Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX 2
Score: 80% ESRB: Teen Publisher: Acclaim Developer: EA Games Media: CD/1 Players: 1 - 2 Genre: Sports
Graphics & Sound: The graphics in Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX 2 have a smooth, almost cartoony appeal to them. The levels look nice and seamless, and have a good variety to them, warding off any repetitive feelings you might have. The characters' animations, though limited to a bike, don't look too restricted, though you'll mostly see them peddling and not much else. The occasional trick will get your rider to look a bit more alive, spicing up the action a bit. And though there is nothing really spectacular about them, the graphics won't have you complaining any time soon. As Dave Mirra 2 doesn't weigh too much on its sound effects, it does excel in its musical score. Many an artist lent a hand in creating a great track list. Sublime, Rage Against The Machine, The Cult, Sum 41, and a few other bands make up a very well rounded musical atmosphere. If the tracks don't strike your fancy, you can use your own custom soundtrack, courtesy of the Xbox drive. The sound effects, though limited mostly to the sounds of rail grinds or your skull hitting the pavement, are well done and don't ever seem to get annoying. As for the actual sound quality, it's not a shade under par, rounding off a very above average audio experience.
Gameplay: Dave Mirra 2 is much like its predecessor in that you take 14 pro BMX riders through the game's 10 different levels. Along the way, you are required to complete a variety of challenges, from high scores to long grinds. Other pro riders populate each level, and they give you the more difficult challenges, mostly just higher scores to achieve. Your motivation for all of this is to unlock not only tougher levels, but better bikes for your favorite pro rider. Just like in SSX, as you move through the game, you progressively get better gear. But the bikes in Dave Mirra 2 excel in different areas, giving you a wide selection to choose from, instead of just being forced to use the best one around. The levels themselves are huge, with plenty of things to utilize for your riding pleasure, and each setting is so varied from the next that you'll really appreciate completing the challenges. Each level usually has some type of moving objects in it, from go-carts to freight trains, which you can grind on for mass points. A lot of them are used in the more complex of challenges, like jumping through an open container on the train. The thing that will have you coming back for more, though, is the level editor. Here, you pick the theme of the level, and then you can fill it to the brim with a most excellent assortment of objects. Making the park of your dreams is at your fingertips here, and only a few (ok, a whole lot) of clicks away.
Difficulty: There are no difficulty options, instead the challenges will progressively get harder as you go along. You won't have to learn a whole lot of BMX lingo in order to play this game. The average person will take about half an hour to get acquainted with the controls and style, though perfecting it will take much longer.
Game Mechanics: The control scheme for the tricks might seem odd at first, but is simple once you get into the groove of things. Each direction on the controller plus a button will pull off a trick. Also, you can spin either left or right, or tweak the trick with yet another button. This allows for close to a thousand different moves, and while they are easy to pull off, the sheer volume is overwhelming and overburdening. The physics are probably the biggest flaw of the game. In between music tracks, the game will freeze for a second, halting the action no matter where you are. Trying to brake will have you crashing into walls, and once you've stopped, trying to turn around will take all too long. Other areas will freeze you in place or send you through walls. Things like these mar the action of the game and are sure to ward off casual gamers. While Dave Mirra 2 might be a big step above the first, it is far from perfect. It doesn't quite meet a balance between realism and playability, instead trying to cater too much to both worlds. Coupled with inexcusably glitchy physics, these flaws keep the game far away from the enjoyable experience it should be. However, big fans of the sport should be able to look beyond these mishaps and enjoy the game for what it should be, instead of what it is.
-Snow Chainz, GameVortex Communications AKA Andrew Horwitz
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