Mat Hoffman's Pro BMX 2
- August 21, 2002 00:00 AM PST
If you tried these tricks in real life, you would die. Painfully. Try them on the Xbox instead.
The more �extreme� games that show up on store shelves, the harder it is to make each one stand out. Mat Hoffman�s Pro BMX 2 does it the old-fashioned way: Reliability, quality, and familiarity.
Wheels of Fire
MHPB2 marks the series� debut on the Xbox, but if you�ve played the PlayStation original, you�ll spot tons of improvements right away. Sure, the graphics are much nicer and the levels are quite a bit larger, but the manual system has been enhanced and there are tons of trick lines throughout the game�s nine levels (one of which is exclusive to the Xbox). When you conquer those areas, there�s a park editor for making your own, too.
You�ll also find fun multiplayer modes�Halfpipe Hell, which uses a mountain of vert ramps as a race course, rocks�tons of behind-the-scenes videos of the real pro riders on tour, and several secret elements to unlock. Best of all, the game is easy to pick up and play�if you�re familiar with Activision�s other O2 games, it�s not hard to grab a controller and start doing the cool vert, street, and flatland tricks right away.
Freestyler
The soundtrack is especially diverse, featuring Iggy Pop, Bad Brains, Dub Pistols, Ice-T, and N.E.R.D., while sound effects are mostly atmospheric and subtle�a few speech samples along with environmental goodies like seagulls in Boston and the L train in Chicago.
Mat Hoffman�s Pro BMX 2 definitely follows the standard formula, bolstered by some nice additions. Then again, it�s an enjoyable formula that works�so no problem.
