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Reviewed by Downtown Jimmy | Oct. 18th 2005

Intro
Welcome to Extreme Gamer's first PSP review. I know, I know it's an oldie but we are just getting to experience Sony's incredible Playstation Portable and we have our thoughts on Climax Studios ATV Offroad Fury: Blazin' Trails.

Game
ATV Offroad Fury: Blasin' Trails makes the transition onto the little screen bringing the same addictive fun you've come to expect from the series. Although using the little nub will take a while to get used and you might shy away after a first few minutes. If you stick with the somewhat jerky controls you will have a blast jumping racing and jumping your way into first.

Too much game?
Climax knows how to keep gamers coming back and they have added a vast amount of unlockables to discover which might keep this one in the PSP for a while. Its fun to race, but it's always good to have some extra goodies. The have some other features that are nicely resurrected for the PSP like the Waypoint Editor and Player Customization. ATV Offroad has more game then would expect with the lengthy career mode that is difficulty at times. Gamers always want more, but Offroad might have provided more then most people can handle.

Online!
ATV Offroad Fury does support online play which is a bonus if you have friends with this expensive piece of machinery. The online portion has a bunch of features and a cool buddy list which you can sort out the people you play with. It also keeps track of your rankings so you can always check your stats and go for online bragging rights. All this is pretty cool but I'm amazed to see that you can download the ghost tracks of other racers and view them for hints. That's pretty cool on any game, especially a portable one. Remember to charge that battery because you might just get sucked in.

Graphical Issues
The graphics look dynamite on the little PSP screen and would be comparable to its PS2 big brother if it was better optimized for the PSP specs. The area where ATV Offroad Fury doesn't fully keep is with the frame rate and draw distances. The frame rate really drops at times although it's understandable given the format, but it happens a little too much. The same understanding goes with backgrounds draw distance and it seems that more streamlining is needed in the future. I'm sure by the time another edition comes some of these concerns will be adjusted. Climax could have been rushing a tad, but overall the graphics are good and sharp.

The Bad News
For the negative we have some control issues mainly when using the analog stick. It's really loose on steering and looses a bit of feeling because the loose controls, making the whole experience seem less realistic like your bike is floating. For a brief few moments ATV Offroad Fury really had the mojo rolling then I hit the dirt again, again and again. Hopefully the controls can be tightened up which will help bring more fun into the game. That little analog stick can be your best friend or worst enemy.

Lowdown
I like the idea behind having this game ported to the PSP, but they should have made it more refined. Once you get rolling the bad vibes dematerialize and you can get back to having fun. The gameplay is solid enough and it's a nice alternative racing game if you want some dirt and grime. It's not flawless in its execution, but I'd have to say there is just enough play in ATV Offroad Fury to keep fans happy.

Good Lots of Unlockables, Autosave
Great Online Modes, Good Career Mode

BadFramerate Issues, Loose Controls
A little too Challenging, Fun Fades Quickly

Gameplay: 6.5, Graphics/Sound: 6.5, Innovation: 6, Mojo: 5. Final: 6/10


  • Multiplayer Gameplay - Gamers can compete locally against friends or other race fans from around the country in head-to-head play via wireless multiplayer connectivity.
  • New Trading Card System - With an all-new Trading Card System, users will be able to win, trade, or share new ATV's, Riders, Rider Gear and more.
  • Garage mode - stores a player's complete progression and unlocked data, including vehicles, component parts and rider liveries.
  • Tricks - Gamers can pull off 34 freestyle tricks including combos and linkers.
  • Six distinct terrain types - Snow, Dirt, Mud, Ice, Water and Grass - each with distinct handling properties. Visually stunning backgrounds with water and mud effects and fully interactive objects and instances such as ramps, tires, cones and trees.
  • Six race Modes - Practice, Lap Attack, Single Race, Championships, Freeride and multiple Multiplayer games.
    • Practice - Players may ride any available course for an unlimited duration. The game will also include a training course and waypoint editor.
    • Lap Attack - Players turn in their best time and race against the clock to better it while mastering the track before race time.
    • Single Race - Players compete against each other or the artificial intelligence on any available course.
    • Championships - Players compete in a variety of championships to earn a gold, silver or bronze trophy and unlock new ATVs, tracks and other goodies. Mode includes a new short track and One-day events.
    • Freeride - Players drive anywhere, as long as they want, on any available environment without lap count or time restrictions.
    • Mini-games - Including: King off the Hill, Treasure Hunt, Tag, Hockey, Soccer, Basketball, Graveyard Madness, Beach Tagger.
    • 24 highly detailed ATV's
    • Vehicle tuning system allowing players to change tire type and gear ratios.
    • Up to 20 customizable component parts for both your bike and rider along with color designs and logos to place on panels and rider liveries - showing rider experience in events



ATV Offroad Fury: Blazin' Trails

 
Platform
Sony PSP

Publisher

Sony
 
Developer
Climax
 
Genre
Offroad Racing
 
Released
April 2005
 
ESRB
Everyone