Title	:	Dark Cloud 2
Platforms	:	Sony PlayStation 2
Publisher	:	SCEA
ESRB Rating	:	Teen
Game Rating	:	8.0
Review by	:	Ken Gagne

A hero from the future has travelled to the past to change all that will be. No, it's not this summer's Terminator 3 — it's Dark Cloud 2, a PlayStation 2 game from Sony. 

Though occasionally compared to Zelda, Dark Cloud has only superficial resemblances to that game. Dark Cloud is a 3D adventure game where the heroes gain experience and gold, go shopping, and play out a story, as in a role-playing game (RPG), but the battles are real-time, with buttons for swinging swords and dodging bullets. 

To describe Dark Cloud 2 in a word: busy. 

Let's start with the Max's armaments. His weapons are durable, but not indestructible, and must be restored using a limited supply of Repair Power before they break. They can also be upgraded to new forms, or enhanced in their current forms. This latter process involves "spectrumizing" other items, or distilling their essences, and "synthesizing", or combining essences with weapons to increase their attributes. Players can switch between multiple characters, each with unique weapons and vehicles, which can also be modified. 

Next are inventions. Max can get ideas by taking photographs of nearby items, then combining three of these hundreds of ideas into a wondrous item or powerful weapon. A trash can, pipe, and belt can be converted into an energy source for a robot, but a mailbox, pumpkin, and clock may not prove so useful. 

Then there's the dungeons, which may also take the form of forests, mountains, and other settings, each a dozen "levels" or more deep. Each floor is randomly generated, ensuring a new experience for every gamer with each play. But without any human genius supporting these machinations, the casual layout and stray monsters and treasures ultimately defeat this potential for newness. 

The settings don't stop there. Max must rebuild the world from scratch using the Georama system, which allows him to plot the location of buildings, people, and other environmental accessories. Players have more control over this process than they did in the original Dark Cloud, granting them the freedom to design their own setting. 

Those are the essential elements of gameplay, which give players many options and duties with which to tackle the mundane. The challenge is not what to invent, but how; not who the enemy is, but how to defeat him. 

I do not find such trials engaging. No matter my weapon, character, or vehicle, I know that the next level will be as indeterminate as the last, and will involve mashing buttons to defeat enemies until one reveals the key to the next level, where I can start again. 

There is more engagement to be found in the game's presentation. Using cel shading, the graphics are colorful and cartoonish, with characters moving animatedly through a vivid world. Everyone speaks with surprisingly effective and comical voice acting, and adventures to music that is upbeat and catchy. 

If random dungeons are to your liking, then Dark Cloud 2 offers hours of rewarding experimentation and replay value. I found myself lost in the dark mists of customization and a gameplay the crux of which is too repetitive.

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This article is copyright (c) 2003, 2007 by Ken Gagne. All rights reserved. Not to be distributed without permission.

Original publication: Tech News, 25-Mar-03

Title	:	C-12: Final Resistance
Platforms	:	Sony PlayStation
Publisher	:	SCEA
ESRB Rating	:	Teen
Game Rating	:	7.4
Review by	:	Ken Gagne

New video game consoles sentence their predecessors to the shadows, and eventually, the closets. These older systems often cling tenaciously to life, but their days are numbered. 

The original PlayStation, perhaps encouraged by its successor's backward compatibility, has now been around for two years beyond the launch of the PlayStation 2. It can postpone the inevitable for only so long, however, as proven with Sony's C-12: Final Resistance. 

C-12 is a 3D action-adventure in the style of Syphon Filter. Aliens (akin to Star Trek's Borg) have invaded Earth. Lieutenant Vaughan has been fitted with a Borg optical implant, allowing him to gather information about his surroundings. This minor device somehow makes him Earth's last hope. 

From humble beginnings comes a humble game. Players control Vaughan as he attacks a variety of aliens in dilapidated cityscapes. New and strange weapons can be acquired and, with experience, powerful secondary uses can be discovered. The occasional puzzle can be solved by collecting alien keycards or pushing crates into place. 

There isn't much to the storyline. The good and bad guys are clearly defined from the get-go, leaving the missions to focus on rescuing hostages, restoring allied bases, and capturing enemy materiel. Vaughan's eyepiece is overrated, as it gives minimal information on the setting. Unlike in Metroid Prime, his device is for observational purposes only, and does not interact with his environment. 

Controls are standard for this type of game, with primary and secondary attack buttons, crouch, and the like. The ability to target-lock an enemy is defeated by Vaughan's tendency to whip his weapon in whatever direction he's running. Thus, target-lock becomes most effective when Vaughan himself is a stationary target. 

