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The Trials motorbike series meets Far Cry 3 Blood Dragon in one of gaming’s less obvious cross overs. A serious motorbike stunt game merging with an over the top action based first person shooter surely can’t end well. For many critics it didn’t and whilst I can see why, I actually rather like the outcome.
The Trials games are certainly not for everyone. The difficulty can be soul destroying and it can be more pain than pleasure. But on the other hand, there are few things in gaming which are more satisfying than conquering an ‘impossible’ obstacle. I will come right out and say it now, Trials purists should not come anywhere near this game.
For Blood Dragons fans looking for more first person shooting antics then you should perhaps join the Trials purists in looking elsewhere. For those that do remain, you’ll have a bit of enjoyable nonsense on bike and on foot with a blend of flavours from both the original games.
Trials doesn’t have a story to it so that comes straight from Blood Dragon. The story revolves around the children of Blood Dragon’s Rex Colt children. Like their dad, the kids are cyber commandos and fortunately they are bikers, which is where Trials comes into play. With mum missing and dad having been killed in a war, the kids continue the family tradition of saving the day. They are kids with attitude which might make them a little hard to warm to but they won’t give a damn if you like them or not. There are cut scenes and it’s all a whole lot of nonsense but it all feels very Blood Dragon in that respect.
The game starts off in the Trials manner. The bike controls are the same as trials with accelerate, brake and leaning forward or back as complicated as it gets. Of course, simple controls leave you free to worry about the obstacles ahead. It all starts off nice and easy and gradually introduces new ideas and complexities.
The first thing Trials fans will notice are the visuals. The neon vibe from Blood Dragon is predominant here and it is a lot more colourful than the earlier Trials games were. The other hard to miss aspect is the antics going on the background. You are biking through static and lifeless environments no more, there are explosions and all manner of distractions which bring your attention from the road ahead. It is impossible not to look which means you are going to have to focus in your subsequent attempts if you want to nail those good times. And the game sure doesn’t make it easy to focus, that’s for sure.
As a fan of the Trials series and less so of Blood Dragon, the moments on the back of a bike are the best in the game. The biking doesn’t gradually bring in the Blood Dragon influence though. Why simply jump between gaps when you can use your grappling hook and swing your bike over? And there is also some two wheeled shooting activities to keep thing fresh and give something new to learn for the Trials veterans.
The OTT aspects of Blood Dragon are everywhere. The courses are just as challenging as in your standard Trials game but it is all so different. With leaping over helicopter gunships or driving down the side of a skyscraper or leaping from flying missile to flying missile it is hard not to smile at it all. There is a lot more character and personality than a Trials player is used to and it is all a bit bonkers at times, those are just some of the more tame moments.
There are plenty of stages where you’ll not be anywhere near your bike which may appeal more to the Blood Dragon fans. These levels are still in the same vain as Trials in that it is a timed run. On foot you will be platforming and shooting your way through. Platforms will rise and fall and locks will need to be shot to unlock doors. There can be a lot more to master on foot to really get a good time. The on foot sections work well and it fits nicely within the Trials mould. I still prefer being on a bike but the on foot sections are far from a chore.
Some of the Trials mini games influence is brought into the mix. You’ll be pulling explosive materials and trying not to jolt them about. There are also some rocket pack sections where you need to jet yourself about the stage carefully but quickly. These have been converted into proper levels rather than just a quick score challenge as in Trials. And as with Trials, some of them are more fun than others.
There are some vehicle moments which are not motorbike based and the more interesting by far is the remote control car based on a real life toy. This is the kind of RC car where the wheels are bigger than the body so the car can flip over and still drive. The sections for this vehicle involve lots of loops and the complication comes in seamlessly switching between accelerate and brake as the depending on what way the car is facing, brake will become accelerate. It can hurt the head sometimes but get it right and it is a lot of fun. What is disappointing though is that there isn’t more levels with the RC car.
There are no course editors or multiplayer antics which might disappoint some but there is a good number of levels to make your way through and master so content isn’t an issue. Naturally the leaderboards are there so you can still compete against times from friends or the rest of the world.
As I’ve already said, fans of Trials and fans of Blood Dragon looking for more of the same are going to be disappointed but the spirit of both games is definitely obvious. It is an interesting experiment with some mixed results but when it is good you can’t help but appreciate what you are experiencing. Some levels are definitely not as much fun but the next enjoyable section is never too far away.
