4x4 Evo 2 (Gamecube)

The key factor to the success of any genre in video gaming is in innovation and variety. Off-road racing as a game concept has existed for well over a decade, but it was the introduction of 3D environments that really made the genre stick.

4x4 Evolution, originally released for the Sega Dreamcast, was widely liked by the console's userbase. Though not revolutionary in terms of game dynamic or presentation, it was a refreshing change from the legions of Gran Turismo clones and so-called 'wacky' themed racers that publishers took to commissioning with a vigour not seen since Midas realised the power of the golden handshake.

This is the second game in the series, and fits in nicely into the Xbox's first-generation line-up. It looks stylish and has a very 'next-generation' feel to it.

Billed unofficially as a Gran Turismo for truck enthusiasts, 4x4 Evo 2 Gamecube boasts an incredible amount of real-life licensed vehicles. Toyota, Chevrolet, Ford, Lexus, Mitsubishi and many more have supplied laser scanned versions of their best trucks, all very cool indeed. All these trucks can be (somewhat expensively) upgraded, a la Gran Turismo, with cash being earned in races. New to this game, however, is mission mode, a mode that awards cash-prizes for the successful completion of various off-road type tasks.

The races in 4x4 Evo 2 Gamecube are extremely difficult. A standard truck, bought with your initial allowance of $30,000 is simply not good enough to win even the first race. You must complete some missions to earn enough money to make some enhancements, or you will simply get bogged down to the axles.

In addition to the standard career mode, 4x4 Evo 2 Gamecube offers the mission mode, time attack, and a solid four-player split screen game.

4x4 Evo 2 Gamecube is not the game to get if you are looking to best show off your new Xbox's graphical capabilities. There is little graphical improvement over the PlayStation 2 version of the first game, except for a few more polygons on the trucks and few texture, shadow and mapping tricks.

The handling of the vehicles is pleasing enough, though ploughing through a quagmire for hours on end can leave you feeling a bit bleak. If you enjoyed the first game, or you just love off-road racing, be sure to check this out!