Can you feel the roar of the machine? Can you
feel the rumble? Pick your line, open the throttle and let the machine carry you to
the finish line. Of course, there are others that are out to beat you to it.

ATV Offroad Fury 3 is, no surprise, the third
title in the SCEA franchise of offroad racing games. Developed by Climax Group,
this is not an overly involved game in terms of action, but it is ripe with
options, and challenge.

Rather than merely give you the whine of the
engines, the developers score the action with a great selection of rock tunes to
propel the action.

There are 38 unique environments over 10
terrain types which include ice, water, dirt, grass, mud and snow. There are
some minigames involved as well in the game.

There are four modes in the main menu – single
player, multiplayer, hall of fame (your records, offline scoreboards and saved
replays) and the options. The single-player mode has training, single event,
championship and waypoint. The single event features supercross, nationals,
enduro, short tracks and freestyle competitions. The championship is akin to the
career mode. You compete in events and progress to upgrade your machine.
Waypoint allows you to create your own Enduro Waypoint races.

In the event types, there is amateur and pro
freestyle, amateur and pro supercross, amateur and pro nationals, amateur and
pro enduro. Of course, you can select your rider, or
repaint your ATV. In the freestyle, you are given a machine, a course and a
timer in which to complete as many stunts as possible.

Jump combinations will sometimes unlock faster
“short” cuts around the track.

While you are racing – and yes, you can set
the AI to normal or expert – if you pull off a stunt combo, you can add to your
final points. Most of the time, in the races, this is about taking the best line
and not making any mistakes. A tiny mistake can result in falling from
contention to playing catch-up to the pack.

And even a little bump, while it may eliminate
your opponents can have nasty repercussions. During one race, an opposing rider
got too close and the machines collided. The opposing rider went flying from the
ATV, but the machines hooked together, and that slowed my machine enough to
allow all the other machines to pass.

The control elements are very basic and easy
to use. Players should have little trouble learning to use the controller. The
challenge comes in knowing when to lean into a corner, when to use the brake and
just open up the throttle and go full out.

Graphically the game has a few minor faults.
The game has a rag-doll effect which seems to treat all riders with the same
silly, totally unconscious tumbling effect. There is no life, no control. This
is rag-doll physics taken to the literal extreme.

As for the environments, this game looks
superb and the play elements are well realized. 

ATV Offroad Fury 3 provide challenge and
diversity in both the racing environments and the race types. This is a solid
fix for fans that like to challenge other racers and a wide variety of terrain,
from snow to mud. This is a very good racing title.

Review Scoring Details for ATV Offroad Fury 3

Gameplay: 8.8

The game does have some load times, but once
you launch a race, unless you quit out, it is wide-open racing from beginning to
end.

Graphics: 8.8
This game has sterling environments, and the machines really react well. The
biggest graphical flaw is minor – and that is the rag-doll effects when a rider
leaves his or her machine. The cosmetic looks in the garage add a nice flavor to
the action as you sticker up and customize your machine.

Sound: 8.9

A kicking musical soundtrack backs up this
title. There are more than 30 tunes here and you can edit them in the jukebox
setting.

Difficulty: Medium
The AI can be very tough in the highest setting. In the normal setting it is
rather easy to compete against.

Concept: 9

Solid from top to bottom, this game has
variety with the mini-games and very nice racing challenges whether against the
top-end AI, or in multiplayer mode.

Multiplayer: 8.7

The game offers multiplayer on the same
machine using split-screen technology. You can also play online.

Overall: 8.8

A solid racing title with great environments,
ATV Offroad Fury 3 features options galore and challenge. This is a wonderful
title for the PS2 and should sate the appetites of those who would rather open
the throttle in environments not necessarily meant for a racing event.