7
The Trials games are certainly not for everyone. The difficulty can be soul destroying and it can be more pain than pleasure. But on the other hand, there are few things in gaming which are more satisfying than conquering an ‘impossible’ obstacle. I will come right out and say it now, Trials purists should not come anywhere near this game.
For Blood Dragons fans looking for more first person shooting antics then you should perhaps join the Trials purists in looking elsewhere. For those that do remain, you’ll have a bit of enjoyable nonsense on bike and on foot with a blend of flavours from both the original games.
Trials doesn’t have a story to it so that comes straight from Blood Dragon. The story revolves around the children of Blood Dragon’s Rex Colt children. Like their dad, the kids are cyber commandos and fortunately they are bikers, which is where Trials comes into play. With mum missing and dad having been killed in a war, the kids continue the family tradition of saving the day. They are kids with attitude which might make them a little hard to warm to but they won’t give a damn if you like them or not. There are cut scenes and it’s all a whole lot of nonsense but it all feels very Blood Dragon in that respect.
The game starts off in the Trials manner. The bike controls are the same as trials with accelerate, brake and leaning forward or back as complicated as it gets. Of course, simple controls leave you free to worry about the obstacles ahead. It all starts off nice and easy and gradually introduces new ideas and complexities.
The first thing Trials fans will notice are the visuals. The neon vibe from Blood Dragon is predominant here and it is a lot more colourful than the earlier Trials games were. The other hard to miss aspect is the antics going on the background. You are biking through static and lifeless environments no more, there are explosions and all manner of distractions which bring your attention from the road ahead. It is impossible not to look which means you are going to have to focus in your subsequent attempts if you want to nail those good times. And the game sure doesn’t make it easy to focus, that’s for sure.
As a fan of the Trials series and less so of Blood Dragon, the moments on the back of a bike are the best in the game. The biking doesn’t gradually bring in the Blood Dragon influence though. Why simply jump between gaps when you can use your grappling hook and swing your bike over? And there is also some two wheeled shooting activities to keep thing fresh and give something new to learn for the Trials veterans.
The OTT aspects of Blood Dragon are everywhere. The courses are just as challenging as in your standard Trials game but it is all so different. With leaping over helicopter gunships or driving down the side of a skyscraper or leaping from flying missile to flying missile it is hard not to smile at it all. There is a lot more character and personality than a Trials player is used to and it is all a bit bonkers at times, those are just some of the more tame moments.
There are plenty of stages where you’ll not be anywhere near your bike which may appeal more to the Blood Dragon fans. These levels are still in the same vain as Trials in that it is a timed run. On foot you will be platforming and shooting your way through. Platforms will rise and fall and locks will need to be shot to unlock doors. There can be a lot more to master on foot to really get a good time. The on foot sections work well and it fits nicely within the Trials mould. I still prefer being on a bike but the on foot sections are far from a chore.
Some of the Trials mini games influence is brought into the mix. You’ll be pulling explosive materials and trying not to jolt them about. There are also some rocket pack sections where you need to jet yourself about the stage carefully but quickly. These have been converted into proper levels rather than just a quick score challenge as in Trials. And as with Trials, some of them are more fun than others.
There are some vehicle moments which are not motorbike based and the more interesting by far is the remote control car based on a real life toy. This is the kind of RC car where the wheels are bigger than the body so the car can flip over and still drive. The sections for this vehicle involve lots of loops and the complication comes in seamlessly switching between accelerate and brake as the depending on what way the car is facing, brake will become accelerate. It can hurt the head sometimes but get it right and it is a lot of fun. What is disappointing though is that there isn’t more levels with the RC car.
There are no course editors or multiplayer antics which might disappoint some but there is a good number of levels to make your way through and master so content isn’t an issue. Naturally the leaderboards are there so you can still compete against times from friends or the rest of the world.
As I’ve already said, fans of Trials and fans of Blood Dragon looking for more of the same are going to be disappointed but the spirit of both games is definitely obvious. It is an interesting experiment with some mixed results but when it is good you can’t help but appreciate what you are experiencing. Some levels are definitely not as much fun but the next enjoyable section is never too far away.
7
pb wrote:
I was going to get this but held off. Might still pick it up at some point.
Good review.
Perhaps one to get in the sales.
I was going to get this but held off. Might still pick it up at some point.
