicle. There's also a randomization button to mess with. Vehicle Packages are customized vehicle styles that you are particularly fond of and want to save to use on another vehicle. You can also snap a picture of your car (and really of anything in the game from anywhere in the game) if you want as well. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 8. Trophy Checklist - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Trophy collecting is a fun thing to do with PS3 games, and I've decided to write up a little checklist for the trophy hunters out there that are trying to get that pesky Platinum in MotorStorm: Apocalypse! [ ] The Big One (Platinum) - Obtain every other trophy in the game [ ] Motion Master (Bronze) - Complete a race steering with the motion sensor function [ ] Air Assault (Bronze) - Punch a fellow rider off their bike or ATV while you're both in mid-air [ ] Hot Air (Bronze) - Use in-air cooling to entirely cool your full Boost gauge from Critical in a single jump [ ] I Made it Myself (Bronze) - Modify your vehicle using all the available options [ ] Energy Efficient (Bronze) - Win a race without ever entering Critical Boost [ ] Target Locked (Bronze) - Ram and wreck the same opponent twice during a race [ ] Kudos (Bronze) - Earn 250 Chips from a single drift in Multiplayer [ ] Variety is the Spice of Life (Bronze) - Complete a race in all of the standard game modes [ ] Pure as Mud (Bronze) - Successfully perform 3 stunts in a single race [ ] Wheelin' an' Dealin' (Bronze) - Pull a continuous wheelie for 5 seconds [ ] Unlucky for Some (Bronze) - Win a race with each of the 13 vehicle classes [ ] FPR (Bronze) - Win a race using only the vehicle-mounted camera [ ] Grease Monkey (Bronze) - Swap out at least one vehicle part on each of the 13 vehicle classes [ ] Over There! (Bronze) - 'Look At' 5 unique race incidents over 5 different races [ ] Rampage! (Bronze) - Use the Ram to wreck 10 opponents [ ] Found One! (Bronze) - Collect 1 of the hidden MotorStorm Cards [ ] Found 'em All! (Silver) - Collect 150 of the hidden MotorStorm Cards [ ] "You wanna play?" (Bronze) - Make it to the party as Mash [ ] "We're gonna race - in that?" (Bronze) - Complete 'Off the Rails" as Mash [ ] "Want a Magic Nut Bar?" (Silver) - Complete 'Baked' as Mash [ ] "Eat my dust, tough guy!" (Bronze) - Complete 'Aces High' as Mash [ ] "Okay, let's do this." (Bronze) - Complete 'Credit Crunch' as Mash [ ] "And Mash wins!" (Silver) - Sruvive the Festival as Mash [ ] "You wanna stay, shut your mouth." (Bronze) - Make it to the party as Tyler [ ] "I'm just waiting for a sucker to beat." (Bronze) - Complete 'Road Warrior' as Tyler [ ] "I guess you love trouble..." (Silver) - Complete 'Wargames' as Tyler [ ] "I'm all in." (Bronze) - Complete 'Suburban Shakedown' as Tyler [ ] "It's all about life and death." (Bronze) - Complete 'End of the Line' as Tyler [ ] "Only one of us is making it out of this city alive." (Bronze) - Complete 'The End is Nigh' as Tyler [ ] "We're the best...it's that simple." (Gold) - Survive the Festival as Tyler [ ] "Restricted my ass!" (Bronze) - Start the party as Big Dog [ ] "Time to lose these guys..." (Bronze) - Complete 'High Way' as Big Dog [ ] "Any Questions?" (Silver) - Complete 'Sea Spray' as Big Dog [ ] "If you start, you got to finish..." (Bronze) - Complete 'Final Drive' as Big Dog [ ] "You're greased." (Gold) - End the Festival as Big Dog [ ] Now for the Main Event... (Bronze) - Pass 5 Special Events [ ] Starter for 10 (Bronze) - Pass 10 Special Events [ ] Nail'd it (Silver) - Pass 25 Special Events [ ] Gently Does It (Bronze) - Complete your first online race [ ] Where's My Money? (Bronze) - Place and win a bet in Matchmaking [ ] Double or Quits? (Silver) - Win a bet while on a x2 Hot Streak [ ] High Five! (Bronze) - Reach Rank 5 in Multiplayer [ ] Stacked (Bronze) - Reach Rank 15 in Multiplayer [ ] Croupier (Silver) - Reach Rank 30 in Multiplayer [ ] Jackpot (Gold) - Reach Rank 40 in Multiplayer [ ] Where Do You Put Them All? (Bronze) - Earn 50 Accolades in Multiplayer [ ] Decorated Stormer (Bronze) - Earn 25 Medals in Multiplayer Good luck! - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 9. Conclusion - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - I hope this guide helped you beat MotorStorm: Apocalypse for the PlayStation 3! Special thanks to SBAllen for keeping GameFAQs zoomin' along! Special thanks to all the GameFAQs contributors that have written long walkthroughs like this that have helped me out a lot over the years! Did you feel like I didn't go in-depth enough for certain races? Have you found a shortcut or secret that I missed? Well, shoot me an e-mail and I will edit the guide and give you credit for any corrections, concerns, personal strategies, hints, tips, and what-have-you! I can be reached via e-mail at: horror_spooky@hotmail.com Feel free to check out my other guides, walkthroughs, and reviews on GameFAQs! It will be a walk in the park. A BOARDwalk! All trademarks and copyrights contained in this document are owned by their respective trademark and copyright holders.