Mat Hoffman's Pro BMX 2

"A solid BMX game."

Introduction
This is one of the first games I got with my Xbox. It's a pretty good game, but has a couple of major flaws that have to be addressed. Other than that, I feel that this is a great game.

Gameplay
We all know the concept, ride around, bust out tricks, do some grinds and manuals, and find items hidden throughout the stage. The concept isn't very original, but it is still fun. There are also some more unique challenges hidden throughout the game, such as knocking over barrels to turn a river green for St. Patrick's day. However, many of the other challenges aren't so original and can be repetitive.

Gameplay = 6.5/10

Controls

This is one of my major gripes of this game, the controls. I know this isn't the game developers fault, but it's just too hard to reach over to the grind button to get to a grind. It's also hard to get over to the black (modifier) button while doing a trick. Microsoft is to blame for this. The Xbox controller is good, but not for this game. I recommend a Controller S. You might also want to use the D-Pad instead of the control stick. Otherwise, you might have a tad bit of trouble trying to do a manual.

Controls = 5/10

Graphics

The graphics in this game are excellent. There aren't really any problems I can thing of with the graphics. I do like the little blur that happens when you recover from a crash. The graphics were just put together excellently in this game. Case Closed.

Graphics = 10/10

Sounds
I like the sounds in this game. I don't care for the music too much, but come on, just put your own music into the game. This being my first Xbox game, you can tell this feature excited me. The sound effects in the game are quite nice, especially when you fall down or crash. The grind sound is kind of dull, but only because it sounds like every grind sound from every other extreme sports game.

Sounds = 9/10

Overall
Overall, this is a solid BMX title. The many things you can unlock are nice. Extra bikes, riders, and clothes. I even unlocked an Elvis costume in Vegas! This game simply is wonderful, and if you have a controller S, it is near perfect. I recommend you pick up this game if you haven't already.

Overall (not an average) = 7/10

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 10/06/02, Updated 10/06/02