"Monster Jam" offers possibly the simplest, and yet the best formula for truck racing games.
User Rating: 8 | Monster Jam PC
What marked me the most playing this game was its amazing simplicity, and how well that works for its advantage. It's a bit like a "FlatOut 2" overdosed on steroids. In game, you have nothing to worry about except overheating your engine with the boost. The HUD only gives you the overheating gauge. No speedometer, no nothing. This keeps everything focused on the action, which is deliciously frantic at times. Otherwise the truck handles beautifully, managing to keep on all fours in some odd situations. There were very few times I had to reset my position on the track, and that was when I fell off a cliff. The races are fairly challenging and the odds can turn at any moment, keeping things fun. I found the outdoors circuit races to be the most fun, as the speed seems limited on the circuit tracks.
Graphically, the game is pleasing. The trucks looks good enough, and bits fall off. Also, they get absolutely caked in mud by the time you're done, which adds a bit to the realism. However, the mud from the wheels does not spray, which was a bit of a disappointment, but nothing major. Also, the surrounding breakable objects (which can be quite a few) could have used a bit more detail, as they look fairly flat.
The soundtrack is really fitting, it's all American rock and metal, but it seems to get muddled through the engine roars. The sound is great, lots of noise, lots of metal on metal.
Overall, "Monster Jam" takes a simple, yet very effective approach to truck racing, making for a fun and intense experience.
