It’s a slow time of year for video games, the main reason why I cracked open the shrink wrap on MX vs. ATV: Untamed. The other reason is that my brother-in-law Dack came over for a video-game fest, and he used to race ATVs “back in the day.” So we were curious to see how the game measured up.

Released by THQ,  the off-road racing game is available now for $30-$60 for every gaming system, except for a Wii version that’s due Feb. 18. Dack and I gave the PS3 version a go, racing against each other in split-screen mode. The game offers a bevy of customization features, but we kept things simple and largely used the default settings. What we did choose among is the game’s eight racing series, including the wild Endurocross, which features a track with boulders sunken in water, logs, giant tires and other outrageous obstacles. Vehicle choices include everything from the tiny MX bikes to monster trucks.

Dack and I agreed that the game’s huge selling point is its feels-just-right controls and believable racing physics. The vehicles are easy to maneuver and they behave as one might expect, even if the game offers an arcade-style experience rather than a true simulation. A nice touch is that while you’re waiting for a game track to load, you can tool around in a practice area to get a feel for how your chosen vehicle handles. So, major points for the game’s main purpose: fun racing.

On the downside, the graphics aren’t up to snuff for a high-def console such as the PS3 or Xbox 360. Frankly, it looks like a good PS2 game. There are also occasional glitches in how the visuals are displayed. For example, in one race across the country side, markers that show the boundaries of the track wouldn’t be rendered until your vehicle was nearly up to that part of the track — horrible for anticipating the many twists and turns. Another quirk showed up in the Waypoint race, in which the vehicles must pass through occasional marking posts but otherwise drive across an open country side. An arrow guides you toward the next marker, but it often lags behind the action, floating lazily and then swinging sharply in one direction well after you’ve passed the gates. Dack compared it to a divining rod. 

I’d give MX vs. ATV: Untamed **1/2 out of four stars, pending further exploration with the single-player and online modes. For now, I’d recommend it as a solid rental that you should try before you buy. Â

This entry was posted on Friday, January 4th, 2008 at 3:44 pm and is filed under Video games. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.