The true benefits begin...

I believe I've made some mention in the past of my subscription to Qore, which depending on how rational a being you are, is best described in one of three ways: 1) Sony's online magazine with some nifty exclusives, 2) Sony's way of aping Xbox Live without manning up to it, 3) A cheap way to milk money out of fans.

Seeing as how I'm a subscriber (free copy of Calling All Cars will do that to you), it's probably apparent how I feel. But them's the breaks. People are complaining about the exclusives Qore's netting, but, I chose to pay $25 for a year, and they're repaying me. Sounds about right. I'm not so much paying for admittance into the SOCOM beta as I am paying for a video-magazine with that beta thrown in as a "special thanks to the fans."

So why am I going on and on about this much-discussed issue?

Why, the first fruits of the exclusive-to-Qore fiasco has arrived! Well, there's been a few crappy things I've "managed" to get my hands on, but a demo for Motorstorm: Pacific Rift far outweighs some lame-o themes and backgrounds.

Even though the game is arriving nearly 2 years after it's predecessor, there's not this shocking sense of innovation of originality. But it's not Motorstorm with a green coat of paint either. It's still the same Motorstorm you (possibly) know and love, but with some excellent tweaks. As far as the racing goes, Evolution continues to manage the delicate balance of simulation and arcade racer. As long as the retail release doesn't bend too far over into tht former category, I'm as cool as a cucumber. While you have a boost meter for that arcadey experience, you also have to brake every once and a while, which is nuts considering most games should do the constant acceleration for you.

It's a one stage demo, but you can also play it in split-screen, which is huge for all those gamers whining for offline mulitplayer. On this track, you can play with a motorcycle, truck-car thing, and a monster truck (Snake Bite is not available it seems...). I had the most fun with the motorcycle, but when the original Motorstorm came out, I had no affinity with any one vehicle. Like a polygamist husband, each vehicle was equal in my eyes. I just adored the way it handled, but the monster truck was a disgusting joy. Mowing through the course and your opponents is a blast, but is is easy to focus on that destruction more than the race at hand. A sober mind will better balance the two.

You can tell from the demo that yes, Pacific Rift does indeed take place on the namesake island, but you don't get the impression that the venue has truly changed. That's a major ding against this demo (which is the most absurd thing to say), none of what MS: PR promises isn't found in the demo. There's some new gameplay elements (side swiping your opponents a the cost of some boost), but you use them on a track that seems like a retread of the first game's courses, except with a smattering of green.

But hey, it's awful to judge a demo so early on in the game. I am having a ball, and that's what's most important; watching a motorcyclist's body crumple under the weight of a monster truck.

As for future Qore awesome-sauce, I believe I get the SOCOM Confrontation later today, and the Resistance 2 beta later this month. Tis good to be $25 less the richer.