Score: 60
Overall User Average: 6.10 / 10 (60.3%)
Gameplay User Average: 6.42 / 10
Graphics User Average: 6.42 / 10
Sound User Average: 5.97 / 10
Young_Fledgling
Date reviewed: June 4, 2005.
Overall: Ok, firstly, if you played the first game, 4x4 Evolution then you know what to expect. If you didn't, it's like this. You drive off road vehicles over diverse terrain in off-roaders/SUV's and such made by companies such as Chevy, Dodge etc. There's racing around set tracks over a certain amount of laps or there's the free roaming stuff in which you can go all over the place either just exploring or going from point A to B etc.
This game does a hell of a lot right, but there's this one thing which makes me not want to play it. It makes me want to kill the developers and I'll come to that in a bit.
Gameplay: Ok, so you get to choose a truck from Dodge, Jeep, Nissan, Infiniti, Lexus, Toyota, Mitsubishi, Chevrolet, and GMC. You can either take them for a spin over one of the huge 30 courses in a race or free roam or you can go into the career mode which is where the real meat of the game is. You start off with buying a truck (which will be crap because you start with only 30000) and then you race it. Basically you race it to win races, earn cash, buy upgrades for it to win more races to buy more trucks etc. There are missions where you need to carry out objectives such as delivering a package to get cash and then there's your standard racing against opponents where you need to win the race to get the cash.
The trucks handle decently enough and the design of the courses are great. There are more than enough huge slopes to test the power of any off-roader. Don't expect to get up some mountains if you're in a bog standard Chevy Blazer. Upgrade, upgrade, upgrade. It makes great gameplay, upgrading your truck to get more power/grip/better handling outta it etc.You can upgrade your truck from over 120 upgrades ranging from tyres/suspension/roll bars/exhausts/ engine tuning etc. It's satisfying to get more kit for your truck and then be able to climb a hill you couldn't previously. It's an off-roaders dream in this respect. The environments are massive and each one challenging. They range from arctic wasteland to desert to forest to bayous etc. You get the idea. All this would be awesome if it weren't for what I'm about to say.
Graphics: Firstly, the vehicles themselves. They look great, terrific even and upgrading them radically changes their appearance also. You'll end up with a !&%$@#* monster truck with the biggest wheels and suspension kits added. Roll bars, mud flaps all appear once you've bought them. I really do love the way the vehicles look. Superbly modeled.
The courses themselves also look pretty good. Some of the textures are a little poor and blurry up close but I can forgive that. The draw distance is also good and it gives you a great sense of scale when atop one of the mountains. You can see lots around you. Some of the courses are absolutely covered in vegetation and the like with loads of trees and such to navigate through. It's pretty impressive. The cars also reflect the surroundings with real time reflections which dull over time as the dirt begins to mount up on your vehicle taking of the shine. Once again, it's all good.
Now to the bad part. While the frame rate is ok if your alone in free roam mode, it seems to take a hit here and there on courses with lots of vegetation on. It also takes a hit when your up against opponents which is annoying. I'd rather have a better more stable framerate over real time reflections on the vehicles anyday. But no, it's not the framerate that's forced me to HATE the developers of this game. It's the horrendous tearing effect. Couple the tearing effect along with the framerate drops and you think to yourself, WHY? There's no need for it. It's just sloppy programming. I don't know the exact term for this tearing effect. I'm not sure if it's to do with V-sync but it's there and it's bad enough to make me not want to play the game. And as if to add insult to injury, this damned tearing effect is even present on the map screen. You scroll around the map to take a look where you are/should be going etc and BOOM, the horrendous tearing effect kicks in. It kicks in on a FLAT 2D map. This, I tell ya, is completely unacceptable.
Its a damned shame.
Sound: So on to the sound. The sound is average at best. The engine noises are certainly under whelming. Nowhere near up to the quality of games like Sega GT 2002 or Colin Mcrae 3. Not even in same league. The suspension doesn't particularly sound creaky considering the beating it takes. Yes, overall the sound is very ho-hum.
Suggestions: ummm fix glitches... they ruin this game.
Overall: 60 %
Gameplay: 70 %
Graphics: 60 %
Sound: 60 %
Sharky53
Date reviewed: December 9, 2003.
