XGRA: Extreme-G Racing Association

"Xtremely Average"

I refuse to call this 'X.G.R.A.: Extreme-G Racing Association', not because I'm stubborn but because it sounds silly and is totally unnecessary to do so.
Ok, one of two things happened: 1. Key people left after Extreme G3, 2. They have just tried to change too much to salvage the final product (they went mission based, sorta T.Hawk style). Please don't get me wrong. I will buy just about any new Extreme-G game I can get my hands on (esp. @ $30), I am simply in love with the universe they have created here and while there are some nifty lil ideas thrown about, there is actually quite a bit to dislike:
The game just doesn't run smoothly, there are moments when the game hangs up/freezes just for split milliseconds during races, minor slow down, the announcers before a race and opponent video ''pop-ins'' during races are just not entertaining, productive, or even necessary (I have them turned off, although it shuts off vital dialogue, it had to be done), and some of the menus and options are just plain confusing. I appreciate the mission ideas, it must have taken a lot of work to redesign this game to encompass this mindset ('blow up 3 Talon Sign Posts', etc.), sadly, I just want to RACE! I mean I go from F-Zero which is as much about survival as racing and run into this which seems mission heavy. What happened to racing games in which you... RACE? Yes, there is a set of missions that just involves simply racing, but it isn't enough for me.
Wow, this review has gotten off to a foul start but the positives are definitely there. Take a course where the middle portions of the track are actually in space. No sound in space right? So the music fades a bit, the bikes noise is gone as are the explosive sound effects and what do you hear? The sound of your racer breathing, thats it! Very nice and very cool. It took me a moment to figure out just what was happening and then it dawned on me. I like the new weapons system, a much needed change from X3. The player collects weapon capsules to create ''better'' weapons. You can collect one capsule and immediately launch your secondary weapon... or collect more capsules and make the weapon better, stronger, or even different. This is one of the few areas where X3 is bested, sometimes you have to take what you get. Also, the ''cracking the speed of sound'' effect is of coarse back again and is really unparalleled IMO in this futuristic racing field and is such an odd anomaly that really helps create the Extreme-G ''mood''. Unfortunately, cracking the speed of sound will likely see you cracking the walls of concrete. The weather effects are also quite nice, this game can be a stunner when all the stars line up.
The graphics and sound can be a mixed bag. I like some things about the graphics, sometimes this game looks AMAZING, but when it gets hectic the frames drop out a bit, and that drops this score because there is no excuse for it, not on the Box. The game is definately 'clean', you can see that right at the starting line, but when the game does move, it seems to be shakey at times. The soundtracks are almost spiritual new age splashed with techno, hard to explain but fitting none the less (I call it FuturTech), unfortunately the sound is oddly low or muted at times. A great thing XGRA (there I said it) has going for though it is the fact it can be played with an S controller and the control scheme itself also doesn't have your fingers bending in awkward positions to fire weapons.
The reviews seem to rail on and on about the control, that I can deal with, the control scheme is interesting and even workable, but a majority of the rest of this stuff should have been left out/fixed. Beforehand, I had a good feeling about the game despite the low price and the cover art looking a bit sad and generic, it just didn't live up to my expectations or the Xbox's. It is at least a decent game at a great price point, but from what I've played of it so far it just isn't on par with F-Zero GX. Did I just say that? The track design really hampers the player with wild turns that either sap your speed or impede your progress. The idea seems to be if you hit a wall, quickly move to the center of the track and hit a boost pad. Here's a thought: How about not making the tracks so darn twisted to begin with? These tracks aren't formed by nature, they are designed by man and wouldn't have been constructed in such a fashion. You'll be going 900kmh? Ok, then, here is a great a place for a 90 degree angled turn...
The ''charge'' strips are now gone in this installment which I am indifferent to. You no longer need to cater your racing to pulling into a healing spot on the track, the bikes shield regenerate by themselves. It's a nice idea to change, it shows they are trying to do something new, but like the F-Zero self made crafts it doesn't seem to add much one way or another. In some ways it just seems like an out for the developer so they didn't have to design the tracks properly. This change makes the game much easier though and I suppose in some ways more fun.
Yeah, so it's kind of a sad day for the Extreme-G fan that wouldn't mind paying full price for a fully polished game, such is life.

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 10/01/03