Enemy AI varies oddly. Scout drones can detect Vaughan and summon reinforcements, prompting him to stealthily evade their sensors. But should Vaughan spot the shoulder of an enemy around a corner, the alien will stand there as his shoulder his filled with lead to the point of fatality. Two sentries may not acknowledge each other, especially if one should suddenly be riddled with bullets. The boss encounters, however, are challenging; not only does laser fire fill the air, but defeating the attacker will take some amount of brain as well as brawn. 

The effects wrought by these invaders' presence can be seen in the destruction of immediate surroundings. Players can't see very far ahead, though, and local surfaces have a habit of warping weirdly as Vaughan approaches — a visual, if not functional, anomaly. 

Most levels have no musical accompaniment, with boss encounters attended to by only minor fanfare. For the rest of the time, we get to hear perky British voice actors over the radio, reminding us of new and changed objectives. 

Sony's original PlayStation has been around for six years, and in that time, has defined and explored several genres. C-12 is a final entry in a fine area that's been nearly exhausted by the PlayStation's capabilities. There's little new here, suggesting it's time to stop resisting change and move on to another platform.

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This article is copyright (c) 2002, 2007 by Ken Gagne. All rights reserved. Not to be distributed without permission.

Original publication: Sentinel & Enterprise, 26-Aug-02

Title	:	The Mark of Kri
Platforms	:	Sony PlayStation 2
Publisher	:	SCEA
ESRB Rating	:	Mature
Game Rating	:	8.4
Review by	:	Ken Gagne

Oral tradition, unlike the written word, is flexible. Tales transform as they are passed down through generations, each time preserving a bit less of the family's heritage. 

People no longer believe in the dark spell that was long ago shattered into six pieces, and given to six tribes to protect. But when an evil force moves to reassemble the magic, the barbarian Rau will learn his family's part in preventing such disaster. The tradition of 3D beat-em-up games is neatly preserved, yet also expanded, in The Mark of Kri, a PlayStation 2 game published by Sony. 

In Kri, players control Rau in a series of 3D action-adventure quests. Though each level starts at the village inn, where a quest or journey is issued, little other character interaction occurs. Once out in the field, players will be talking to people with the sharp end of a sword. 

Rau is as savage as he is barbaric. Though he wields his broadsword with finesse, he does so to merciless end, lopping off heads and limbs, skewering and impaling with impunity. Should he sheathe his sword, his bare hands can powerfully snap necks and crush skulls. There is much of neither blood nor gore, but the actions themselves are no less brutal and unsettling. 

The Legend of Zelda introduced the "lock-on" method by which characters in 3D games can focus on a single enemy. Mark of Kri expands the player's range to include up to three foes. By swinging the right analog stick, nearby enemies can be targeted, each marked with an icon representative of a controller button. Pressing that button will send Rau to strike that particular guard, though the fewer enemies on which he's focused, the more damage and the more punishing the combos he can inflict. 

Despite the variety of enemies and ways of which to dispose them, if that's all there was, Kri could be reduced to little more than button mashing. Fortunately, other gameplay elements expand the experience. 

For example, Rau's bird, Kuzo, is too old to be a combative partner (unlike the secondary and similarly-named star of Banjo-Kazooie). But a clairvoyant connection between the two allows Rau to use his feathered friend to scout nearby areas. Kuzo can also activate switches and translate ancient texts, both necessary to open the way for Rau. 

There is also the value of learning to stealth kill. Though Rau can eventually learn to target more than three enemies, even he can be overborne by an entire camp of thugs. Rau's massive weight can become a silent killer as he sneaks along walls and up behind unsuspecting enemies, or strings his bow to rain death from afar. 

There are secondary goals for Rau to complete in each level as well. A primary objective must be met to advance in the game, but meeting various other challenges will unlock new costumes, combat arenas, and other secrets. Beyond giving the player something to do, these tasks are a deceptive way to train the player and teach him all Rau's abilities, challenging him to use specific methods to kill a certain number of guards, or to avoid using the sword as a crutch and to find other innovative ways to immobilize a sentry. 

Kri's graphical style is often reminiscent of Disney (though I doubt Walt would've ever approved such carnage). Lush, tropical backgrounds cultivate the wild atmosphere. But between levels, narration unfolds as, before the player's eyes, a picture is inked onto brown parchment. This method by which the story develops simultaneously aurally and visually is fitting for a game of such ancient, tribal setting. 

