The central premise of the series was a gathering of off-road racing enthusiasts for an event entitled the "MotorStorm Festival".

The first MotorStorm game includes various classes of vehicles, ranging from Bikes to Big Rigs, each with their own abilities and weaknesses.

Racing Trucks, slightly larger than Rally Cars, are noted for the well-rounded performance and can deal with most situations.

For example, "Mudpool" consists of mud-filled canyons, giving lighter vehicles a massive disadvantage, thus forcing them to use ramps and routes which keep to higher ground, while Mud Pluggers and Big Rigs gain an advantage through the muddy terrain.

Since explosions resulting from the boost typically rocket the player's vehicle forward, they can be used to edge out another racer across the finish line.

Not only surprisingly fast, it is also considerably deadly, since it can run over and crush other vehicles, including other Monster Trucks and Big Rigs.

The "cooldown" system from Pacific Rift (driving through water or deep snow in Arctic Edge to speed up the rate of boost cooling) remains.

The fourth game was released on 16 March 2011 in Europe and on 3 May in North America, due to a delay following the 2011 Japan earthquake.

Competitors are challenged to race through these ruins while avoiding collapsed buildings, explosions, and tremors that will actively and visually redefine the routes mid-race.

[8] The opponents, along with the player, will need to be wary of two warring factions as bystanders will present a hazard for the first time in the series.

The civilian "Crazies" are seen wandering around the city, scavenging items and starting fights against each other, even throwing rocks or molotov cocktails.

Like MotorStorm: Arctic Edge, players can customize their vehicles' appearance with a wide array of parts, sponsor stickers, vinyl, etc.

Some of the parts must be unlocked by progressing through certain tasks during online play, such as wrecking other players, drifting, and gaining air-time over jumps.