"Two wheels. 200 mph. Two inches from the tarmac."

With a tagline like that, most gamers will expect the fastest and most exhilarating ride of their lives. They'll have visions of intense take-overs, last-minute wins, and unprecedented crashes.

MotoGP 4, the latest in a long line of motorcycle racing games, delivers on the promise of some of those visions – albeit with a little less enthusiasm.

The first thing you need to know is that this is a simulation racer. An arcade mode is included, but like Gran Turismo, the word "arcade" is just a nice way of reorganizing each race. The simulation rules still apply, as do the controls, which will make or break the experience for most players.

Your initial run will likely be a disaster, especially if you've never played the series before. The bike and class that you choose won't matter much at this point. You'll take off and drive as fast as you can. That's what you're supposed to do, even in a simulation racer – it's the only way to tell exactly how much you're going to have to adjust your personal racing style before you can start winning championships.

As the first turn comes into focus, you'll wonder, "Should I start braking?" I wondered, and having played the series before, I knew what to do. I knew I should've hit the brakes a lot sooner, but decided to pass. I kept going, tried to take the corner sharply, and wound up picking myself up off the ground after having my biker's body slammed into a wall.

This was not unfamiliar territory, but that didn't make it any easier. Though I practiced braking sooner with every turn, I still found myself making contact with the tarmac. Turning too soon caused my bike to go slightly off course; turning too late all but guaranteed that I'd crash. It only takes a small amount of dirt for your tires to lose traction. They're racing wheels, and are not too fond of anything except a smooth, unaltered surface.

Just barely cross the line between dirt and tarmac and your bike will lose stability. If your bike starts to wobble, fight hard to straighten it out. Turning now will mean certain doom. It wouldn't be a good idea to get passed by another biker right now either. But if an opponent approaches, you might want to consider letting him pass with ease. Should you battle it out and the two bikes collide, you're the one who's most likely to fall off.

If this doesn't sound like a game that touts its speed of 200 miles per hour, that's because it isn't. Technically you can go that fast, but it's rare that you'll have the opportunity to enjoy it (given how often you'll be braking). MotoGP 4 is primarily a game of maneuverability. The guy who knows how to handle his bike the best is the one who will win. The guy that's the fastest – he's the one who will come in dead last.

There's a driving assist feature that automatically cuts back on your speed as you approach a turn. Multiplayer races might as well come with the feature turned on, 'cause there's a good chance at least one of your friends is going to need it. Even if they don't, it does make the experience a lot less stressful. Using it prevents you from receiving the full experience, but that's a hard thing to achieve. For multiplayer, quicker and simpler entertainment is best.

After hours (possibly days) of practice via the Challenge mode, players should be good enough to dive into the 125cc, 250cc, and MotoGP competitions. The Challenge mode is a lot like Gran Turismo's license objectives, minus the completion requirement. You don't have to play them. But when you realize that each challenge demonstrates a different problem with a different part of each track (and gives you the chance to solve them), you'll probably want to.

The objectives sound easy. Win a race. Stop at the designated area. Finish a quarter lap within the specified time limit. But when the controls and maneuverability aspect come into play, these challenges are some of the hardest you'll ever face.

In the Season mode, players will get the chance to tweak their bikes and practice the course before each race begins. The bike handling adjustments are very straightforward: transmission, handling, brakes, and acceleration. Each improvement is lessened by the downgrade of something else. Higher brake values, for example, improve your ability to stop but diminish steering response.

MotoGP 4 isn't as memorable as its predecessors. The lack of speed and polygonal prowess is pretty damaging, especially for a game that touts itself as having photo-realistic graphics. The controls, no matter how manageable in time, may be too much for the average gamer to bear.

In spite of those flaws, MotoGP 4 is not entirely disappointing. If you play the game long enough to grasp the controls, you'll find that they can be really satisfying. The real-world courses provide a near-endless list of obstacles to overcome. Opponents are smart but forgiving. You'll have to work hard to pass the and hold the lead, but the game still allows you to make a couple of mistakes and finish in the top five. That might not be the most desirable situation, but in a game like this, you'll just be glad you're not dead last.

Gameplay: 7.0
Gamers who have conquered Polyphony Digital’s uber-challenging Tourist Trophy will find more than enough extreme racing content within MotoGP 4 to keep them occupied. The steering mechanics alone require several hours of practice. It could take much longer for less experienced players to grasp these subtle and intense maneuvers.

On the down side, MotoGP 4’s plain visuals take away from the exhilaration of each race. Graphics are often secondary (as they should be), but in a racer, the sense of speed is very important. That’s something this game lacks.

Graphics: 6.9
MotoGP 4 does not have the most stunning paint job, but there a few things worth mentioning. The bikers hold themselves in a realistic position, leaning in and out of turns accordingly. Go off-track and your biker is likely to fall off – hit a wall and he’ll be thrown forward and land on his back. Tires collect and spread dirt, leaving behind a trail of your mistake.

Sound: 7.0
Typical motorcycle sounds mixed with a not-at-all-surprising techno soundtrack.

Difficulty: Hard
Are your thumbs in need of an exercise? Do you have patience of steel?

Concept: 7.0
MotoGP 4 follows the rules and regulations of other motorcycle racers. Nothing new or standout to mention.

Multiplayer: 7.1
Those of you who are lucky enough to have three friends who can tolerate the game (and actually understand it) will not be disappointed by its four-player races. Online that number is doubled, letting you and seven others compete for supremacy.

Overall: 7.0
MotoGP 4’s many ups and downs keep it from reaching the status of other games bearing the MotoGP name. It’s fun and frustrating, slow but challenging, and only semi-realistic. This racer isn’t for everyone, but is worth renting if you’ve enjoyed Tourist Trophy and/or the other MotoGP releases.