I've grown weary of cookie-cutter beat-em-up games, and worried that The Mark of Kri would succumb to this chasm. If not for a unique environment and storytelling method, and various gameplay enhancements and extras, it would've, as Kri is such a beat-em-up game at its core. But it climbs out of that pit far enough to leave its mark on the PS2 gaming scene for as long as its six levels last. Comparisons to Metal Gear Solid prove inaccurate, but if you like Tenchu, then Mark of Kri deserves your attention.

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This article is copyright (c) 2002, 2007 by Ken Gagne. All rights reserved. Not to be distributed without permission.

Original publication: Sentinel & Enterprise, 05-Aug-02

Title	:	Drakan: The Ancients' Gate
Platforms	:	Sony PlayStation 2
Publisher	:	SCEA
ESRB Rating	:	Mature
Game Rating	:	6.8
Review by	:	Ken Gagne

Long ago, humans and dragons lived in peaceful coexistence, bonded into the Order of the Flame to protect the world and its skies. That time passed, and the world has been a dark, chaotic place. A young woman, Rynn by name, has reawakened Arokh, who isn't a rock at all, but a vestige of that earlier time. It's up to the first bonded human and dragon in centuries to restore Pern — sorry, Drakan — to its former glory by discovering the Rune Gates and reviving the Spirit Dragons therein. 

This is the tale of Drakan: The Ancients' Gate, a PlayStation 2 game from Sony. This 3D adventure game provides a fantasy world of hills and vales, but fails to populate it with the right characters and challenges to warrant much exploration. 

Players control Rynn, who is a cross between Lara Croft and Xena, with scant, leather clothing, hard, almond-shaped blue eyes, large, luscious lips, the stride of a woman, not a warrior, and a lethal swing. She sometimes takes flight aback Arokh, battling wicked winged fiends and the like, but these opportunities are more often than not planned; don't think your fire-breathing friend will finish all your foes for you. 

Mastering the controls is the first obstacle Drakan throws at players, with Rynn's bagful of tricks requiring full command of the control pad's buttons. Several combinations are less than intuitive, including swapping weapons and armor in mid-battle. The D-pad is required to execute different sword strikes, awkwardly inviting players to abandon movement with the left analog stick in the heat of combat. Such techniques are often unnecessary anyway; it's just as effective to execute random dervishes of attacks and hope the brute is reduced to a bloody pulp. 

Rynn is an occasional mercenary, with several optional quests and opportunities to create corpses. Some objectives require backtracking once she's powerful enough to tackle them, but are worth the rewards and plot developments they offer. When crossing land boundaries, players will be prompted to save their game, which may also be done at anytime and is recommended. There's nothing more frustrating than hacking one's way through waves of lizardmen, only to fall prey to an unexpected foe and be forced to restart. 

The plot is revealed in cinematic sequences that use voice actors for the dialogue. As with more games these days, practically all text is optional, allowing the spoken word to capture the player's attention. Unfortunately, this acting is only mediocre, with several voices reused for various common peasants. 

The world of Drakan is large and fantastic; Rynn can travel almost anywhere she can see, from distant citadels to nearby waterfalls. Upon closer examination, the game displays a variety of graphical incongruities. One character Rynn encounters early on has an expressive face, complete with moving eyebrows; other people will be perfect statues, except for their lips. More noticeable than such inconsistencies are the various glitches. Rynn quaffs not just the contents of a potion bottle, but the entire bottle. Monsters stagger into a frozen death stance, in defiance of gravity. The lids of demolished barrels float in midair, unaware of their beheading. It's easy to get stuck in a corner, behind a tree, or between people, requiring one to stop, drop, and roll to freedom. 

Ultimately, getting stuck is what players will do. Whether it's dying from an unexpected fall or fireball, or progressing through rank after rank of minions, gamers will find themselves executing the same actions repeatedly. Different weapons and spells become available, but are simply new means to the same ends. 

Drakan has all the trappings of a beautiful fantasy world approach to 3D games such as Tomb Raider. Unfortunately, it's also trapped by its own lack of ambition when it comes to gameplay, and indecisiveness of whether it's an action-adventure or a role-playing game. In either genre, this game is drakan its feet.

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This article is copyright (c) 2002, 2007 by Ken Gagne. All rights reserved. Not to be distributed without permission.

Original publication: Sentinel & Enterprise, 04-Feb-02

Title	:	Parappa the Rapper 2
Platforms	:	Sony PlayStation 2
Publisher	:	SCEA
ESRB Rating	:	Everyone
Game Rating	:	6.3
Review by	:	Ken Gagne

You gotta do what? 

