4x4 EVO 2 Preview

4x4 EVO 2 features enhanced visuals as well as more upgrades for your vehicle.

Though there were some complaints about the game's physics engine, the original 4x4 Evolution was met with widespread praise because of its fun arcade-style racing, as well as its unique multiplayer mode, which let PC users race against Dreamcast owners online. Terminal Reality, the developer behind the popular Monster Truck Madness series and the original 4x4 Evolution, is currently finishing up development on the sequel, which features a similar physics engine along with upgraded visuals, new customization items, and options. There's even a new adventure gameplay mode that pushes your SUV to the limit by offering a number of challenges you wouldn't typically find in an off-road driving game. Unfortunately, Terminal Reality has decided to do away with the PC vs. console multiplayer component and instead focus on a pure PC multiplayer experience, so those fans eager to test their driving skills against console opponents will be disappointed.

The career mode gives you a chance to win some cash by racing against opponents.

4x4 EVO 2's most intriguing feature is the adventure mode. Unlike other modes in which the focus is solely on beating opponents to the finish line, the adventure mode does away with opponents and finish lines altogether and replaces them with a series of objectives. One such objective requires you to find a remote village located in a forest and rescue any survivors from a fire located just outside of town. Terminal Reality plans to add several different scenarios, most of which are specifically designed to make life difficult for you and your customized SUV.

The traditional driving modes still play a large role in 4x4 EVO 2. The career mode lets you start out with any one of the basic SUV models from several manufacturers, ranging from Chevrolet, Infinity, and Jeep to Lexus, Dodge, and GMC. Once you choose a vehicle, you can take it into a race and earn money based on your performance--if you place well, you receive more money than other competitors. You use this money to purchase additional parts and upgrades for your SUV, which can substantially improve the SUV's race performance. It's also possible to buy an entirely new SUV, a rally edition SUV, and even a monster truck, but with EVO 2's expanded list of parts, there's a seemingly endless number of modifications you can make to the SUV you already own. Parts are also officially licensed from various companies, like Boja, so gearheads should be able to recognize some names when they browse through the upgrade options.

4x4 EVO 2 includes a free roam mode as well. Free roam doesn't force you to rescue stranded villagers or race to the finish line against opponents, so you can take time and explore more than 30 different tracks in the game. This comes in handy if you have difficulty completing a track and need to find shortcuts to make a decent finish, since you can take time and not have any additional pressure from other objectives. As in the original game, shortcuts are incredibly important because some additions to 4x4 EVO 2 make it much easier to fall behind the rest of the pack in a career mode race or during a mission in the adventure mode.