Reviewed: February 18, 2003
Reviewed by: Mark Smith
Publisher
Sony Computer Entertainment
Developer
Rainbow Studios
Released: November 12, 2002
Genre: Racing
Players: 4
ESRB: Everyone
9
9
9
9
9.4
Supported Features:
Just in time for the launch of Sony’s online adapter comes the sequel to last year’s ATV racing hit, ATV Offroad Fury. Online racing is only the icing on a very sweet multi-layer cake of ATV racing that is all wrapped up in one of the slickest presentations I have seen out of all of the holiday releases.
There’s not a lot of competition when it comes to the ATV racing genre. Aside from it’s own prequel you have the ATV: Quad Power Racing series from Acclaim, which has just released their second installment, albeit two months after ATV Offroad Fury 2 hit the stores. Rather than tinker with the absolute perfect design and gameplay of the original, Rainbow Studios has simply tweaked the graphics, and enhanced the series for the advances in technology over the past two years.
Checkout this load of features:
- 40 Massive environments
- 20+ Authentic ATV’s licensed by Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki, and more
- Exciting game modes like Nationals, Supercross, Freestyle, Enduro, and lots of Mini Games
- Massive library of wild and crazy tricks and stunts
- Amazing real-world physics and intuitive control system
- Multiplayer racing for up to four players using Multitap, I-Links, or Online Adapter
- Killer soundtrack features more than 20 hits from current pop favorites
A racing game (especially an stunt-based one) is only as good as the control system behind it and Offroad Fury 2 features one of the most intuitive control scheme in the history of the genre. We begin with the basics; X for gas, square for brake, and the left stick steers and shifts your body weight forward and back. The real treat is the preload systems, the very important process of shifting your weight back on the rear springs as you ride up a ramp or hill then lift your butt off the seat at the lip of the incline to add some extra spring and airtime to your jump.
Whether you are playing an ATV or an MX racing game preloading is a critical aspect for achieving the required air to chain multiple stunts or to navigate those tricky sections of moguls or impossibly steep inclines. Offroad Fury 2 differs from those other games that rely on a button for preloading your shocks and instead allows you to shift your weight with the left stick. This offers an incredible amount of realism to the gameplay and an unprecedented level of finesse when determining just how much spring you need on each jump. It just “feels” much more natural to be shifting your weight forward and back with the stick than to press some arbitrary button and hope you get the timing of the press and release just right.
There are plenty of stunts you can pull off ranging from simple wheelies to more than 20 impressive air stunts that range in complexity. Grab some mad air and chain multiple tricks together for huge scores. While you can perform tricks during normal races they have no ulterior function like providing unrealistic boost or even affecting the end score of the race. Stunts do reward you with Profile Points (1 point per 1000 stunt points) provided you place in the top four. These points can be spent to unlock a variety of bonus items.
Track design is wonderful with races taking place in large and realistic outdoor environments or authentic indoor supercross arenas. All of these tracks looks like actual places you could be racing and not some fantasy design or impossibly constructed track that would only work in a game. The actual tracks are very wide and allow for some clever strategy when it comes to passing and taking the inside line on a turn.
The computer AI is quite competitive to the point of aggression. These guys will arc their jumps and try to land on your head or sideswipe you on a turn sending you tumbling off the track. There is nothing more ominous that hearing a pursuing ATV whine, as it launches into the air then you seeing that looming shadow as it comes closer to your position.
There are plenty of game modes to choose from including all your favorites. You have your main menu that offers training, single, and multiplayer modes that breakdown into Race, Freestyle, Championship, and even a Waypoint Editor that lets you create your own Enduro circuits using the available environments.
Of course nothing beats a human opponent and Offroad Fury 2 gives you plenty of ways to hook-up and compete with up to three other human players. You can split-screen with or without a Mutitap or use the I-Link cable to hook-up two systems or take your racing online using the new online adapter with either broadband or dial-up. Some of these multiplayer modes are available from the beginning and others need to be unlocked using profile points.
No matter how you get in touch with other humans, the online racing is one of the best features of this game. There was some occasional lag when using a dial-up connection but broadband performs flawlessly. My only critique of the online gameplay is that you can only compete in racing or freestyle events. I would have loved to play some of the other game modes or mini-games like the hockey, tag, or treasure hunt.