Good review.
Perhaps one to get in the sales.
I was going to get this but held off. Might still pick it up at some point.
Good review.
Good review.
The Trials motorbike series meets Far Cry 3 Blood Dragon in one of gaming’s less obvious cross overs. A serious motorbike stunt game merging with an over the top action based first person shooter surely can’t end well. For many critics it didn’t and whilst I can see why, I actually rather like the outcome.
The Trials games are certainly not for everyone. The difficulty can be soul destroying and it can be more pain than pleasure. But on the other hand, there are few things in gaming which are more satisfying than conquering an ‘impossible’ obstacle. I will come right out and say it now, Trials purists should not come anywhere near this game.
For Blood Dragons fans looking for more first person shooting antics then you should perhaps join the Trials purists in looking elsewhere. For those that do remain, you’ll have a bit of enjoyable nonsense on bike and on foot with a blend of flavours from both the original games.
Trials doesn’t have a story to it so that comes straight from Blood Dragon. The story revolves around the children of Blood Dragon’s Rex Colt children. Like their dad, the kids are cyber commandos and fortunately they are bikers, which is where Trials comes into play. With mum missing and dad having been killed in a war, the kids continue the family tradition of saving the day. They are kids with attitude which might make them a little hard to warm to but they won’t give a damn if you like them or not. There are cut scenes and it’s all a whole lot of nonsense but it all feels very Blood Dragon in that respect.
The game starts off in the Trials manner. The bike controls are the same as trials with accelerate, brake and leaning forward or back as complicated as it gets. Of course, simple controls leave you free to worry about the obstacles ahead. It all starts off nice and easy and gradually introduces new ideas and complexities.
The first thing Trials fans will notice are the visuals. The neon vibe from Blood Dragon is predominant here and it is a lot more colourful than the earlier Trials games were. The other hard to miss aspect is the antics going on the background. You are biking through static and lifeless environments no more, there are explosions and all manner of distractions which bring your attention from the road ahead. It is impossible not to look which means you are going to have to focus in your subsequent attempts if you want to nail those good times. And the game sure doesn’t make it easy to focus, that’s for sure.
As a fan of the Trials series and less so of Blood Dragon, the moments on the back of a bike are the best in the game. The biking doesn’t gradually bring in the Blood Dragon influence though. Why simply jump between gaps when you can use your grappling hook and swing your bike over? And there is also some two wheeled shooting activities to keep thing fresh and give something new to learn for the Trials veterans.
The OTT aspects of Blood Dragon are everywhere. The courses are just as challenging as in your standard Trials game but it is all so different. With leaping over helicopter gunships or driving down the side of a skyscraper or leaping from flying missile to flying missile it is hard not to smile at it all. There is a lot more character and personality than a Trials player is used to and it is all a bit bonkers at times, those are just some of the more tame moments.
There are plenty of stages where you’ll not be anywhere near your bike which may appeal more to the Blood Dragon fans. These levels are still in the same vain as Trials in that it is a timed run. On foot you will be platforming and shooting your way through. Platforms will rise and fall and locks will need to be shot to unlock doors. There can be a lot more to master on foot to really get a good time. The on foot sections work well and it fits nicely within the Trials mould. I still prefer being on a bike but the on foot sections are far from a chore.
Some of the Trials mini games influence is brought into the mix. You’ll be pulling explosive materials and trying not to jolt them about. There are also some rocket pack sections where you need to jet yourself about the stage carefully but quickly. These have been converted into proper levels rather than just a quick score challenge as in Trials. And as with Trials, some of them are more fun than others.
There are some vehicle moments which are not motorbike based and the more interesting by far is the remote control car based on a real life toy. This is the kind of RC car where the wheels are bigger than the body so the car can flip over and still drive. The sections for this vehicle involve lots of loops and the complication comes in seamlessly switching between accelerate and brake as the depending on what way the car is facing, brake will become accelerate. It can hurt the head sometimes but get it right and it is a lot of fun. What is disappointing though is that there isn’t more levels with the RC car.
There are no course editors or multiplayer antics which might disappoint some but there is a good number of levels to make your way through and master so content isn’t an issue. Naturally the leaderboards are there so you can still compete against times from friends or the rest of the world.