Overall: OK yes, I know this game is the best part of two years old, but it only cost me 15 quid second hand and so I thought I'd give it a shot. Was it worth it? The simple answer is, no. Prior to buying the game I had read the ign review and I really should have taken more notice. It summarised by saying "seeing that the majority of the game is centered on competing with computer opponents, I would consider how long I would play the game before dropping it for something else. Slugging it out with the computer every race and never achieving dominance in the game would leave a real sour taste in my mouth." This really just about somes it up. Its one of those driving games that never progresses above its pre-programmed difficulty level. The problem with this is that it is just too difficult to master. There is no learning curve. A vertical cliff face would be a more apt description. Aside from this the game is probably what you would expect from an early Xbox title. The graphics are sometimes good, sometimes bad and the load times are plain outrageous. At times I was left wondering if my console had locked up! I really do try and like the games I buy but this one kept me going for an hour before I found something better to do. My advice is to rent it if you must, or even borrow it, but under no circumstances part with your hard earned cash.
Gameplay: An array of different modes to try out, but the main career mode will leave you frustrated with its tricky AI and unpredictable handling.
Graphics: There are times when this game looks ok at best, but with dodgy collision detection and poor effects it really is not up to par with todays racing games.
Sound: All the vehicles sound the same, even when upgraded. The in-game music soundtrack is non-intrusive which is a bonus for what is otherwise a bland sounding game.
Suggestions: wow..... take your time on games or dont release em at all.
Overall: 30 %
Gameplay: 50 %
Graphics: 50 %
Sound: 50 %
mnsfldbing
Date reviewed: December 4, 2003.
Overall: A great game for hardcore offroad enthusiasts. They will be able to appreciate the fact that real world modifications are applicable, and noticecable in this game. Mad props to skidrow for backing this game, not bad eric, not bad. The fact that turning the wheel back and forth for a better bite and better traction: very cool. Just like when we go rock climbing in our jeeps.
Gameplay: Very realistic in the hardcore realm of offroading. City slickers and their lowriders will not enjoy this game. This game allows you to take skills learned on the trail, and use them to play this game. Most people I know who have not been harcore offroading, had no clue about the little things with this game. someone said unpredictable handling...??? Vehicles did everything I thought they would. Great game.
Graphics: A little rough around the edges for an Xbox. Vehicles and mods, very realistic. Maybe if I could add details to make it look like my jeep, that'd be cool.
Sound: Sound, did not know there was sound in this game. Very dull in this category. Usually crank up the system in the home.
Suggestions: Make the missions a little less difficult. Maps could be a little better. Had better maps in the Army, and they were almost 40 yr.s old. I notice that a snorkel is an option, but the exhaust is still down low? As far as the racing goes....beautiful. Graphics could be better. Maybe have events like mud pit, or rock climb events. Tug o' war, for those of us that like to mess up our trannies.
Overall: 80 %
Gameplay: 70 %
Graphics: 50 %
Sound: 50 %
Clock
Date reviewed: November 4, 2003.
Overall: This game is a great laugh, the site reviewer must be mad to not think so. There is no bad eliments what so ever in this solid title. It is 4x4ing at it's most best
Gameplay: The controls are simple and feel perfect for this sort of game. It plays amazingly realistic for an arcade style racer. No complaints, this game is solid.
Graphics: Solid and wonderfully animated. This is par excellence in every way. One of the best on any console.
Sound: Realistic and has exactly what you need, no more and no less. Some would want a great musical score, but that ruin this great game. Basic yet perfect.
Suggestions: When do we get 4X4 evo 4, I can't wait and am willing to pay premium if it can get better than this (but I doubt you can improve on this because it's that good)
Overall: 100 %
Gameplay: 100 %
Graphics: 100 %
Sound: 100 %
Lord Vivic
Date reviewed: October 13, 2003.
Overall: it's a good game if you like free roaming and racing,or playing hit and run with a few other players on multiplayer mode.
Gameplay: Gameplay in this game is pritty good because while your driving they still manage to have the surounding objects still are in good view.
Graphics: The detail in the vehicles are great.I love the terrain in the game.In some scenes the terrain isbeutiful to look at.
