Review: Urban Trial Freestyle (PC)

There's a simplicity to Urban Trial Freestyle that does a good job, at least initially, of burying the complexity required to truly master the game.

Manoeuvring the rider through a nightmare motocross obstacle course, the controls amount to accelerate, brake, lean forward, and lean backward. The simple combination of those four control directions with the occasionally bizarre interactive and changing "course" creates an environment whereby the player must exhibit some skill and sometimes just get a lucky break to make it through the course or match challenge markers (like longest distance). It doesn't hurt to upgrade the bike either.

Review: Grid 2 (360)

The competition for the driving fan's gaming dollar continues to be a fierce battle. With the Forzas and Grand Turisimos of the world there are a few games that are doing their best to cater to a wider audience. In that vein, Grid 2 tries to take the middle ground between enthusiast and the more casual racing fan.

The story revolves around you helping Patrick Callahan, a multimillionaire gearhead who wants to create "World Series Racing" which will feature all of the best racers from each part of the world. In order to help grow the business, you are going to be his main feature competing in all the different racing genres and become a huge draw for the league. In effect, the currency of your success is the fans that you draw to the business. Success draws fans, which in turn will lead to better equipment, which then leads to higher profile competition (and the vicious cycle of success breeding success). As such, the game features multiple locales for you to battle in and the usual insane variety of cars to race.