You gotta believe! 

Faith is the only thing that will keep you going through Parappa the Rapper 2, Sony's PlayStation 2 sequel to the game that started the "musical game" craze. 

All the food in Parappa Town is turning into noodles. Our rapping puppy, Parappa, and his friends and family must undo the damage and discover the source of this nefarious noodlization. The original Parappa employed whimsical hyperbole to good effect, but this new storyline is purely outlandish. 

Regardless, the rap is mightier than the sword, with gamers invited to wield lyrical tunes in Parappa Town's defense. Each of its eight stages introduces Parappa to a new teacher, who raps a tune for the hip dog to imitate in "follow the bouncing ball" fashion. Following an icon moving across the top of the screen, players must press buttons in timed sequence. A good sense of timing will have Parappa belting out a solid tune and performing an accompanying action; false moves will produce missteps and more noodles. 

The basic gameplay formula is the same as in the previous Parappa game. Any veteran of that game or its ilk, such as Bust a Groove, Dance Dance Revolution, or Samba de Amigo, will breeze through each stage with little trouble or need for retries. There are a few additional gameplay and difficulty modes that welcome gamers back for more, but their flawed premise will put players at unease. 

That flaw is Parappa 2's strong emphasis on freestyle rapping. The best players will surpass their teachers by ignoring their instructions, instead pounding out the moves that fit the funky flow. Unfortunately, the game awards points in an inconsistent fashion; potential rappers will often disagree with the game's judgment of their style, frustrating them into less inspired imitation. Playing this game well feels not so much like getting in the groove as it does puzzling what the computer's thinking. 

The same mysterious scoring system is also nearly fatal to the two-player mode, which the original Parappa game lacked. Any of the stages can be the backdrop for a duel between two human players, or one human and a computer opponent. What's the point of competing if it's indecipherable who's actually the better rapper? 

Of course, the music is what the game's all about. The first Parappa had our homedog rapping clever tunes to common chores, such as earning a driver's license or baking a cake. The sequel's songs are no less clever, but the situations are far less common — activating a shrink ray, practicing "Romantic Karate", and the like — making the songs less memorable. The plays on words still manage to be toe-tapping and innovative. 

Parappa's graphical style is a combination of 2D and 3D storybook artwork. All the characters are paper-thin, which makes for some amusing sequences (such as an ant's slow-motion perspective on a giant, stomping Parappa). The cartoonish look is fun and lighthearted, fitting well with the game's music. The graphics during the raps often cut quickly from scene to scene, but rappers' eyes will be too busy watching the command line to notice. 

Overall, this sequel lacks the originality of the first Parappa. The basic game is only a short romp, but if you want to try your hand at freestyle, don't get cocky, because it's gonna get rocky!

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This article is copyright (c) 2002, 2007 by Ken Gagne. All rights reserved. Not to be distributed without permission.

Original publication: Sentinel & Enterprise, 28-Jan-02

Title	:	Gran Turismo 3 A-Spec
Platforms	:	Sony PlayStation 2
Publisher	:	SCEA
ESRB Rating	:	Everyone
Game Rating	:	8.7
Review by	:	Ken Gagne

As possibly the first mass-market 128-bit system, the PlayStation 2 holds astonishing capabilities for unique and innovative titles, offering gameplay unseen on any other console. 

Oddly enough, the PS2's first "killer app" is one of the best entries into one of the oldest genres there is. Enter Gran Turismo 3 A-Spec, from Sony. 

GT3 is a simulation racer, which is of a slightly different form than an arcade racer. In a sim, attention is paid to detail and realistic gameplay. GT3 drivers are best served by understanding gear ratios and torque settings. There are no jumps, no shortcuts, and no balloons to pop in a game such as this. 

But there's plenty that GT3 does have. Cars, for example. The Gran Turismo series is well populated with car models from dozens of manufacturers. Ford, Dodge, Shelby, and many others offer their machines with actual specifications, making this game a car enthusiast's dream come true. 

There are also plenty of tracks, but not enough to warrant the vast number of cups and circuits. Players who proceed through all that the game has to offer will encounter the same courses several times, with some tracks identical to earlier Gran Turismo courses. 

For those unfamiliar with the series, GT3 can be a tough game to crack. Players begin with a small budget competing in small-time cups, trying to earn money to purchases better cars and parts. The lack of speed isn't only in the game's progression. If you're looking to hop into an Audi or Cobra right out of the starting gate, look elsewhere; you'll need to slowly work your way up from a Mazda Miata or Ford Taurus in this game. It's hard to get excited over the sense of speed a 115 horsepower machine provides when you know there are 700 HP toys out there. 

