Trials HD
In case you’re not down with Live Arcade – it’s the 360’s online gaming archive where titles old and new can be downloaded in exchange for points. And Trials HD is one of the best games on it. There, introduction over.
Jason is loved up by this downloadable motorbike madness
This game has no frills – it’s a simple score/time attack affair that requires you to guide your 3D motorbike through what is ostensibly a 2D stunt theme park. This simple proposition is key to a kind of glue-like stickiness, an unexpected day and night consuming playability that very few titles as straightforward or as cheap as this one can claim. Trust me, if I didn’t have to do silly things like review games and gadgets for my day job I’d be playing Trials HD right now. Here’s how it works: you control a ragdoll man on a motorbike. He doesn’t look ragdoll, in fact graphically the game isn’t bad looking, but the engine that looks after how he balances on the bike and then falls off when you mess up is pure ragdoll. Before your hapless biker is stage after seemingly infinite stage of explosive barrels, seesaws, jumps, loops and burning oil pits that he must conquer in order to progress. Each stage is timed and marked enabling you to upgrade your motor bike.
As I write this I can hear some of you asking ‘Is that it?’ Well, yes, it is, pretty much! Great physics, challenging and entertaining stages that involve every conceivable trial, bone-crushing trap, rickety bridge, death defying drop and bonkers-high jump – and up to scratch visuals. It’s just that simple.
Jason chews more gaming and gadget fat on his personal blog. Pay him a visit and leave your comments at: www.jasonbradbury.com
