Extreme-G 3

"Absolutely Incredible"

First of all let me say that this is my first foray into the world of Extreme G. I am by choice a Wipeout Loyalist. However after picking up this game, I believe I am safely converted to a dual fan of both series.

GAMEPLAY - 8/10

This is a game of high speeds. Nay not high speeds, ridiculously high speeds. As such the control could have been just a little bit tighter. It feels slightly loose. The weapons in the game are varied and balanced. They're not intrusive upon the gameplay so that each race becomes a fragfest. They're in just enough to add some challenge and variety to the gameplay.

The tracks themselves are incredibly well thought out. They twist and turn so much and are miles ahead of the Wipeout Fusion track designs. There are enough straights to get the speed up but not enough to get boring and monotonous. Quite a remarkable balance.

GRAPHICS - 9/10

Wonderfully clean and appropriate. They give you the sense of speed needed for a game like this. The blur effect is right on however a bit more could have been done on the bike. The rain and snow are well done and the level designs are wonderful. The stages that link underwater are fantastic.

SOUND 8/10

No real problems here. The sound effects are adequate. The music is appropriate. Soft Techno with just the right amount of ambience. Nuff said.

OVERALL 10/10

I gave the overall score a ten because currently this is the king of futuristic high speed racing on the PS2. Wipeout Fusion was an incredible letdown. Also my criticisms on this game are minor and really just small areas that could be improved upon when hopefully the sequel to this game arrives. If there were anything else wrong with this game it would be that it was perhaps not long enough. The PS2 version should have been 4 player and the atmosphere of the game felt just a little sparse. Perhaps a bit more character in the next game as far as the environments go and the story. The story in this game was creative and made you want to learn more about it. Perhaps build on the characters and world of XG3 in the next game without hindering on the gameplay experience.

This game is definitely worth a look.

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 11/04/02, Updated 11/04/02