Graphics and Sound

You're not alone

The first thing any veteran of Motocross Madness 1 will notice is the number of trees and bushes that are in Motocross 2. Outdoor environments ranging from ski mountains, to deserts, to orchards, and jungles come alive with all the vegetation. You won't be racing in barren landscapes as you were in the original. Trees, bushes, and cacti are all real objects in the world, meaning that you can collide with them if you're not careful (vegetation collision is a toggle, so you can turn it off if you want). On top of all the foliage, the developers at Rainbow included other fun objects into the outdoor levels, such as ski lodges and cabins, trailer parks, oil rigs, high tension power lines, and even moving traffic, trains, and planes flying overhead! The traffic isn't as dense as it is in a game like Midtown Madness, but it's enough to create more of a believable, immersive, and sometimes dangerous environment to race in.

Passing by the family station wagon

Staying on the road

You and your bike

Motocross 2 also features much more detailed and high poly models for both the rider and the bike. You'll see every little detail right down to the spokes in your wheels. Much more time has been spent modeling the physics of the bikes, and every little detail down to the sound. Supposedly you'll be able to identify which bike you're riding just by the sound of its engine. We're not that savvy as far as bike expertise goes, but the difference between a large and a small engine bike was very obvious to us.

Exterior of the ski lodge

Ice/snow is slippery

Ambient environment sounds seem to have been beefed up as well. Cars zoom by on the roads, birds chirp in the trees, and the prop driven planes give a characteristic roar overhead. We didn't notice any country music chiming in as we drove by the trailer parks, but maybe they can add that in later for even more realism.

The table brings us to an abrupt halt

A small bridge