With the summer new release market being dryer than my credit crunched wallet, it’s always nice when a truly decent Xbox Live Arcade title rears it’s little head. Continuing Xbox’s Summer of Arcade, last week saw the addition of Trials HD.
I’ve never played any of the previous ‘Trials’ titles, so it was one for a demo download before I explored any further. Trials HD is a simple concept; you are on a trial bike (stunt motorbike), and have to drive over various physics defying levels as quickly and as flawlessly as possible. The controls and dynamics of the game are of that time old mantra: easy to use, difficult to master. Accelerate and brake make up half of the control system, with the skill of shifting the position of the rider being the third. Distribution of weight becomes key on every level, a balancing act between leaning back and forth to overcome the obstacle ahead.
It had me hooked! The demo was pitched brilliantly with several levels of varying difficulty bundled into the little free package. After the justification that £17.50 for some Microsoft points out of the New Zealand holiday fund wouldn’t be a problem (it always starts this way), I burned through my microsoft points and purchased the full version. With Microsoft’s seemingly new game pricepoint worringly fixed around the 1200 point mark, I was a bit hesitant to buy yet another arcade title for over £10. But its paid for itself tenfold. The main game is split into five different catergories, from easy ascending up to expert levels. There’s also some tournament modes available where a player has to complete three or more levels without the abilty to reset after a crash.
But the real treat of the game lies with the many mini games. Be it hurling yourself off your bike to see how many bones one can break, or dubiously escorting a trailer loaded with bombs over a geographically treacherous course, there really is much fun to be had. I’ve made it my personal goal to top each of my friends’ leaderboards in each mini game, a task which doesn’t look likely to be successful. Scores are kept nicely in real time on a level, showing exactly which point your Xbox brothers and sisters have managed to reach/blow up/ fall off at. It’s a really nice idea and allows you to see who you’re challenging during the game instead of having to retire to a leaderboard.
All in all, Trials has been a great little time sucker – just what all games should be. It could have done with some more levels thrown into the main campaign, since the difficulty curve really does become rather steep towards the latter levels, but with the ability to create your own challenges, and download others, content should be readily available and fresh.
Again Microsoft have hit the nail on the head with another golden arcade title. Let’s just hope they can keep these standards up throughout the long month of August. Nothing winds the Mrs up more than the sound of a motorbike being crashed over and over and over again. But for the driver, there’s nothing more satisfying. Now please excuse me whilst I go and attempt that triple backflip again.
Im a long haired, metal loving, rock n roll, plastic instrument talented gamer! I've worked in games retail for 7 years and have been caught up in all the politics associated with it. My neighbour loves my plastic drum kit and when i start singing.... "