Sound: Sound is not all that good.But,the sounds of the tires and the engines have a reality to them.It is a cool game.
Overall: 90 %
Gameplay: 80 %
Graphics: 100 %
Sound: 80 %
leebuck2
Date reviewed: November 14, 2002.
Overall: This game is really fun. I can't belive it does not have a higher rating. I love all of the missions and how realistic the trucks are.
Gameplay: The gameplay on this title is very good. The tires react like they would in real life. When you gas it too much it makes the tires spin in the mud. Very fun racing and missions.
Graphics: Man the graphics are awesome on this game. All the car models look real. Some of the shots look like real trucks.
Sound: The sound is pretty good but gets kinda annoying at times. That is the games only downfall. I wouldn't complain about it that much though.
Suggestions: My suggestion is to allow you to play your own music on the game. It would make it alot more enjoyable.
Overall: 100 %
Gameplay: 100 %
Graphics: 100 %
Sound: 90 %
Legend1
Date reviewed: October 19, 2002.
Overall: This is a game that I hired and fortunately for me was a free hire. If I had paid money I would be annoyed. I felt like I was playing my PS1. What's up with that? I'm sure I bought the Xbox to play decent games.
Gameplay: It's weak. I think that there were far too many options and you just don't care once you get to the game itself. Nothing to like about it. I really don't know why they wasted their time.
Graphics: I can't rank this zero. I don't know why they allowed this to be released on Xbox. It's hardly even a PS2 quality game. Hey if it goes on budget to $5 in the bargain bin then it may be worth considering. Though I wouldn't pay full price for trashy rubbish like this.
Sound: Actually I was impressed taht you could use your own music. More games should do this but apart from that there isn't anything special.
Suggestions: Make an Xbox game next time. Save crap like this for the PSOne.
Overall: 20 %
Gameplay: 20 %
Graphics: 20 %
Sound: 50 %
coleprince
Date reviewed: October 12, 2002.
Overall: If you don't like racing games, particularly off-road racing, then don't bother with this game. If you love off-road racing, then you will probably enjoy this game. It has some nice features, such as the career mode. In the career mode, you buy a truck and race it to win money. With the money that you earn, you can buy licensed parts (i.e. Super Swamper) for your truck or addtional trucks. This game is not strong enough to hold broad appeal to everyone, but to off-road racing fans, this game is well worth the price. You can typically pick this games up for $20.
Gameplay: This arcade off-road racer is a fun game that is easy to pick up and offers a good bit of depth in the career mode. Multiplayer is fun too, especially if you race against a friend in trucks that you have both been building up in career mode.
Graphics: Good vehicle modeling. The enviorments look pretty good. Neither is anywhere near what the XBOX is capable of, but we have yet to see a game that is.
Sound: Nothing too exciting here. Engine and enviorment sounds are average. Extremely realistic engine sounds would raise my overall rating of this by a full point. I have yet to play a game that can match the sound of a V8 running straight pipes.
Suggestions: More realistic engine sounds, more tracks, system link (or XBOX Live) support.
Overall: 60 %
Gameplay: 70 %
Graphics: 80 %
Sound: 40 %
murken
Date reviewed: September 1, 2002.
Overall: the overall appeal of racing trucks that don't tip over is a life long dream of ... 'no one'. this game is good being a 2 minute demo and that's it.
Gameplay: it's great to race similar tracks in similar trucks with average graphics and average repetitive music; oh wait, no it's not.
Graphics: it's great to race similar tracks in similar trucks with average graphics and average repetitive music; oh wait, no it's not.
Sound: it's great to race similar tracks in similar trucks with average graphics and average repetitive music; oh wait, no it's not.
Overall: 30 %
Gameplay: 30 %
Graphics: 30 %
Sound: 30 %
twista_02
Date reviewed: August 27, 2002.
Overall: BOOO talk about sucking this game blows my left nut. at first im like sweet i can buy a truck and soup it up like on gran turismo....boy was i wrong.
Gameplay: good graphics but the game sucks so horribly that it balances it out. You can soup up your truck but it doesnt go any faster and you cant win if you take a shortcut the others catch up and pass you on the last corner.
