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Dirt bike racing is one of those things that should appeal to
just about every testosterone driven male out there. The lure of
dirt bikes started years ago on the NES with Excitebike. Heck, I
played Animal Crossing for 12-hours just to get the Excitebike game
for my Nintendo. Since then, many games in the genre have come and
gone. One of the more successful series was ATV Off-road Racing
series. Although it was four-wheeler based and not a dirt bike; for
dummies like me it’s all the same.
EA Big?
In the recent string of "extreme" sports, why not
include just about everything out there. Dirt bikes doing wacky
stunts seem to go hand-in-hand with the latest "genre" of gameplay.
One might also see how the Tony Hawk series of games have dovetailed
into a variety of different game types. I mean, skateboarding-BMX-dirt
bikes-Hummers; it's all good.
Once I got past the heavy menu system
and into the gameplay, I was pleasantly surprised at the initial
physics of the game. Racing aspects were tight, and the trick system
was floaty and vaguely familiar to the SSX line of games. With an
extraordinary amount of time to pull off crazy moves; your rider and
bike seemed to freeze in mid-air; giving you precious seconds to
pull off some neat-o moves. I really enjoyed the balance between
realistic physics: such as turning, accelerating and braking; but I
also liked the "extreme-ness" of the trick system. Basic moves were
easily pulled off with a single button press and more complex moves
took a great deal of trial and error. One thing that dumbed down the
Tony Hawk series for me was the button-mash technique that would
usually end up with a mad trick and mad points. In MX Superfly, the
system is refreshing, addictive and very clean.
While the trick
mechanics fit well into the scheme of the gameplay, it does come at
a price. Where SSX exceeded was meshing brilliant tricks with the
adrenaline rush of speed. Much of this same excitement is lost in
Superfly, as the speed is dulled from the hanging curveball once
airborne. I don't think there was an easy fix to the situation; I
think THQ balanced the arcade thrill with the physics of realism in
racing as well as they could.
I have to admit that THQ really nailed
the fun-factor right on the head. The game is a blast to play, even
for only a few minutes. But, what makes this a safe-buy is the
longevity of the game as well as the overwhelming amount of options.
One of the requirements I look for in a solid "purchase" game is the
amount of mini-games and unlockables. MX Superfly has both
and the depth of these is sometimes mind numbing. Combine the
options with a solid backbone focused on gameplay, a rental might
not suffice to those who enjoy the sport and/or the genre. Superfly
is also one of the handful of games that is accessible with XBOX
Live!. New tracks, bikes and riders are downloadable via the Live!
network. Those without Live! access will be void of the new content.
So, if you are already on the network this is an even better buy.
Although the Live! system doesn't support multiplayer racing, the
single player career mode should satisfy even the toughest of sport
critiques. Nothing new here, either. Win races, earn cash. More
points, more cash. Use cash to upgrade. The principles are still the
same and you can also use your earnings to unlock a variety of
options. Other game options include a solid multiplayer (yet
somewhat unsatisfying) as well as some brilliant mini-games and
free-ride mode. The free-ride mode was one of my favorites and
allowed you to fine-tune your arsenal of moves. In reality, I find
myself leaning towards the crazy mini-games over the season mode
almost at every start.
Another thread that seems to be popular now
is the customization and persona of games. Superfly is no different
and the "create-a-player" is done extremely well. You can choose
just about everything imaginable; right down to the real-time
sponsor. This adds a nice personal touch, and felt that it really
added some much-needed warmth to the game. One of the problems with
games such as MX Superfly, is the lack of original content. Gamers
like myself have seen just about everything there is to see, and
yearn for new and fresh ideas. Now, I'm not talking about the
gimmicky stunts by Activision and BMX XXX; but more along the lines
of level design and environmental issues. As good as the game is it
still doesn't push it to the point of a "perfect ten" type game. It
does what it does and it does it well. Solid gameplay, tight control
and a plethora of options... that is what makes it a good
game.
Wudja look at dat
I had to give THQ kudos for not
trying to push the limits here. The game runs solidly at 30 FPS.
Many will argue that FPS is everything, but I'd rather have a clean
game pumping a steady 30 FPS than a game choking on its own pixels
at 60. Needless to say the game is quite a beaut, but lacks the
overall "speed" many sports/racing fans are looking for.
With that
said the game runs like a truck and never experienced any flicker or
pop-up; even when the screen was bombarded with visuals. Well done.
The character models themselves are colorful, yet a bit
unimaginative and unoriginal/uninspiring. Still, XBOX supporters
have come to expect top-notched graphics and vast environments. In
the theme of things, the environments and lighting effects are
brilliant with subtle touches that add to the experience. In the
short lifeline of the XBOX's history, one quickly notices that their
racing games are always the most visually impressive. When compared
to others in the XB's line-up (sports-wise) MX Superfly still
pales in comparison. This doesn't mean it's out-dated; just not as
impressive as one should be. Again, I think this is due to the
feeling of speed; or lack thereof.
Audible, the games soundtrack
really kicks. The music fits the action perfectly and blends
seamlessly with the tenacity of the game. With great sound effects
and nice voice-overs to boot; this is one tight model. Those who
don't like the edgy sound of guitar and punk-ish tunes might cringe
from its almost blatant overuse. Even if you aren't a punk-rawker,
with the XBOX's claim-to-fame MP3 import, you can add you own
elements. I never took advantage of this feature simply because I
felt the game wouldn't be quite the same.
Overall, a very solid
outing from THQ in the visual/audio category. Two thumbs up.
66
Says:
I admit that I've never been a huge THQ supporter, but
their 2002 releases have shown dramatic improvements and with
MX Superfly, this is one of their best to date. As mentioned, I
think a rental would suffice for the average gamer; but for extreme
sport types, a purchase would be justifiable. The developers took a
great concept from a variety of sources, put them in a blender, hit
puree and voila... a veritable slushy of gaming goodness.
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