Jeremy McGrath's Offroad Review [XBLA]
Nobody who doesn't like racing games will have this one change their minds. But for McGrath and off-road racing fans, this is 10 bucks that could be worse-spent.
rating:3
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As pick-up-and-play arcade racers go, Jeremy McGrath's Offroad - developed by 2XL Games and published by Reverb - is a competent enough game to justify your $10 or 800 MS points. As long as you don't go into this expecting dozens of hours of gameplay or a deep, strategic campaign, anyone looking for a quick dose of racing off the paved road will find some satisfaction here. Jeremy McGrath is as much a part of this game as John Madden used to be in his own NFL series - a name to put on the title to sell copies to fans who recognize him. The difference here is that McGrath actually participates in this game, although it is limited to his voice and a still photo that pops up when he narrates in-game help boxes... non-stop. McGrath makes every effort to let you know what you need to do at all times, whether you're on the main menu, selecting your vehicle, upgrading it with experience points earned during races, finishing a race, saving your game after a race is over. He won't shut up. Mercifully, you can turn these off in the options. McGrath also acts as your navigator when the racing begins. Whether it is a simple right or a hairpin turn coming up, he'll be in your ear as you prepare to make the proper brake and boost, trying to overtake seven other faceless cars to win. The audio is complemented by simple arrows that pop up on the top right of your screen, and can also be shut off along with McGrath's voice if you prefer to experience each of the six tracks on your own. Five different vehicles are there for your choosing, starting with the Sportsman Buggy. Unlockables include the ProLite Truck, Pro Buggy, Rally Car and Trophy Truck, all of which are earned by playing through the Career Mode, consisting of 23 races across locales such as Ecuador, Utah and the Netherlands. After about fifteen minutes of playtime, you will be thankful you only spent a fraction of what a full retail game costs. Despite five different classes of vehicles, I found no handling difference from the first buggy all the way through to the Trophy Truck. This isn't to say they control horribly; in fact, the game does a great job of giving you an arcade-style racing experience. My point is that with such a lack of difference between each type of car and truck, there is no incentive to continue the mindless and boring career. With only six tracks, you end up racing through each one at least three times, and if the events aren't in Ecuador or Peru, you'll quickly forget which mountainous dirt road you just played yet again.