Reviews

Videogames> MX vs. ATV Untamed

E365> Videogame Review - Wednesday March 12 2008

E365 -- Ever since it's original 1998 release, Motocross Madness, Rainbow Studios has been the undisputed king of offroad racing games. MX vs. ATV Untamed is the seventh offroad title they've released, and once again it contains many of the same features that have made their previous efforts successful. Outside of some new modes and event types there's not too much here that fans of the franchise won't have seen before, but, ten years into the series, perhaps that shouldn't come as much of a surprise.

In evidence once again is the excellent control mechanics that have characterised previous efforts, meaning you really get the best of both worlds when it comes controlling your machine of choice. On the one hand you have an almost arcade-like simplicity that enables you to turn on a dime and pull off those crazy jumps with regular success. On the other hand there is a degree of realism that enables you to use your clutch for cornering or acceleration techniques, or drop your bike at the top of a jump to stay low in the air.

It's this mix between arcade and simulation-type controls that have always been the mark of a Rainbow Studios' racer, meaning whether you choose a bike, ATV, buggy or truck, you're always able to enjoy how it handles.

It's a double edged sword, however, because unless you're a newcomer to the genre, you might start getting a feeling of having done all of this before. The new race types do their best to make it all seem different, but there's a definite chance of boredom setting in quicker this time around.

There's a new event on offer called Endurocross, which has you racing a Supercross track littered with tires, rocks, tree stumps, ponds and other potential hazards. It sounds great, but unfortunately there are literally so many obstacles that you're seldom able to build up any significant speed, which definitely takes some of the fun out of the racing experience. No doubt hardcore racers will eventually find the perfect line to optimise their time around the track, but casual gamers might well find this race option uninspiring.

There's also a new feature called the X-Cross Tournament, which takes a similar approach to many other racing games, where completing one track opens up a bunch more to choose from. It's a nice idea, but it's a lengthy undertaking and you might sometimes find yourself having to slog through a number of races you don't really feel like doing anymore in order to progress.

There are a number of customisation options, but they're mostly based on appearance as opposed to performance. There's not much you can do about how your bike or ATV handles, though considering the game's excellent control system, that's not such a bad thing.

There are a couple of pretty cool mini-games thrown in to the mix, of which Snake has to be the best. It features standard races, but now your bike leaves a visible trail behind you as you go. It's all fully three dimensional, so you can jump over or race under other racer's lines, which is a lot of fun.

Visually, the game certainly does not embarrass itself, though some of the textures do look a bit bland. The soundtrack is nice, though, and suits the genre of racing well.

If you're a newcomer to the genre, or if it's been a while since you've tried out an offroad racer, you definitely can't go wrong with this one. It's a solid effort, with a great selection of tracks, vehicles and event types to keep you entertained.