Graphics: decent graphics like i said but ohhh my god this game sucks balllllllzzzz DO NOT BUY THIS GAME!!!!!!!
Sound: The trucks sounds like somebody humming into a microphone....maybe it is good thing is you can play your music from your hard drive.
Suggestions: Please don't ever make another game like this unless its for the ps2 its a waste of money i put it in a garage sale and it got stolen, feel sorry for the dumbass that stole it.
Overall: 20 %
Gameplay: 20 %
Graphics: 20 %
Sound: 30 %
Doc
Date reviewed: June 9, 2002.
Overall: As with its Dreamcast predicesor I was pretty dissapointed in this title. It was a little fun for a while but now it just sits on the shelve. A prime example of why you should rent before you buy!
Gameplay: One of the best parts of a racing/driving sim is damage when you hit somthing. In this game you just come to a dead stop after hitting something at full throttle.
Graphics: Graphics are ok at best, not a whole lot better than the Dreamcast version. I did like the fact that the trucks got dirty after a while.
Sound: Sound is also pretty much just ok. Nothing special here. Engine sound was not too bad but could have been a little better.
Suggestions: Don't make a part three!
Overall: 40 %
Gameplay: 40 %
Graphics: 60 %
Sound: 60 %
geocurt
Date reviewed: April 22, 2002.
Overall: This game is interesting once in awhile when I'm in a mellow mood or really bored. Multiplayer action leaves something to be desired, my friends usually tire of it quickly.
Gameplay: This is where I think the game lacks something important: damage to vehicles. While it does allow for a seemingly endless array of upgrades, I was disappointed that no damage is caused to vehicles during a race. Also, in order to win a race against the computer you need to be in 4th or 5th place and then overtake the other cars right before the finish. If you are running in 1st, they will overtake you every time.
Graphics: Visually the game is really outstanding. The graphics grabbed me the moment I started playing the game. It is very realistic.
Sound: Preface: I could care less about sound as long as it's not annoying. The sound for this game was unobtrusive, which to me is just fine.
Suggestions: This game does not "grab you" and hold on. It lacks the intangibles that all great games have that keep you coming back until you're in trouble with your girlfriend.
Overall: 50 %
Gameplay: 40 %
Graphics: 80 %
Sound: 60 %
Batman2372
Date reviewed: March 14, 2002.
Overall: If your in to REAL off-roading, I think you'll really like this game due to that fact it allows you to get away with stuff that you wouldn't dream of doing in your own truck. For gamers that got it just because they thought it would be cool... it's a bit disappointing. Poor manual instructions and lack of using the Xbox capabilities took away from what otherwise is a decent game.
Gameplay: The basic controls of the game aren't all that difficult, once you figure them out. However, the manual BARELY gives you a clue on how to do this, so you end up spending time just figuring out transmission issues. The AI in career mode is tough, but that may be partly because I'm a street racer at heart, and this is a whole new ballgame. What we have discovered is that free roam is probably the most fun, where you can just go out and push the jeep to it's max, which is what off roading is all about, anyways.
Graphics: This is where it starts getting disappointing. The different environments are alright, but nothing to write home about. The trucks are okay, but at times it looks like you're driving a jeep body with two axles and tires....and nothing else. At times I thought I was actually playing my Dreamcast.
Sound: No surround... this is a major downer in my book. If it can be done, you should do it. It seems like this aspect was really cut
Suggestions: It's obvious this was pushed out the door to make for a title by launch. What a shame, because with some better do !&%$@#* entation, better graphics, and better sound, this would have been a pretty good game.
Overall: 60 %
Gameplay: 70 %
Graphics: 40 %
Sound: 30 %
fanofslipknotib
Date reviewed: March 6, 2002.
Overall: My expectations were not too high on this game when I bought it, so I wasn't too surprised. It is not that great of a racing game at all. If you like Off roading games, you would probably enjoy this game, but I also own PGR, and this game is just too slow compared to it.
Gameplay: The gameplay is pretty good, as it isn't too hard to learn. Just gas, break, and turn, basically. You can use a winch if you buy one, which is a nice little touch, but I wasn't real sure how to use it effectively. The career mode is interesting. You can upgrade your truck with a LOT of different parts. If you win a good number of races, teams will get interested in you and maybe even invite you to a try out to join the team.
