It has been a long time coming for
fans of MX and/or ATV video games to actually be able to enjoy themselves. To be
exact, the last release in the MX vs ATV franchise that was at least somewhat
enjoyable was in 2005 under the banner of MX vs ATV Unleashed.
Now, with MX vs. ATV Reflex, THQ and
Rainbow Studios have learned from their mistakes and delivered a much more
refined gaming experience. Implementing terrain deformation and a new control
scheme that works properly, there shouldn’t be many complaints by those who
decide to trek through the muddy environments found in Reflex.
Granting full control over their
rider and vehicle, Reflex is a title that will fulfill the dreams of every
motocross fan out there. Take, for example, an oncoming crash after landing a
suicidal back-flip over a jump; players are given the chance to correct their
posture on their bike or ATV by flicking the right thumbstick in the
corresponding direction indicated on the screen. In one instance, my rider
biffed a flatliner maneuver and landed awkwardly on his groin when he hit the
ground. Almost falling off his bike, all I had to do was hit the appropriate
direction to keep him on his bike to continue forward with the race.
The terrain deformation has been a
big part of THQ’s promotion pieces for selling Reflex to the avid fans. It has
been used before in various other titles, but never to its fullest such as
Rainbow Studios has done. Riders now must pay attention to the track set before
them as it changes after every lap. An active part of every track, the terrain
deformations aid certain players while providing hindrances to others. Want to
get the best jump on the competition around a tight corner? Then use the divot
already laid out before you to sharply cut the corner.
One thing that was incredibly
aggravating was the announcer and his voice-overs throughout the menus and
campaign. While his deep and grizzled voice was adequate for the first hour of
gameplay, he soon became grating to the point that muting the surround sound was
the only option left. On the plus side, all the vehicles found in MX vs ATV
Reflex had satisfying sound effects.
On the graphics side of things,
Reflex is an assortment of trail mix – it’s often hot and then immediately it’s
not. The sign girls that have been added in for presentation’s sake are plain
ugly – they would never inspire any racer to drive better. The terrain
deformation does look fantastic, but then again, a lot of the same ruts are
created and, often, aren’t differentiated from one another. One circle rut looks
exactly same as the next thirty yards up on the track. At least the physics –
while heavily exaggerated – is a joy to see exploited with almost every crash
and/or collision.
The single-player and multiplayer
features more than justify picking up a copy of Reflex. Included in the package
are: Free Ride, Nationals, Supercross, Omnicross, Freestyle, Waypoint, and
Champion Sport Track. If those aren’t perk your interest, then maybe the race
challenges that are unlocked through the MotoCareer will. Reflex delivers six
race challenges in the form of: elimination, face-off, section race, rival,
outrunner and overthrow.
Lastly, for the multiplayer only,
there are also two mini-games to play that spark a lot of hooting and hollering
as players compete against one another. Two classics that are found in a wide
variety of video games that are found in Reflex are Snake and Tag. On top of
that, the career mode is thoroughly in-depth and should consume the time of a
player for at least a week’s worth of their time.
THQ and Rainbow Studios have
rebounded and put forth an enjoyable holiday title in MX vs. ATV Reflex.
Gameplay: 8.5
The entire package is pleasant. The
terrain deformation, trick system, reflex controls and gameplay modes are
lovely.
Graphics: 7.2
It’s not the most gorgeous game to
release in 2009, but it deceivingly gets the job done with terrain deformation.
Sound: 7.0
The announcer strikes the nerves
after a few hours of gameplay.
Difficulty: Easy / Medium
Concept: 8.4
Watching the ground get tore up and
mud fly is equally as brilliant as crashing due to a groove created by another
player.
Multiplayer: 8.0
Playing through the Snake mini-game
brings back great memories of Tron.
Overall: 8.0
A wonderful foundation has been set
and it’s now time for Rainbow Studios to expand on what they have set up with
their next iterations. The future is bright and fans should be rejoicing.