The gameplay has improved very little since the original Gran Turismo. The controls, gameplay, and goals are identical. What changes do exist are minor. The menu system by which players access the game's various parts has been greatly optimized: all car dealers are accessed under a single submenu, as are tune-ups, licenses, and races. The package advertises realistic racers that flaunt the PS2's heralded "Emotions Engine," but I've yet to encounter computer driving that I'd describe as excited or jealous. 

To balance the lack of gameplay innovation, this new installment's graphics are lightyears beyond its predecessors, with visuals that are as detailed as the cars. As is often the case, the instant replays look better than the actual gameplay, but not by much. Windshields show reflections of stage lighting, individual branches on trees whiz by, and other minutia serve to astound. 

But having played and been wooed by Vanishing Point on the Dreamcast, I can't say that GT3 is lightyears beyond anything else on the market. It's a big step up from other Gran Turismos, but it's a step in a direction many other racers have taken since. 

In my history books, Gran Turismo pioneered racing to vocal tunes. Lenny Kravitz, Motley Crue, and Snoop Doggy Dogg continue that tradition with songs on GT3's soundtrack. Though the music is great to race to, it wasn't designed around the game, nor vice versa, and occasionally lacks the appropriateness that other video games with unique soundtracks exhibit. Syncing the instant replays to the music is a rare and unexpected feature, though. 

Many people will claim that Gran Turismo 3 is the best racer on the PlayStation 2, sporting the best graphics of any system. It'd be hard to argue with that, and the graphics do make GT3 a worthy upgrade from GT2 - but in all other departments it seems to me the the series is just spinning its wheels.

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This article is copyright (c) 2001, 2007 by Ken Gagne. All rights reserved. Not to be distributed without permission.

Original publication: Sentinel & Enterprise, 24-Jul-01

Title	:	Dark Cloud
Platforms	:	Sony PlayStation 2
Publisher	:	SCEA
ESRB Rating	:	Teen
Game Rating	:	5.7
Review by	:	Ken Gagne

Dark Cloud, a PlayStation 2 game from Sony, thrusts players right into the action with this brief prologue: 

A peaceful celebration in the simple village of Norune is shattered when the Dark Genie awakes from a 400-year slumber. Commanded by the evil Flag, the genie ravages the world, but not before the benevolent Fairy King works his subtle magic. The village buildings and people were not destroyed, but sealed in giant Pokeball-like spheres which only our hero, Toan, can recover. It's similar to the Super Nintendo game Soul Blazer: as the hero explores the dungeon, more of the town is rebuilt and more items and clues become available. After finding and releasing the Pokeballs in local dungeons, Toan must combine accessories with buildings to complete each locale, then place them on a blank landscape. 

Despite this setting, Dark Cloud is typical of a modern trend in role-playing games that emphasizes player freedom over structured storytelling. Dark Cloud exhibits this trend in the aimless nature of the dungeons. Each floor is randomly generated upon entry, so no two gaming sessions are alike. Though this method of planning creates a high replay value, it deprives the catacombs of any deliberate design, which explains why there are no hidden rooms, or why a vital item is as likely to be guarded by a powerful monster as it is to be lying in a corridor. As any Dungeons & Dragons player can tell you, there's nothing like an ingenious dungeon — and in Dark Cloud, there's nothing like an ingenious dungeon. 

It may be unfair to expect such detail from Dark Cloud, however, as it is more an adventure game than an RPG. Battles occur in real-time, not in the menu-driven or turn-based fashions of RPGs. It's like Zelda 64, only faster paced, and lacking much of the strategy. Most victories come from quick button-mashing, though the occasional magic item will produce superior results. 

Toan's weapons are of the high-maintenance variety. Each blow a sword strikes weakens the weapon, until finally it irreplaceably breaks. The only preventive measure is Repair Powder, an item that restores a weapon to its full status. This "feature" is an unnecessary irritation. At the beginning of the game, when player deaths are frequent, Repair Powder can be expensive and occupies valuable slots in Toan's inventory. It is difficult to judge the damage a weapon will suffer per blow, so players must always keep an eye on the damage meter and err on the side of caution. If a weapon breaks, it's gone forever, so you might as well reboot. The more a weapon is used, the more powerful and customized it becomes, which makes the loss of a weapon all the more painful. 

