Review: Mad Riders (PS3)

-Error reading from ESRB datastream- Please visit ESRB.org for rating information.

Recently, we here at Gaming Irresponsibly had a chance to get our hands dirty with Ubisoft and Techland’s newest downloadable title, Mad Riders. For those who don’t know, Mad Riders is an off-road style racing game that features insane stunts, fun race modes and fantastically designed tracks. When you first begin playing Mad Riders, you are not given too many options, as you are limited to which tracks you can run, ATV’s you can ride and characters you can control. As you progress through the single player tournament mode, you will begin to unlock new rides, custom paint jobs, crazier tricks and more challenging tracks. This is done through an experience point leveling system that many have become accustomed to seeing.  The more tricks you do and races you win, the more points and levels you gain, thus unlocking fresh content to experience during your next race.

I personally have never been a fan of off-road racing games, but Mad Riders had me hooked from my first race. The tracks where fun to play and challenging to master. Each new track I encountered seemed to have similarities to the previous one, at the same time offering a new and unique experience. The blurred effect when using the boost mechanic seemed to fit just right, and while you may have been going insanely fast, you never felt as though you had lost total control of your vehicle. Speaking of control, the most important part about a game of this genre is ‘control’, and Mad Riders delivers. The controls are sharp and responsive, and guiding your racer from start to finish seems fluid and natural. The fact that you can pick up the controller, and feel as though you have known how to play this game forever, is a welcoming experience.

Mad Riders features a variety of different game modes and content. Racers can choose to battle it out in a standard, ‘first to the finish line’ mode, as well as a timed solo mode. There is also a race that has you racing around a small, trackless area, capturing flags in order before your opponents. As for the vehicles, there are a variety of options to choose from. In addition to being able to choose vehicles aplenty, there are paint customization options. This can be used to create custom fenders, handles, frames and rims. If that wasn’t enough, you also get to choose a rider to go along with it. Most of the riders you can choose from are realistic and of the human variety, but Techland throws in a great mix of fun with options like choosing a mummy or a gorilla to man your ATV. The customization options are great to have, and if you don’t like the preset paint jobs on your ride, you can always create one of your own.

The graphics and sound are just as on point for a game of this genre, offering great sound effects and stunning visuals. The game doesn’t stand out graphically, but the trick animations are amazing and the crisp look of the gameplay will draw you in. All-in-all, the game offers nothing we haven’t seen before in a downloadable title when it comes to the audio/visual department, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Anyone that plays Mad Riders will have no qualms with the look and style of the game, as it is a beautiful world to compete in.

OVERALL

Mad Riders is simply a great buy. For around 10 bucks, you can experience a wealth of content in both single player and multiplayer modes. There are tons of levels to obtain and content that needs unlocking, and you are certain to have fun doing both. The game does a great job of pacing itself in the single player experience. Just as you feel bored with your bike, rider or tick set, guess what you just unlocked? New bikes, riders and trick sets. When it comes to the arcade style, off-road style, racing games, Mad Riders has to be at the top of the list. The controls are near perfect, the feel is crisp and natural and the overall gameplay is fun and exciting. Races are just short enough that gamers will experience the “one more race” effect, thus ensuring a few minutes turns into a few hours. The game really is spectacular, and a must buy for fans of the genre.

FINAL SCORE

Graphics 87   Audio 87   Gameplay 95 Creativity 90   Execution 98   Offset 90

9.1

How do these ratings work? Click here for descriptions!

PROS

• Great gameplay
• Fun tracks and tons of content
• Replay value
• FUN, FUN, FUN

CONS

• Contact with other riders can seem sketchy at times