The Trials series has always been a staple of the Xbox Live Arcade library of games since its first inception in 2009. The previous games are some of the best selling on the Xbox 360 marketplace, now they are back with Trials Fusion for the: Xbox 360, Xbox One, Playstation 4 and PC – but does its legacy still hold up with their recent release?
The short answer is, YES. As a big fan of of Trials HD and Trials Evolution on Xbox 360, I wasn’t really sure how the new title would hold up and evolve past Trials Evolution. Luckily, RedLynx delivers a title that should once again please their fans and new players alike.
Trials Fusion takes place in a “Futuristic, High-Tech World”, tracks are clean and shiny and gives off a very techy vibe. It is by far the best looking Trials game to this date. Along with the 60 new tracks, a brand new tricks system called the “FMX Trick System“ has been added to the series. If you think Tony Hawk mixed with Trials gameplay – you get an idea. When you are in the air or even in some cases floating, you now have the option to use either joystick to perform tricks for points and in-race bonuses. This little feature adds a lot of replay value and fun to the game, and I don’t feel I can play the Trials series now without it.
Along with all of that, you can also now race with ATVs on some courses, but for the most part the ATV seemed tacked on and filler for the most part. It was relatively easy to get Gold with the new vehicle, although I could see it working out a lot better for customizable maps made by fans in the future though.
The Trials Track Editor is also back for Trials Fusion, building on the past success and creativity seen in the previous titles. I only dabbled around with it for a bit, but I can’t wait to see what the community can come up with. One of the highlights of Trials Evolution was seeing what the community would create with it, testing those new tracks out and voting on your favorites. It also comes as a welcome feature to help extend the games life even more.
One of the most surprising things for the game was the lack of online multiplayer. To be fair, it is coming soon but as a huge online fan myself and seeing how the first month of a game release is the most crucial, I just can’t see a real excuse not to have it included at the game launch. There is split-screen included though, so you and buddy can hop on and go head to head against each other in local play.
Final Thoughts: Trials Fusion is well worth the $20 fee, the game is packed with great tracks, modes and the leaderboards are really addictive when competing against friends and yourself. Do yourself a favor and pick this game up, it’s one of the best Xbox Live Arcade games so far this year.
Trials Fusion will be available both digitally and at retail for the: Xbox 360, Xbox One and PlayStation 4 on April 16th. It will also be available for PC on April 24th.
Author’s Note: The review took place on the Xbox One at 800p (900p patched), there is a Day 1 patch that resolves certain issues. I didn’t really encounter any while playing Trials Fusion for 15-20 hours over 5 days.
source:beyondentertainment
