MXRider is the latest motocross game to hit the PlayStation 2, this one from the people at Infogrames under its newly resurrected Atari label. As an official product of the FIM Motocross World Championship, MXRider features 23 authentic FIM tracks and 58 licensed riders. It also includes six original supercross tracks designed exclusively for MXRider by FIM track designer Freddy Verherstraeten to go along with six daring freestyle courses. Along with the season mode, MXRider offers trick-attack freestyle modes, challenges, single races, and a corresponding assortment of multiplayer races.
While many elements of MXRider are as close to the real thing as it gets, when it comes to the freestyle mode, it is far from a simulation-style racing game. Floaty physics allow riders to catch inhuman amounts of air, and you can enjoy a tongue-in-cheek look at hazards--your rider can fly into exploding barrels or get eaten by a shark, and emerge a second later unscathed.
Racing in the single or seasonal challenges is the core game in MXRider and is executed solidly. The tracks are diverse and a pleasure to traverse, and the game gives a good sense of speed while still maintaining the off-road feel. The trick aspect of MXRider isn't quite so well executed, however. While it's a lot of fun to play through the nicely designed freestyle courses, executing moves using the trick system can be frustrating at times. You pull off the 30-plus tricks by holding down the trick button and completing a particular motion using the digital pad or the analog stick. While easy enough in theory, it's fairly unintuitive--many times your rider will simply stall in midair when he should be pulling off a quad can-can. Back-and-forth motions are inherently easier to pull off, so moves like the superman come out on command, but since the game penalizes your score when you repeat tricks, it can get frustrating at times. However, those of you who do spend the time to get used to the trick system can have tons of fun racking up lots of points in the freestyle arenas while leaping through rings of fire or over volcanoes, always looking for a trick multiplier pickup for a particularly sick score.
The graphics in MXRider are very nicely done, with well-animated, detailed riders. When splashing through puddles of mud or water, your tires will kick splashes and drops of liquid onto the screen in a way that adds nicely to the experience. Both rider and bike will be caked with mud by the end of a race. The bailing animations are effective, and the overall visual effect of the courses and riders is pleasant. You do pay for the visual goodness with some pretty long load times, though, including a long wait simply for accessing the options menu.
MXRider impresses on the audio level as well. The revving of the bikes' engines sounds great, and the soundtrack goes nicely with the high-energy feel of the game, with selections from an assortment of punk and ska artists. Occasionally it may seem like the tracks repeat a bit too frequently, which may only be a testament to how much time will slip by as you play. If any part of the audio presentation grates, it would have to be the smart-aleck announcer, who will frequently criticize your abilities and performance. Lots of subtle touches set MXRider apart from the flock and give you something to look for as you play, such as the distinctive Pac-Man pellet-chomping sound, which you hear as your bike plows through a series of barricades. You can also get a little extra kick out of looking for the voluptuous cheering girls and trying to run them over. However, the game's reliance on invisible walls to keep you penned into the arenas and tracks will make you feel confined and cheated at times. You'll feel punished for getting a particularly great hang time from a ramp when you nail an invisible wall before flying into the stands.
Playing through the season mode is a lot of fun--you'll need to manage your rider's funds as well as his or her performance. Once you've gotten a good hang of how to defeat the formidable AI, you can attempt to best the many different challenges, which unlock images and secrets for further enjoyment. There's definitely a lot to do, and MXRider will last a long time, especially for those of you who feel the need to get everything out of a game. In the end, MXRider offers a good amount of playability for anyone even remotely interested in motocross or racing games in general.
