JetX2O
Score: 74% ESRB: Everyone Publisher: SCEA Developer: Killer Game Media: DVD/1 Players: 1 - 2 Genre: Racing/ Sports
Graphics & Sound: Considering the course medium is almost entirely made up of water, the graphics in JetX2O are pretty good. Nothing special, mind you, but the levels are nice to look at and the wave effects are done quite well. The visuals are not always that seamless, though, as when you grab big air, you can easily pick out the imperfections. The music has a nice fast-paced techno feel to it, keeping the gameplay speeding along as it should. Characters are supposed to be cool in an extreme sports type of way, but the one-liners they spout off to each other are not all that entertaining and detract from the experience.
Gameplay: Following in the footsteps of other great extreme sports titles such as SSX, JetX2O has basically taken a working template and used it on a new racing venue. Instead of snow covered hills, you now compete on rivers and waterways, but the experience this time around has fallen a little short of the goal. As a racing game, your goal is to finish ahead of the competition. As an extreme sports game, you have a number of different tricks that you can perform to gain boost, helping you speed ahead of the other players. With 8 different characters, 8 different tracks, and around 30 tricks per person, JetX2O takes this formula and provides a mediocre answer with it. Winning races unlocks new jet skis, outfits, racers, etc. Somehow, the thrill seems to have been lost on other games. The courses themselves aren't all that bad. There are plenty of shortcuts, and finding them all is practically impossible. There are so many of them that some feel like they are part of the intended course, and you'll find yourself ahead of the pack a number of times before you realize you've actually hit a shortcut. Unfortunately, there is little replay value. Despite the intricate courses, there are limited modes to JetX2O, and the two player challenge gets old quickly. Despite following a winning formula, this game has somehow managed to stay on the average track.
Difficulty: Getting used to racing on water will be the first major hurdle, as there are wake effects aplenty, making for some chaotic racing at times. The next big step will be trying to find enough shortcuts to beat the competition. Unless you run a flawless race, you're going to have to use at least one shortcut, as the computer is quite fond of them.
Game Mechanics: If you've played SSX, these controls will seem like de ja vu to you. Combinations of the four shoulder buttons will pull off moves when you are in the air, with the square button tweaking them slightly for bonus points. Tricks and checkpoints add to your boost meter, an invaluable asset during tight races. Aside from this, there isn't much new. You can dive into the water and pop back out for a little airtime, but this rarely works unless you're near the edge of a cliff. If JetX2O had aimed a little higher and tried something original, it could have been a really great game. Instead, it seems more like a clone than a new innovation. Unfortunately, this one is only good for a rent instead of a buy.
-Snow Chainz, GameVortex Communications AKA Andrew Horwitz
Indy Car Series K-1 World Grand Prix