XGRA: Extreme-G Racing Association

In the future there is no gravity.  Or if gravity exists, you can "defy" it.  That's the premise of every futuristic racer out there.  Does anyone really care?  When the race starts and your brain is fixated on the gameplay, it becomes difficult to think about anything else.

The same is true with the fourth game in the Extreme G series: XGRA.  XGRA stands for the Extreme G Racing Association.  Why the name change?  It probably has something to do with the future of the series, and how unattractive Extreme G 10 would sound.

Enough with the name game though.  When it comes down to it, it doesn't matter what the game is titled so long as it delivers a compelling gameplay experience.  XGRA is compelling, but not to the extent of XGIII (Extreme G III).  As you will soon discover, the game is very much a sequel, but attempts to reinvent itself with a couple of gameplay changes.

XGRA's game mode selection is small but effective.  Included are racing staples like Arcade, Time Trial and a two-player split-screen mode.  The main single-player mode is Season 2080 (remember, this game is set in the not-too-distant future).  In Season 2080, you must prove yourself as a professional racer in order to be accepted into SiNN Global championship.  Assuming you're successful, you'll be given the option to join a racing team.  Each team has its own stats – some are better at handling or regeneration, while others are superior at speed and acceleration.  Your bikes can be damaged by ramming the sides of the track, by ramming into other racers, or by being shot in the back, so while speed is the key to success, it's also important to stay alive.  That's why the teams with higher regeneration stats are beneficial.

XGRA's courses are worth both praise and confusion.  Half of the courses take on a an exciting corkscrew shape, giving the player one thrill after the other.  As you climb the top of a perfectly steep road, the reality of it doesn't set in as deeply as it has before.  Acclaim has somehow managed to make the surroundings even more believable, thus increasing the game's realism.  Do not confuse "surroundings" with "graphics."  What I mean by surroundings is all that you see – any trees, buildings or billboards, anything at all that exists in the background.

Much to the joy of any speed freak, XGRA is a little bit faster than XGIII.  It's not always easy to spot the speed differences, but when you're flying down that steep road you've just climbed, believe me, you'll feel it.

Upon reaching the bottom of that road you'll find yourself going through a fast, turbo boost-filled loop.  Or you'll fly up and down another steep hill, go through various tunnels, and continue down the road to victory without ever having a moment of boredom.  This is the essence of the game, the thing that will keep players from ejecting the game and moving onto something else.

However, while the essence is certainly what makes the game great, it's not the only thing there.  One of the game's more damaging flaws was intended to improve it: an increased emphasis on weapon combat.  It sounds great in theory.  Everyone loves to race, and everyone loves to shoot.  Why not put 'em together?  It worked for WipeOut, so it has to work here, right?

It nearly did.  The problem is, in trying to concentrate on taking out the bikes in front of you, the game loses something.  It's more psychological than physical, but to put it plainly, it isn't as exciting to fight the in-game opponents as it is to race them.  XGRA encourages your desire to burn rubber, not ammunition!  But the requirements force players to do both.  This, coupled with the fact that not every course is a roller coaster thrill-ride, causes the game to miss the photo finish it was so close to achieving.

It's not easy choosing which games to buy, especially when one as attractive as XGRA retails for only $30.  Because of that low price (and the possibility of getting it cheaper on sale), you really can't complain much.  XGRA is far superior to the other "bargain" titles out there, so much that I am surprised that Acclaim would let the game sell for a lower price than [enter horrible, $40 game here].  It has its flaws, especially in the vehicular combat department, but that doesn't make it a bad game by any means.

Gameplay: 7.8
Extreme-G first appeared on the PlayStation 2 during its second season of gaming goodness.  Two years later the series is back for more, ready to take you for another spin and then some.  This is one ride worth taking, especially if you love the series.  The game uses a new cinematic graphic effect that's intended to simulate "extreme" speed, and while it doesn't make you feel like you're going any faster, it is a really cool effect.

Internet rumors suggested that the game would be slowed down a tad in order to increase its functionality.  In actuality, XGRA moves slightly faster than XGIII (if the titles are confusing, XGRA is the fourth game in the series).  Despite the speed increase (which is very appreciated – no one wants a slow racer!), XGRA's racers are very easy to control.  Even if you're inexperienced, it won't be too hard for you to grasp the game and figure out that they key to winning is perseverance.

Graphics: 8
This game looks pretty cool, and is without any noticeable frame rate issues, but graphically it is only a few notches above XGIII.  There are no extremely obvious flaws, but it still won't dazzle your eyes that much, especially if you've grown accustomed to PlayStation 2's finer titles.

Sound: 5.5
Two licensed soundtracks of unheard of music.  Unheard of as in bands you don't know and probably don't care about.  There's also the addition of annoying voice-overs from characters who like to talk trash.  Not cool.

Difficulty: Easy
Most of the season mode tiers are easy to conquer, and if you fail, no biggie -- you'll still move onto the next.  You might not be able to complete the game, but if you've played through everything once by not succeeding, what will make you want to play through it a second time around?

Concept: 6.7
Xtreme G RehAsh?  Not quite, but it wouldn't be hard to mistake this for XGIII.  This is a good sequel, but it's also the fourth game in the series.  If it had come 12 months after XGIII it would have been much more acceptable.  But after 24 months it's only natural that gamers would expect something more than more of the same.

Multiplayer: 6.9
Split-screen action for only two players?  It's fun at times, but it isn't packed with nearly as much replay value as WipeOut or F-Zero.

Overall: 7.6
With so many futuristic racers out there, it's hard to welcome one with open arms that doesn't go above and beyond the rest.  XGRA is a really good, entertaining game, but it's a standard sequel.  Not a whole lot has changed since the last game.  You've got new, exciting courses, but then you've also got a few courses that aren't very exciting at all.

What it all comes down to is how much of this experience you've had.  If you're new to futuristic racers, or if F-Zero is the only one you've experienced, then XGRA will be a nice diversion from that style of play.  On the other hand, if you've played through WipeOut or any of the previous games in the Extreme-G series, XGRA will seem more like an extension of those titles, not an entirely new game.  If you can deal with that, then take a gander at the price tag.  XGRA retails for as low as thirty bucks.  You can't beat that.