Graphics: The graphics in this game aren't outstanding, but they are better than they are not. Smooth truck models, along with nice dirt effects. Your vehicle actually gets dirty driving through the mud, and looks pretty cool. If you don't wash it after a few races, you will notice how dirty it really is.
Sound: The sound is just average. There isn't much to it at all, not even real engine sounds, just generic, with the exception of probably the Monster Truck.
Suggestions: Just try to make it a little funner than it is. I don't know how you can do it, but just try.
Overall: 60 %
Gameplay: 70 %
Graphics: 70 %
Sound: 60 %
babsbailey
Date reviewed: March 5, 2002.
Overall: In my opinion, this is one of the worst games for the XBOX. It lacks originality and any sort of appeal to play this game for long hours. Overall, a waste of money. The theme of this game is a little boring.
Gameplay: Not very original. Simple controls, not too many options. Few tracks and courses make this game boring. High nausea factor after playing this game for a while and using the up close camera mode.
Graphics: So-so graphics on this game. Not too much here is very appealing. It would have been better to have some more original types of race tracks. What they have now just won't do.
Sound: I was so bored by the game, I never really paid to much attention to the sound. The engine sounds and the sounds of racing along the track are realistic enough however that is not enough to carry the game itself.
Suggestions: Some originality is much needed in this game. Throw a couple of cannons on top of the trucks and give them the ability to blow away the competition and you may have something here. Otherwise, this is a waste of time and money.
Overall: 30 %
Gameplay: 40 %
Graphics: 20 %
Sound: 60 %
Travis
Date reviewed: March 4, 2002.
Overall: In my opinion, this is a very bad game. Its a racing game, and thats it. No special features, no nice cars, no point system. Just boring 4x4 racing. I played one race and was already bored. Dont get this game. There are other racing games for the Xbox that are far better.
Gameplay: Very simple to control but that doesnt matter because you dont need to know how to drive it after the first race cuz you'll be bored w/ it.
Graphics: The graphics are okay for his game. Its one thing that is tolerable. But as i said before, there are other games out there for xbox w/ better graphics.
Sound: Boring as well. Very lame music. Doesn't go well w/ the game. Most games have music that makes the game better. This isnt one of those games.
Suggestions: Try harder.
Overall: 40 %
Gameplay: 40 %
Graphics: 70 %
Sound: 40 %
Lord Halo
Date reviewed: February 27, 2002.
Overall: In a nutshell it is just a port of the Dreamcast game... It is great as a DC game, but just average as a XBOX game... They could have done so much more than just a port with options!
Gameplay: Plays good, but not better than the Dreamcast version... Just a port...
Could have been so much better...
Graphics: Basically a port of the Dreamcast game with the better graphics... I saw to many glitches to be impressed...
Sound: No better than the Dreamcast version, except having the added 3D sound... No better than a port...
How sad!
Suggestions: Be more original than just porting something next time... Put more detail into the gameplay... See Pro Race Driver if needed, for good ideas! Blah!
Overall: 60 %
Gameplay: 60 %
Graphics: 50 %
Sound: 50 %
Cobra69
Date reviewed: February 26, 2002.
Overall: Overall its is a pretty good game, although there are many thigs that i did not like about the game such as if you touch an edgeof building or run into a rock you just slow don a bit you come to a complete top and the computer can always catch up no matter how far behind they are
Gameplay: The gamehas a great free roam and alot of good vehicles it has some very specfic detals that are great
Graphics: the graphics are great in this game and i love when u vehicle is dirty you just drive it through some water for a quick car wash
Sound: It does allow you to play ur own music so that s a plus but the sounds of the vehicle isn't the greatest
Suggestions: computer is not fairand when u run over a rock you should stop competely
Overall: 60 %
Gameplay: 80 %
Graphics: 80 %
Sound: 70 %
klcangel
Date reviewed: January 5, 2002.
Overall: Had some cool aspects, such as the number of different vehicles you were able to choose from. I definitly wouldn't waste my money on this game. Kind of boring after a while. Not to relistic for 4 wheeling.
