Controls here are way too touchy and twitchy, even after adjusting them to be as forgiving as possible. And all these good looks don't amount to much if you can't drive in the first place. Square should have eased off on the lighting and reflection effects. As perfect as the cars on the screen look, no vehicle in the world is that shiny. Racing connoisseurs will appreciate the extensive simulation tweaks allowed you can adjust transmissions, suspensions, brakes and steerings, even mixing your own paint color if you wish. That selection begins with just the basics - a Honda Civic, Toyota Celica and Mazda Miata, for instance - but grows to include Porsches, Ferraris and Alfa Romeos. As with Gran Turismo, Type-S lets players choose from one of four racing modes (Arcade will probably draw more players, but Line Training and Time Attack are worth a drive too), starting off with a limited set of vehicles that expands with each race won. Details: SquareSoft should have stuck to the role-playing games it's justly famous for this venture into the racing genre, despite some terrific graphics and creative options, fails to get any traction. Bottom line: Sony gets dirty to get itself a hit. Solid control and excellent game play round out this premiere package whether you hop on a bike and compete on one of the 20 tracks or just go for a joy ride across the beautiful terrain, you'll find hours of driving fun here. Rainbow offers a multitude of modes, including solid but foggy four-player racing (with a Multi-Tap controller adapter) and Freestyle Stunt Competition (where players perform outrageous midair tricks), and lots of customizing options.
Gamers familiar with the Motocross Madness franchise will be happy to know that this console game lacks the slowdown that haunted the PC games, despite using the same basic engine.
The dirt-spewing four-wheeled racers, which come with nicely animated drivers attempting to keep their balance, are also a nice touch. From breathtaking sunsets in the desert to densely wooded forests to snow-covered terrain, this game's enormous environments abound with visual details (there are also some less interesting indoor tracks in packed stadiums).
Thanks to Rainbow Studios, which previously developed Motocross Madness 1 and 2 for Microsoft, this off-road racer shows off the graphical power of the system.
Details: Sony has finally shipped a PS2 game that actually makes you want to buy the system. Bottom line: Still better than watching the Wizards stumble along. As always, the control is tight and responsive, but with greatly improved low-post play - you can execute fadeaways and hook shots with little or no effort, and you can now pull off up-and-under moves and turnarounds. J or if Tim Duncan could beat Larry Bird, you have the power to do so. So if you ever wanted to see if Kobe Bryant could outplay Dr.
Season game play remains the mainstay of the PS2 release, but the real draw is the one-on-one action, which lets you take any current NBA player and put him against any other, past or present. Both are in the PlayStation and PC version, and it's silly for both not to be included here as well.
Noticeably absent, however, are franchise and challenge modes. Once you get past the impressive presentation of the game - you can watch crowds celebrating and spot individual players on the bench - you get a choice of four basic modes of play: exhibition, season, playoffs and one-on-one. But this release, coming months after the PC and PlayStation editions, also bricks a shot or two. Details: The latest in EA Sports' venerable series, the PlayStation 2 version of NBA Live 2001, continues an honorable tradition with its unsurpassed graphics and responsive controls.