As I’ve already said, fans of Trials and fans of Blood Dragon looking for more of the same are going to be disappointed but the spirit of both games is definitely obvious. It is an interesting experiment with some mixed results but when it is good you can’t help but appreciate what you are experiencing. Some levels are definitely not as much fun but the next enjoyable section is never too far away.
7
The Trials games are certainly not for everyone. The difficulty can be soul destroying and it can be more pain than pleasure. But on the other hand, there are few things in gaming which are more satisfying than conquering an ‘impossible’ obstacle. I will come right out and say it now, Trials purists should not come anywhere near this game.
For Blood Dragons fans looking for more first person shooting antics then you should perhaps join the Trials purists in looking elsewhere. For those that do remain, you’ll have a bit of enjoyable nonsense on bike and on foot with a blend of flavours from both the original games.
Trials doesn’t have a story to it so that comes straight from Blood Dragon. The story revolves around the children of Blood Dragon’s Rex Colt children. Like their dad, the kids are cyber commandos and fortunately they are bikers, which is where Trials comes into play. With mum missing and dad having been killed in a war, the kids continue the family tradition of saving the day. They are kids with attitude which might make them a little hard to warm to but they won’t give a damn if you like them or not. There are cut scenes and it’s all a whole lot of nonsense but it all feels very Blood Dragon in that respect.
The game starts off in the Trials manner. The bike controls are the same as trials with accelerate, brake and leaning forward or back as complicated as it gets. Of course, simple controls leave you free to worry about the obstacles ahead. It all starts off nice and easy and gradually introduces new ideas and complexities.
The first thing Trials fans will notice are the visuals. The neon vibe from Blood Dragon is predominant here and it is a lot more colourful than the earlier Trials games were. The other hard to miss aspect is the antics going on the background. You are biking through static and lifeless environments no more, there are explosions and all manner of distractions which bring your attention from the road ahead. It is impossible not to look which means you are going to have to focus in your subsequent attempts if you want to nail those good times. And the game sure doesn’t make it easy to focus, that’s for sure.
As a fan of the Trials series and less so of Blood Dragon, the moments on the back of a bike are the best in the game. The biking doesn’t gradually bring in the Blood Dragon influence though. Why simply jump between gaps when you can use your grappling hook and swing your bike over? And there is also some two wheeled shooting activities to keep thing fresh and give something new to learn for the Trials veterans.
The OTT aspects of Blood Dragon are everywhere. The courses are just as challenging as in your standard Trials game but it is all so different. With leaping over helicopter gunships or driving down the side of a skyscraper or leaping from flying missile to flying missile it is hard not to smile at it all. There is a lot more character and personality than a Trials player is used to and it is all a bit bonkers at times, those are just some of the more tame moments.
There are plenty of stages where you’ll not be anywhere near your bike which may appeal more to the Blood Dragon fans. These levels are still in the same vain as Trials in that it is a timed run. On foot you will be platforming and shooting your way through. Platforms will rise and fall and locks will need to be shot to unlock doors. There can be a lot more to master on foot to really get a good time. The on foot sections work well and it fits nicely within the Trials mould. I still prefer being on a bike but the on foot sections are far from a chore.
Some of the Trials mini games influence is brought into the mix. You’ll be pulling explosive materials and trying not to jolt them about. There are also some rocket pack sections where you need to jet yourself about the stage carefully but quickly. These have been converted into proper levels rather than just a quick score challenge as in Trials. And as with Trials, some of them are more fun than others.
There are some vehicle moments which are not motorbike based and the more interesting by far is the remote control car based on a real life toy. This is the kind of RC car where the wheels are bigger than the body so the car can flip over and still drive. The sections for this vehicle involve lots of loops and the complication comes in seamlessly switching between accelerate and brake as the depending on what way the car is facing, brake will become accelerate. It can hurt the head sometimes but get it right and it is a lot of fun. What is disappointing though is that there isn’t more levels with the RC car.
There are no course editors or multiplayer antics which might disappoint some but there is a good number of levels to make your way through and master so content isn’t an issue. Naturally the leaderboards are there so you can still compete against times from friends or the rest of the world.
As I’ve already said, fans of Trials and fans of Blood Dragon looking for more of the same are going to be disappointed but the spirit of both games is definitely obvious. It is an interesting experiment with some mixed results but when it is good you can’t help but appreciate what you are experiencing. Some levels are definitely not as much fun but the next enjoyable section is never too far away.
7