Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX 2
Score: 90% ESRB: Everyone Publisher: Acclaim Developer: Z-Axis Media: GCD/1 Players: 1 - 2 Genre: Sports
Graphics & Sound: Except for a few cleaner looking textures, Dave Mirra 2 looks nearly identical to its PS2 brother. The game runs very smoothly, although I ran into a few instances of slowdown, especially in the swamp area. The levels all look really nice, although there are still a few instances of nasty pop ups - it is not really bad, but when compared to other GameCube games, it is very noticeable. The soundtrack is everything we've come to expect from the 'extreme' genre, and Mirra's soundtrack does not disappoint with a soundtrack including Godsmack, Sum 41, Sublime, Gang Starr and Ozzy Osborne. The ambiant sounds are very good, and never become overwhelming. Overall, a very good job in the sound department.
Gameplay: Dave Mirra 2 is one of the best BMX games around and it is definitely one of the biggest. Of course, this works to its advantage, but the sheer size works against it. After choosing your rider from several real world (and some 'special ones') including Dave Mirra, Ryan Nyquist and the Slim Jim guy, it is your job to enter the Proquest and complete goals in 10 massive boards. Describing the size of these levels is impossible, but some of them put the ones found in Tony Hawk to shame. The problem is that since they are so big, it is easy to get lost. Finding some of your goals is the proverbial needle in the haystack search. A radar arrow, such as the one found in Smuggler's Run would have been very helpful. For those times when your friends are over, you can also take turns playing the multi-player games. Yes, you heard me right, there is no split screen option available. Instead you and your friends pass the controller and try to rack up the highest score in games such as Best Run, B-M-X (think HORSE on bikes) and my favorite, Wipeout (try to do the most bodily harm to your rider). If those modes become boring, you can always play around with the Park Editor. With so much to do, it is easy to lose track of time.
Difficulty: I've said this before in other Mirra reviews (this is my 3rd after all :)) and I'll continue to say it. Mirra 2 is only as hard as you make it. I recommend spending a few minutes with the manual before even turning the game on, it really helps. Mirra 2 does get hard in the objectives area though, again due to the size of the boards. It also becomes difficult when the mission objectives say to do something, but when you look up how to do it in the manual, it is not there.
Game Mechanics: Mirra 2 controls well, but it is not perfect and could use some tweaking. This is due to them being a little less responsive than they need to be, and sometimes getting in the way of pulling off tricks. While it may sound bad, it is easy to get swept up in the game and overlook these minor problems. My biggest grievance with Mirra 2 is the camera system - it is just bad. I spent most of the game yelling at the screen, and blowing tricks because I could not see where I was going. Like the control, it is sometimes possible to overlook these problems and enjoy the game. Despite these problems, I still think Mirra 2 is one of the best BMX games available, hopefully the next version will fix the few small problems and make it shine.
-Starscream, GameVortex Communications AKA Ricky Tucker
Dark Summit Driven