I normally view the screenshots on the back of the box with a grain of salt, but in the case of Offroad Fury those image hardly do the actual game justice. While there is nothing that has been hugely improved over the original (which is still an amazing achievement in graphics), Rainbow Studios has implemented all sorts of subtle details that flesh out the game world and create an ultra-realistic environment that you normally don’t expect from these types of games.
The environments are huge and the draw distance stretch to infinity with no fogging or pop-up. The track textures are excellent with ruts, and patches of sticky mud, and reflective puddles and rivers than send water spraying into the air when you speed through them. The tracks are populated with plenty of objects specific to the theme of that level. The building zone has you racing through a neighborhood of homes currently under construction. There are railroad tracks with trains and large forest areas with plenty of detailed trees that range in complexity and color.
The ATV’s and riders are created with detailed polygon models and refined with colorful textures and colors. They look just as good in motion, and the riders will lean with the bike and bail with convincing crash animations. The tricks are realistically depicted and when you chain combos the transitions are surprisingly smooth.
You can choose from a variety of camera views but only three of them are actually suitable from gameplay. These include the two chase views and the first-person view. I found Chase 2 offered the best arcade experience and kept you close enough to the rider to enjoy the animation, but for you purists out there who want the ultimate in ATV riding simulation you will instantly fall in love with the handlebar view that bounces with every bump and will have you scrambling for an airsick bag after your first multi-trick combo. If you ever wondered what those crazy guys in the X-Games are experiencing, this view will give you a good idea.
The presentation is extremely polished with menus that are easy to read and easier to navigate. You can create and tweak your rider profile giving them a number and dressing them in a variety of boots, goggles, helmets, and gloves. These changes are subtle but they are used when rendering your character in the game. You might never notice those cool gloves you picked out until you drive from the handlebar view. Kudos for the killer opening movie that features some of the best CG graphics I’ve seen on the PS2 lately, especially in a racing game, and honorable mention to the subtle animated rider that flies through the menu screens doing all sorts of spectacular slow-motion stunts.
Racing games are becoming known for their reliance on licensed pop-music and Offroad Fury 2 is no exception. Where it does break the mold is by incorporating an eclectic mix of tunes from various genres spanning rock, grunge, hip-hop, and funk. With more than two-dozen killer tunes I never got bored and even more surprising, I didn’t find a single one of them annoying. I can almost always pick at least one or two songs that make me cringe in every game I play that uses licensed music. I’ve been a club DJ for nearly 15 years and there is some really groundbreaking tunes in this game.
It’s been several years since I’ve ridden an actual ATV, so I can barely remember what one sounds like, but I do know that the bikes in this game sound really good and I’m sure they are authentic. The various bikes all have slightly variable sounds that create a crazy harmony when you get caught up in the pack, almost like the starting line of the pod race in Phantom Menace.
The rest of the sound package is fleshed out with environmental sounds like a train going by, a yell from a rider as he gets dumped, the splash of water, or the cheers of the crowd at the arena events. The entire presentation is wrapped up in a great Dolby Surround package that puts you on the bike on the track and in the game.
The single player modes in the game will keep you busy for 30-40 hours. Each race has two trophies, one normal and one expert, and the expert races are no day at the beach. The AI is ruthless and you will need every ounce of driving skill, track memorization, and perfect mix of bike stats and preloading skills to win.
And don’t forget those profile points and all the bonus goodies to unlock, or the decent selection of mini-games that are almost as fun as the main racing modes. ATV hockey may just become your next big party game favorite and modes like King of the Hill, Tag, and Treasure Hunt will keep you and a friend busy for hours, even if you can't play them online.
Of course Offroad Fury 2 achieves legendary value status when you begin to explore the multiplayer options whether it’s as simple as a single friend and a split-screen or linking two systems together or going online to race against total strangers in far off lands. It doesn’t get any better than this.
Without a doubt, ATV Offroad Fury 2 is one of the best sequels ever created for the PS2. Everything you loved about the original is back and has been enhanced to near perfection. The gameplay is solid and varied, the graphics are stunning, and the sound package is perfectly rounded with great audio effects and a varied music list that may have you shopping for some CD’s of the contributing musicians.
If you’ve never played one of these games before then I can’t think of a better place to start. You may even want to look for the original, which has certainly made its way to the bargain bins by now. Whether you are playing alone, with a friend, or even online, you won’t find a better 4x4 offroad racing experience for your PlayStation 2.