If the current lap isn’t going well, you can restart with a press of a button rather than completing each lap. In this mode you get 8 minutes to record the best lap time among all the racers. You get all the race modes from single player, and one additional mode, Perfectionist. I’m hoping these new tracks offer something different over the original lineup of tracks available now. The arena and stunt tracks are the exception, but otherwise too many of the tracks stick with the Aztec-like, jungle theme.ĭownloadable content is in the works, as an option to download more tracks is advertised on the main menu. There are a few unique landmarks but most of the tracks feel an awful lot alike. The tracks look so similar, it feels like there are only a handful of them. Although Ubisoft touts 45 tracks, many of these are actually altered versions of existing tracks. Everything from the environments to the racers have this choppy look to them. If I were to describe the graphics of Mad Riders in one word, it would be ‘ugly’. You can go the safe route too by picking a well-rounded ATV. There are vehicles suited for speed, acceleration, boost ability, control, stunt capabilities, and more. Some of the new rides offer a slight technical advantage in comparison to the original default vehicles, while others may fit your riding style better. Mad Riders features a fair amount of customization to make your setup feel unique to you. There are new quads and new paint jobs to be had, as well as character models. Your incentive to leveling up comes in the form of unlockables (and a multiplayer achievement). The offline and online components both have their own separate leveling and experience points. I’m glad developer Techland took out the heavy rubberbanding feature found so often in arcade racing games. On the other hand, I should be rewarded for mistake free driving, right? If I’m pulling off mad stunts and hitting all cylinders, I should win by plenty. On one hand, we want the AI to be competitive to provide some dramatic racing. You soon figure out that stunt combos are huge boost bar fillers, and you can lay the boost down to blaze by the AI. The unlockable Off-Road Elite events didn’t provide much extra challenge either. While there is some variety in the race types, it mostly boils down to racing fast, and performing stunts to increase your boost meter.Īfter getting the hang of things, I was winning races by several seconds, even double digits. There’s a small learning curve to the racing at first, but the game does an excellent job of introducing the new race mechanics through the first few tracks, instead of throwing everything at you all at once. Do well in these races to earn stars and progress further. There are a variety of different race types: traditional, checkpoint, stunt, ghost, and arena races. The main focus of the single-player experience is Tournament Mode. The game will respawn you back into the race with a bit of penalty but nothing that will significantly deter your chances of reaching the podium. On occasion you’ll slam into a wall or go flying off a jump outside of the racing area. You’ll need to utilize the breaks and use your boost meter wisely for maximum benefit. Steering on the ground isn’t so precise, but that can be accredited to the game’s design. It’s a subtle feature that I enjoyed it gives you the luxury of landing on bonus targets on the ground or steering around obstacles in the air. Another aspect I came to appreciate, is the ability to steer your ATV while in mid-air.
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