It is not so easy to criticize Dark Cloud's graphics. Toan's world is bright, colorful, and easy to navigate. Multiple characters can be animated simultaneously, effortlessly filling the screen with movement. The dungeons have different styles, from caves to forests, but the levels within individual dungeons look the same, thanks to their random fashion. 

Anyway, Dark Cloud gets the big things right, but stumbles on some finer graphic details. For example, Toan is shown opening all treasure chests and Pokeballs from the south, regardless of the direction from which he approached them. The animation also lacks details of his surroundings. Opening a chest only to have the game resume with Toan facing east, ringed by foes, can be disorienting. 

Though the dungeon levels are random, the music is the same — over and over and over. It hints of faraway places, but continues to do so for the many hours it takes to overcome a single dungeon. 

Dark Cloud is a 128-bit version of old computer favorites Rogue, Moria, and Dungeon Hack. The relatively simplistic gameplay has been dressed up with a unique weapons system, and a dash of SimCity for good measure. Despite these additions, Dark Cloud is a repetitive and unoriginal adventure-RPG. It is a dark cloud on the PS2, just not the way Sony intended.

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This article is copyright (c) 2001, 2007 by Ken Gagne. All rights reserved. Not to be distributed without permission.

Original publication: Sentinel & Enterprise, 04-Jun-01

Title	:	ATV Offroad Fury
Platforms	:	Sony PlayStation 2
Publisher	:	SCEA
ESRB Rating	:	Everyone
Game Rating	:	8.0
Review by	:	Larry Tipton

ATV Offroad Fury puts you behind the wheel of an all terrain vehicle in diverse offroad racing environments from wide-open spaces to indoor arenas. ATV Offroad Fury features eleven ATV models from the top manufactures. The action can be intense at times while simultaneously maintaining a certain level of realism. This mix of arcade and simulation creates an off road gaming experience that is not to be missed. 

The game borrows heavily from the Motocross Madness series for the personal computer. The reason for this is quite simple since the same Pdeveloper created that terrific series. 

Graphically similar in many ways to that series, ATV's racing environments are rich in detail. The tracks look stunning. There are over twenty tracks in all. There are spacious outdoor tracks and supercross-style modes in both indoor and outdoor environments. When I first played one of the outdoor events I had a deja vu experience since the lay of the land looked similar to Smuggler's Run, another PS2 title with plenty of wide-open spaces. 

The developers have done many things right with the game engine. There are no invisible walls to keep you from leaving the track. They have created a control scheme that is intuitive and responsive. The control is nearly perfect. The frame rate keeps up with little to no slowdown anywhere. A four-player split screen mode is included and it too has a great frame rate. That said, there is some fogging but it does not detract from the game play. You are rewarded for good driving skills. The physics model is terrific. The vehicles behave in a realistic manner when turning, jumping, landing and crashing. Sometimes the jumps look a little too over the top though, as your ATV seems to literally fly too far if you are not careful. 

The actual ATV models look realistic. Each performs, as you would expect them to based on the track's varied terrain. The animated riders are richly animated but are not overly detailed. Arms, legs and bodies are fluid in their movements. As in most of today's extreme sports, expect plenty of visually appealing bailouts, crashes, tricks and more. 

A neat little feature that the developers have included to help you feel like you are in control of your ATV and to help maximize your chances to win races is the cleverly designed vehicle jumping system employed in the game. A simple gauge gives you the visual clues that you'll need to maximize your ramp jumping skills. This, in conjunction with your lean will help you get the most out of each air born moment. 

Perhaps the only thing suspect in the game is the artificial intelligence practices deployed in the game. It seems that if you get too big of a lead the other drivers can close that lead quickly. The same can be said if you fall behind the other drivers seem to slow down a bit. This style of "intelligence" is all too common in today's games. I was hoping for something a little more realistic in this regard. Sometimes it seems that the other drivers are purposely trying to cause you to crash. Far too often I've had a CPU ATV land right on top of my vehicle after a jump. 

Sony's choice of music for the game is best described as popular grunge. I guess this was Sony's attempt at giving the game attitude. It does not get in the way but it does little to add to the game. The game sound effects are pretty nice and fit in perfectly. 

ATV Offroad Fury is a deeply satisfying game. It is the kind of game that you can quickly get into and one that will keep you playing long after you have mastered the many circuits. 

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This article is copyright (c) 2001, 2007 by Ken Gagne. All rights reserved. Not to be distributed without permission.

Original publication: Sentinel & Enterprise, 19-Mar-01