Monster Jam Showdown Review (PS5)
Summary: A fun, easy to play, budget arcade title, Monster Jam fans of all ages will enjoy the experience even with its limitations.
3.7
Arcade Mayhem
In contrast to the surprisingly good, unlicensed, and sim heavy Monster Truck Championship, Monster Jam Showdown comes roaring onto the PS5 with a more accessible, arcade feel bursting with known vehicles. Officially licensed by Feld Entertainment, Monster Jam Showdown is a dream come true for series fans with over 65 unlockable trucks and 140+ liveries. It also makes terrific use of the Unreal 5 engine, with outstanding environmental effects, terrain interactions, and overall truck handling and contact physics.
Similarly, Monster Jam Showdown is truly pick up and play. Learning curve is almost non-existent even for younger Monster Jam fans, with but three shoulder buttons, two analog sticks and a facepad button input required. It also makes terrific use of the right analog stick for rear steering, something Monster Truck Championship never truly embraced.
Within minutes, complex flips, spins, moonwalks, nose wheelies, saves, drifting, and serious air are unleashed, and the control scheme perfectly matches on screen physics. Developer Milestone is a much needed and welcome changeup from Rainbow Studios, and their pedigree with strong racing titles (Ride 5, Moto GP 24, Hot Wheels Unleashed 2, etc.) comes through. Everything just feels right, and the trucks respond as monster trucks truly should.
Visuals are exceptional, with vehicles, courses, and mud/snow effects picture perfect. Audio is likewise a strong suit, with trademark monster jam rev roars, solid music, and a fun announcer along for the ride.
Monster Jam Showdown’s map format will feel familiar for most racing fans, a series of events that – upon high finish – will both level up a player’s customization options also event options to play. There’s a nice diversity in settings and environments within, and Monster Jam Showdown thankfully allows and encourages players to jump around versus grind away before something truly new appears. Even poor finishes reward player levels.
For stunt-oriented courses, it mirrors Monster Truck Championship that chained sequences generate the highest point totals. Thus, learning what tricks are preferred and via what chains significantly boost chances of finishing in a needed top 3 spot.
Execution is a bit hit or miss. Traditional Monster Jam events work well (stunts competition, smaller racecourses, etc.), but the heart of the title resides in massive outdoor courses bogged down by simply too many trucks on the course at once. It can be challenging to pass opposing vehicles due to narrow course paths combined with large vehicles/tires, and branched options reduce but do not fully remedy this. Also, far too many collisions occur, and the Unreal 5 engine can be punishing in the amount of damage these occurrences unleash. There’s also oodles of odd clipping and unwanted mass truck flips following collisions. Monster Jam was never about demolition derby style racing, especially as the trucks so fragile on their exterior (by design) likewise complexity of their engine craftsmanship. Related and even with the diversity of settings, there are too few course types. Finally, destroying on-course objects recharge the boost gauge…but this too doesn’t reflect Monster Jam norms.
Last, even with the full Monster Jam licenses – drivers are generic, and each truck doesn’t handle differently. I respect this an arcade versus simulation title, but these absences are noticeable after but a little time in. Thus, rewards for unlocking additional trucks feel a bit of a letdown and replay value subsides. Similarly, there needs to be more default vehicle options at launch. I’m likewise not a fan of hiding so many trucks behind premium DLC and an extended release schedule. More than 1/3 fit these secondary criteria. Still and if you take it for what it is, Monster Jam Showdown is a solid, budget arcade title that fans of the series and of all ages can play and enjoy ASAP. I would’ve preferred more simulation heavy and custom options, but it mirrors Milestone’s Hot Wheels in catering to mainstream audiences at risk of alienating the few wanting more.
Final Thoughts
An excellent application of the Monster Jam license and Unreal 5 engine, Monster Jam Showdown is accessible for all but falls a little short in its generic execution. Some modes work better than others, but it is certainly fun to play.
About the Author
Paul Stuart A gamer for over 30 years, Paul Stuart has an unhealthy obsession with Assassins Creed, God of War, also sport and virtual reality titles. In his spare time, he teaches Muay Thai kickboxing, runs WrestlingInFlorida.com, and drives his toddler crazy.
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