4X4 EVO

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$17.99 half.com (used)

By the time the checkered flag goes up, however, the game's all-too-numerous problems have begun to show themselves. First of all, the developers promised "go anywhere" gameplay. They claimed that there would be no predetermined track. For all intents and purposes, they lied. Yes, each one of the sixteen varied tracks include horizons that stretch as far as the eye can see, and yes, there are numerous hidden jumps and secret areas to be found, but venture too far off the beaten path, and you can kiss your chances of winning bye-bye. Unless you enjoy seeing the words "(insert name here) has finished last" flashed repeatedly across the screen, the game pretty much forces you to stay on the main track throughout the entire race, as there are six checkpoints per lap; miss one and automatically be dropped to fourth place. It's almost a crime to have these vast, detailed landscapes just itching to be explored, only to have to loop the same muddy-brown cart track over and over and over again, all the while wondering why you didn't just save yourself the time and money and ride your lawnmower around the backyard instead. Which brings me to my second gameplay gripe; the speed of the trucks (or lack thereof). Put simply, the off-roading humbuckers never seem to exceed the top velocity of your average John Deere. Whether coasting down a straightaway or leaping over the Grand Canyon, the sense of speed and exhilaration that you would expect from a racing gamejust isn't there; it's more akin to a trip to the mall with your grandma than anything else. Though I can't speak for anyone else, I know that for me, a big part of racing games is being able to bust a cop's radar detector (read: drive real fast), and not get ticketed for it. With 4X4 Evolution, the chances of this happening are virtually nil, thus reducing most races to a snoozefest (although the bumpy terrain would make sleeping a little difficult). As well, the trucks themselves have a strange lack of damage modeling; after numerous collisions, flips and hard landings, mine was no worse for the wear, which somewhat limits the sense of disbelief that games are supposed to provide.

4X4 isn't all bad however. Where the game does excel is with its realistic physics model, as well as the superb handling. The trucks manage to convey just the right amount of shock suspension to convince you that you're driving an actual SUV, while the controls never become, well, out of control. Though there's no powersliding or drifting to be found (this is a sim, after all), inexperienced racers should have no problem picking up the Dreamcast pad, learning the controls, and jumping right in. At the same time, veteran drivers who choose to use Manual transmission will find themselves confronted with a worthy challenge, as the different types of terrain must be negotiated carefully and strategically. Through it all, the computer AI is intelligent enough to ensure that just about every race finishes in a dead heat for first place; rare is the time that you'll find yourself alone on the highway, driving off into the Great Beyond. If the races themselves weren't so slow-paced, these factors alone would probably make 4X4 one of the better racing games of the year. If only...

As the first online-compatible racing title out of the DC starting gate, 4X4 Evolution offers up one feature that's sure to turn heads. Indeed, if you happen to have a good connection to the Internet, you'll get much more enjoyment out of this game than you would in single-player mode. Through some no doubt herculean programming efforts, the developers have enabled us lucky Dreamcast owners to go online and face off against both PC and Mac gamers, no add-ons or patches required (why, Quake 3, why?) As it turns out, the extra effort was well worth it in the long run. Though there was never any shortage of opponents when I went online, the number of gamers on the server rarely (if ever) exceeded 100, a far cry from the 25,000 you can expect to find playing PSO at any given time. However, once you do find opponents to take on, minimal lag and solid framerates ensue. As well, the variety of multiplayer games that online players have taken upon themselves to invent are often more fun than the racing itself; these range from tag and King of the Hill to drag racing and daredevil jumping. Players can sign up for a free GameSpy account, then use a buddy list in order to track down friends for more racing fun. Best of all, you can search for tracks and trucks created by others, then download them to your memory card for later play. All in all, if you must get this game, plan on getting it for the network mode alone. Trust me, playing single just isn't worth the effort (not to mention the money).

Graphically speaking, while it does the job, 4X4 is no work of art. While the truck models themselves are fairly realistic, they are all done in low-resolution, with no reflection mapping to be found. Similarly, though the limitless environments are filled with detail to gaze at and obstacles to avoid (watch out for the renegade bulldozer!), the textures have a bland, washed-out look more common to a low-end Pentium than a next-generation video game console. There are some exceptions; the pristine powdery-white landscapes of the Antarctic track are majestic to drive across, while the dusk sunset splashing across the Arizona desert makes for a picture-perfect moment. Nevertheless, this game, like so many others, falls victim to that age-old rule; PC-to-DC ports just don't work like they should, and rarely look as good. Perhaps a developer will come along one day and prove this point wrong with a flawless conversion. 4X4 Evolution, sadly, isn't that game.

There really isn't much to shout about in the sound department either. The engine sounds of the SUV's amount to nothing more than low rumbles, and aren't intimidating in the slightest (what did you expect, a Harley?) The game offers very little in the way of ambient effects; outside of a few twittering birds, the silence is deafening. Likewise for the in-game music, which consists solely of generic power-chorded jawk-rawk played at ear-splitting levels. Suffice it to say, your TV's speakers won't be getting much of a workout with 4X4. Your fingers probably will, however, as you repeatedly lunge for the volume controls (har har).

Technically, this game lies somewhere in the middle of the scale. The framerate is consistent and hardly ever slows down, even while playing online. On the other hand, the collision detection is, in a word, shoddy. You'll occasionally find yourself "magically" plowing through trees, walls, and other objects with abandon, only to come to a screeching halt after grazing a checkpoint marker. This inconsistency of certain course features can be very disconcerting, to the point where it becomes detrimental to your driving experience. There's quite a bit of pop-up and fog [CO2 emissions? - EiC], and the game would sometimes freeze for no apparent reason (although this was usually while playing over the 'net). These faults all add up, making 4X4 Evolution feel as if it was rushed out onto shelves a little ahead of its time.

After playing through this game extensively, it's easy to see that the developer's heart was in the right place. On paper, 4X4 seems like an offroading fan's dream: wide-open vistas, a good selection of trucks, and customization galore, all backed up by Internet multiplayer. However, the finished product falls short in practically every way, from graphics to gameplay, making it fit for an evening's rental and not much else. Though there's some fun to be had here, those looking for a truly enjoyable all-terrain driving experience would be better off purchasing ATV Offroad Fury for the PlayStation 2. Even going out and blowing $30,000 on an actual SUV would probably be more rewarding in the long run.
Sorry Greenpeace.