Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX 2

"If you're looking for a challenging, fun BMX game, look no further."

I wasn't a big fan of Dave Mirra for PSX, but big improvements are shown here. Over 14 pros are selectable, including big names, such as Dave Mirra... Ryan Nyquist, Rick Moliterno, and some others you have probably never have heard of unless you're a BMXer yourself.

One feature is the Park Editor, which is pretty hard to get used to, for it's totally different than the THPS Level Editors. You select a Theme, and add to it. Most people will go in the Park Editor and be like, sweet, I'm gonna make a wicked park, and then, will be left confused thinking there name is Phil. I'd suggest learning about it when you're really bored. By the way, Create-a-BMXer is NOT present, and you have to make a current pro in ProQuest.

An exclusive feature to the GC version of DMFBMX2 is 2 extra levels, Venice, Italy, and Greenville, NC. They're nice levels, too, check them out if you only played the PS2 versions. The levels are pretty interactive and they are HUGE. The only problem is accidentally leaving a level. You can be grinding a railroad track, and you REALLY don't want to stop grinding, and then next thing you know you're back to the menu. There's a nice little warning but it doesn't help sometimes. The levels consist of transferring gigantic WoodWard titanic ramps, to grinding Dinosaur Bones. You'll have fun with the levels, or most of them. Some are pretty useless, though. Such as Hwy 47 Cloverleaf. The only point of the level is to get hit by cars... Other than that you'll have a blast!

I think the S.I.K. Trick System, is well, sick! The ability to perform a regular trick, and pull off a modifier after to make a new trick, so simply, is great! Here's an example. You could pull off a Backflip, while spinning for a Flair, and then pressing the Barspin modifier, can pull
off a Truck Driver Backflip, it's SO cool! Over 1,500 tricks can be pulled!

The soundtrack to DMFBMX2 has some very catchy songs. there's around 8, but they're all pretty cool. Songs from Gangsta Starr, Sum 41, Rage Against the Machine (my favorite), Godsmack, A Tribe Called Quest, and a couple others, may either annoy you, or leave you singing the song for the rest of the week.

The visuals are very impressive. The bikers look just like their photos, and the creases and folds in their clothes, are very detailed and nice-looking, but falling is weird. You could bail a trick, and you'll go flopping around like a ragdoll. It's weird how your arms will bend like that... It boggles me... Anyway, the graphics are very good, and deserve a look.

The bikers are hard to control. You could bust a big trick, only to somehow not be able to spin, or not spin in time, leaving you frustrated, just spend a while getting used to it and you'll be fine.

DMFBMX2 is a challenging, hard-to-learn, hard-to-master controlling masterpiece and deserves at LEAST a rent. It's level missions are a very good challenge, and could even challenge the prequel's veterans along with rookies. I always say Rent before Buy, because reviews are people's opinions. I think the game is worth a play, and deserves credit for the hard work put into it.

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Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 04/01/02, Updated 04/01/02