ATV Off Road Fury

Overall: B+
Violence: B+
Sexual Content: A
Language: A
Drugs/Alcohol: A

Platform reviewed: Sony PlayStation 2
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
ESRB rating: E

One year my husband bought himself the exact present I had planned to buy for his birthday. Hoping to teach him a lesson, I then purchased tickets to an indoor ATV/monster truck show. The abundant exhaust fumes, choking dust, and ear splitting roar of motors made for an, er... interesting evening. Through the dirty blue haze we could make out colorful All Terrain Vehicles zipping around the track, busting tricks at every jump. But by the end I felt nauseated, headachy, and wished that I had known earlier about the little orange plugs that everyone around us were removing from their ears. And that, I must confess was the limit to my ATV experience, so it was with some trepidation that I revved up my engines and put the game into gear.

Accommodating up to four players (with a multitap adapter), ATV Offroad Fury has multiple modes: three different scenarios that allow you to race or stunt to your hearts content, a one player Pro Career racing game where winning is rewarded by unlocking new tracks, or a timed Freestyle Stunt Competition. Both kid and parent newbies will benefit from the Training Mode where the basic controls for vehicle handling are well taught by a Clint Eastwood sound alike. It takes a lot of coordination to master the sixteen stunt moves that can be combined to multiply your possibilities, and still land that big air smoothly.

While character choices may be limited, you won't get bored in the huge free-roaming environment that lets you explore extremely detailed landscapes--everything from cactus filled deserts to snow covered mountains. Or, get your adrenaline pumping with a massive stadium filled with screaming fans as you make your competitors eat dirt. If none of the 23 aforementioned courses suit your fancy, then make your own using the Waypoint Racetrack Editor. To further customize the game and enhance the performance of your vehicle, visit The Garage. This feature allows you to fine tune your shocks, steering, braking, tire friction, etc., depending on the topography of your choice.

Made by the same developers that brought us Motocross Madness for the PC, Rainbow Studios' strong physics model makes the animated vehicle's behavior realistic, right down to the suspension. The game also employs a sophisticated collision detection engine that renders the inevitable accidents with disturbing realism. Although you can toggle off vegetation crashes (allowing you to drive through trees), you cannot override the consequences of hitting another vehicle. Such occurrences will send drivers sailing through the air, torsos and limbs twisting, uttering grunts and oomphs upon impact--no blood is ever shown, and the instantly healed character is promptly returned to their ATV. Hence, Sony does include a Safety Alert mentioning that this racing experience is fanciful and none of the moves or stunts seen in the game should be tried at home. I found while I played the game, the only thing that flew by faster than the riders, was the time.

Unlike my husband's ill-fated birthday, I had a much better experience playing ATV Offroad Fury, which does not contain the noise (unless you count the Heavy Metal musical accompaniment) or fumes of the stadium event. But suffering from a little nausea could still be a problem. The camera that swings right or left to follow your every move may take some getting used to. Personally, I seriously regretted the plate of scrambled eggs I ate just before I began to play. If these pitfalls don't let the air out of your tires, then this Playstation 2 game may be laps ahead of the real thing.

Melanie Law

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