Ripping through a track at blistering speeds is one thing, but ripping trough a track at blistering speeds whilst the world crumbles around you is something else. After its reveal back in June, very little has been revealed about the Evolution Studios racer, however, after even a brief play, it’s obvious that MotorStorm Apocalypse will deliver some of the most manic races of your life.

On show at the Eurogamer Expo 2010 in 3D, MotorStorm Apocalypse shows the world how to really use 3D. Bringing the car much closer to the screen, your scope for what’s in front of you is greatly increased. As a result of this, the stunning – especially for pre-alpha – world collapsing around you, with debris, opposing vehicles and even pedestrians flying over your bonnet, brings an immersion that only 3D can provide. Aside from a feature that the majority of people will not be able to utilise at launch, this high-octane racer is traditional MotorStorm down to its very core, only ramped up on steroids. With just a single track and vehicle on show, there was limited scope for the variation of destruction throughout the levels, but whilst the playable track was highly scripted, it never failed to entertain.

Set in an apocalyptic time, hence the name, a select few drivers felt it was the perfect time to partake in some of the most extreme races ever. The sense of scale is something that previous MotorStorms have always nailed and this one is no different. With buildings stretching off into the sky and drops that are made even more exhilarating as the floor that you are set to land on collapses mere feet before you touch down, it really feels like a world falling apart. There are riots left, right and centre, crazed fools running across the track – and unsurprisingly getting hit for six, gunfights, exploding buses, runaway gas trucks and skyscraper after skyscraper crumbling before your eyes; every inch already has such attention to detail and makes the environment something truly spectacular.

The core mechanics haven’t changed from previous MotorStorms; race against your opponents and win by any means necessary. You can still shunt enemies off the track or into on-track hazards, push your vehicle to its limits with the aid of boost – or past its limits into a smouldering oblivion, and leap off cliff faces that only a man with a death-wish would sanely consider. Racing is a solid as ever, with tight and responsive controls, substantial yet not over-powered boost and a hefty shunt at your disposal. The enemy AI is aggressive and competitive, helping the entire package of explosive racing blend so smoothly.

There were of course a few small issues with things such as aliasing and re-spawn points, but nothing to be concerned about from pre-alpha code. Ultimately, MotorStorm Apocalypse was mightily impressive and looks set to be the best in the series. The mixture of the hard and fast racing synonymous with the MotorStorm name, yet now set in a world falling apart around you on an epic scale, how could it be anything but fantastic.