Gameplay: Pretty fun bust'in your vehicle off a cliff or drowning it in a lake. The wench was a nice idea, but TOTALLY unrealistic.
Graphics: somewhat good graphics, better than i expected for a racing game. Somethings could have been a lot better, but not to shabby
Sound: I was ... okay, considering there wasn't a lot of sound to be had. I have dolby digital hooked up to my xbox, so i can really feel the excitment. Could have been more game sounds.
Suggestions: If anything needs changing on this game is the courses.
Overall: 70 %
Gameplay: 60 %
Graphics: 80 %
Sound: 60 %
Xbox_Die_Hard
Date reviewed: January 4, 2002.
Overall: Overall this game got my attention and never let go. Despite many non-4x4 lovers this is truly an awesome game.
Gameplay: I am used to a measly ol' Playstation so I was extremely glad when I saw that it has missions, nearly full customizable vehicles, tons of vehicles and tracks, and the fact that you unlock certian series races as you go along instead of one lon tournament. This truly has plenty of things to do.
Graphics: I don't care what some may say about other non-racing vehicles such as tractors and cop cars may not look perfectly real and all that stuff but who's site-seeing anyway? The Player and AI trucks look awesome.
Sound: The sound had many features other games don't have, birds, twigs, dirt flying, splashing, the full rev of your engine, tires squeeling on asphalt. I loved it.
Suggestions: Work on some of those graphics and the sound of inividual engimes, and most importantly make 4x4 EVO 3!
Overall: 90 %
Gameplay: 100 %
Graphics: 70 %
Sound: 90 %
Lazarus
Date reviewed: January 1, 2002.
Overall: Short multiplayer bliss; extensive dead-end career mode. No surprises, even less thrills along the way. The game has quite a few loathsome bugs; cars unable to make jumps - weird driving on the bottom of the lake...wouldn't you say?
Gameplay: This game tends to wear out its welcome once the gameplay becomes repetitive, and thats pretty quick.
While the game may appear to be a holy grail for the off-road driver, it seems more like a very confused dreamcast game- tight control, aging graphics. Bearing a few different modes, the game has tiresome; boring single-player experience.
The controls is a slight upside to this game, but quickly fades as soon as the fun ends.
These controls are highly responsive, they keep gamers honest thoroughout turns and also avoids the absolutely frustrating spin-out.
Graphics: Medium car detail, supported by low to medium environments - more weather interaction would have spiced up the mix a bit.
Sound: I made more realistic sounds pushing around a Hot Wheels car when I was 4, but I still swear that when I'm standing next to a Rousch Mustang as well. The inclusion of a personalized soundtrack might have lightened the sense of unurgency the game's soundtrack seemed to convey.
Suggestions: I wonder if they have ever actually rode in a 4X4 at the same time they were actually on uneven, unforgiving and mud-filled terrain.
Overall: 50 %
Gameplay: 70 %
Graphics: 50 %
Sound: 60 %
craigas
Date reviewed: December 27, 2001.
Overall: If you own a 4x4 and wanted to do things to it that you know that you cannot afford to do...this is the game for you. I took my Nissan Truck...jacked it up, did some mods, then started kicking some serious ace...giving no concern to whether I smashed into a tree, rolled over, or drove into a lake....ALWAYS what I wanted to do and how I wanted to do it...Great FUN!...
Gameplay: Being able to choose from sooo many vehicles with definite driving characteristics...this game is realistic. The way the vehicles drive is even noticeable if you change the tire sizes....COOL!
Graphics: The graphics are awesome. Maybe adding damage and more sparks and fenders flying would give more realism...but hey, who cares...get plenty of that in real life...right?
Sound: Great sound...you can tell when your engine is really humming or when it is bogging down...need to add other vehicle sound to the game to really make you crap your pants as you are approaching the finish line wondering if you are gonna win!
Suggestions: Damage!...Other Vehicle Sound effects!...Add Nature sound effects..i.e. water, birds..etc... Most importantly...add people and give me the ability to run over them...now that would be COOOOOOL!
Overall: 90 %
Gameplay: 90 %
Graphics: 80 %
Sound: 80 %
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