
Combat isn’t a primary focus in Downhill Domination, nor is it required to consistently progress through the game, but it is a nice incentive for those that enjoy that sort of gameplay element.
Game downhill domination upgrade#
By landing tricks or picking up combat power-ups, you can upgrade your attacks, starting with a basic punch, then kick, bike kick, stick and finally water bottles which can be thrown as ranged weapons complete with auto-aiming. The square button allows you to attack opponents on your racer’s left side and hitting the circle button executes a right side attack.
Game downhill domination series#
But Incog also borrowed a few chapters from EA Big’s trusty SSX series in the speed and trick department, not to mention Downhill’s liberal use of comically off-the-wall racing personalities.Ī lot of the artists and programmers on the Downhill Domination team are big fans of the early Road Rash games, an inspiration that didn’t go unnoticed in the end-product combat is not only present but encouraged. Feeling like I’m in control of a game is very important. That aspect of the gameplay alone sealed the deal for me. While most won’t appreciate the comparison between Excitebike and Downhill Domination, it must be said that the same level of interaction that allows the player to modify the angle of how your bike lands is fully revisited here, but in 3D. I haven’t enjoyed a two-wheeled racing game this much since Excitebike for the NES, and that’s saying a lot considering the huge amount of time between that game and this one. Well, it’s no wonder that the only thing better than watching this game in action is actually playing it. Not an unusually long development cycle, but when you consider that Downhill Domination utilizes the same engine, albeit indefinitely enhanced, that was used in both Twisted Metal: Black and War of the Monsters, it’s evident that that time wasn’t spent fashioning its foundation but rather polishing and tweaking an already-versatile system. Whether this is challenge or insanity is a decision I leave up to you.Incog, the Sony first-party development studio behind such great games as the Twisted Metal series and this year’s surprisingly addictive War of the Monsters, has been secretly working away on this adrenaline-fueled super-human mountain bike simulation for the past 19 months. Add to this the fact that the bots are fairly well skilled themselves, and this isn't something that a newbie could just jump into and expect to kick ass at. Quite difficult at first, with a learning curve that kept me frustrated a great deal of the time, this game definitely takes some patience to master. Similar to the untracked course from SSX, you can also range far and wide over the course, following a variety of paths, finding little secrets in each one, like the Black Diamond path.Īs all games must have, Downhill Domination does have a negative, given that it's not a perfect title. I'd swear that I could let my character start down a track, go use the john, and by the time I get back, still have enough track left to catch up and beat the other players. Downhill Domination has upgraded bikes, unique riders, and even unusual stunts you can pull off, but all of these pale in comparison to the fact that it has levels that are simply huge. Instead, what I'd look at is the sheer volume of gameplay available to you.
Game downhill domination ps2#
The graphics and audio are standard fare for a PS2 title, so much so in fact that I wouldn't advocate purchasing the game based on them. But when the game is so damn fun, who cares? I could also do without being bludgeoned by my rivals as I'm riding. The cast of contenders is a case study of cliches (let's keep clowns named T-bag who scream "Dude!" in Kool-Aid commercials where they belong). In fact, only a few minor missteps detract points from this otherwise perfect run. And where other racers settle for a few hidden shortcuts, DD's mountainsides offer intertwining trails and plunging drops for derring-do (thanks to some spotless controls, even sliding past obstacles is pure pleasure). As you race through dense woods in a torrential downpour, skirting sheer cliffs and dodging tree stumps, lightning shoots from the heavens and sets the forest aflame- the game bristles with such crazy moments. Each of DL7s 27 mammoth tracks boasts intense attention to detail and gripping gameplay. Lord knows why developer Incog chose to follow up its well-received War of the Monsters with a mountain-bike racing game, but the company's fingerprints of quality are all over the place.
