Jet Moto 2 by Singletrack

As all of you know, Jet Moto 2 is the sequel to the surprise hit 
of last year.  The premise is simple, you are on an all-terrain 
hoverbike racing against a full field of opponents or a bud in all 
sorts of different environments.   This year is much of the same, 
but IMHO it is also quite a bit better than the last effort.  
Many posts on the NG don't seem to share this opinion however.  
Hopefully the details below will help you decide one way or the 
other!

Graphics:  8

Graphics are never a strong point in Singletrac's games.  From the 
Twisted Metal series to their latest release (Critical Depth) gameplay 
has taken priority - which is a very good thing (if something has to 
have priority).  This proves true in JM2 IF you compare it to the 
likes of Colony Wars and Crash 2, but comparing it to last year's 
effort I think most will be pleased with the result.  The rider 
animations are much smoother, as is the detail on the bikes themselves.  
I almost panicked when I played a demo of the game but I am glad to 
report it was a very early demo and the release version is much 
better.  I was a little disappointed by the lack of spray when you 
are on the water or loose sand, but my guess is that the developers 
were concerned that it would obscure gameplay so I guess we can forgive 
this.   The track detail is very good with virtually no draw-in or 
other problems found in many racers today (read NFS 2..). The lack 
of CG may be a minus for some, but who needs it in a racer anyway?  
Overall a good showing for Singletrac.

Sound:  6

The sounds are much the same as last year.  The bikes engine and turbo 
sounds are satisfactory as are the grunts and groans from your rider as 
you hit the ground hard.  There are some funny ambient sounds - nothing 
like hearing a moose bellow over your bike's engine...  The occasional 
comment from the other riders also helps pull you into the game.  The 
music is not remarkable, but it gets the job done for me.  

Gameplay:  9

The gameplay in the original Jet Moto was what drew me to it.  Many of 
the magazines slammed JM because it was not a pretty as Wave Race, but 
what it missed in graphics it made up for in gameplay.  Same thing for 
this year.  After you get through the first few tracks the design is 
excellent, especially the black and double-black diamond tracks!  No 
other racing game has come close to the incredible variety of tracks 
available here - ranging from a national park complete with "old 
faithful" to a rollercoaster ride you will never forget, this game does 
not get old quick.  As with last year's game, some of the tracks are 
incredibly hard, while others are a breeze, but since your winning the 
season modes depends on your overall placing , you can afford to blow a 
couple of tracks and still come out a winner in the end.  This was one 
thing I loved about the original also - the same guys (or ladies) don't 
ALWAYS place first.  They did a great job of making sure that the riders 
performed best on the tracks their bikes were built for, and terrible on 
others.  The control is also right on.  The implementation of the 
dual-analog pad is by far the best I have seen in any game and I have 
played most that support it.  The left stick controls your direction 
while the right controls your throttle.  Pressing the left stick gives 
you grapple while the right gives you turbo.  The digital control also 
works well, but I grit my teeth every time I have to leave the analog - 
it is that good.  The physics are improved from last year also.  The 
snow, sand, water,  and pavement all behave differently and realistically 
for the most part.  (of course, no one has ever driven anything like this 
so what is realistic?!?)  The 2-Player mode great, allowing for horizontal 
or vertical  split-screen.  I have not found a 2-player AI code that 
allows you to race with the rest of the pack, but would be surprised if it 
wasn't there.  As it is, just racing against a friend is great.   This is 
by far my favorite racer - although anyone looking for any realism is out 
of luck...

Replay Value:  9

With the difficult tracks and the different codes available for finishing 
with each rider there is plenty of replay for 1-player.  As with all 
racers, the 2-player mode is what will keep this one in my collection for 
a long time to come.  The varied play mechanics (leaning, hard turns) 
gives you lots to work on to attempt to shave those precious seconds off 
your time so you can beat the 13 year old son who is getting a little too 
big for his... I digress, back to the review...

Overall:  9

As you have gathered, I love this game.  The original Jet Moto stayed in my 
collection as long as any title other than Bust-a-Move 2.   I am sure this 
one will do the same.  If you liked the previous game, you should love this 
(if you can live without those beautiful snow courses from last year).  If 
you haven't given Jet Moto a try at all, rent it and see for yourself.  With 
all the racers available on the PS, a game has to have something special to 
make it stand out.  IMHO JM2 does just this.  It is unlike any other game 
out there (other than JM) and is just plain fun to play!

Pluses:

Great control
Improved graphics
Good track design
Great 2-player action
Lots of replay

Minuses:

Graphics could be better
Last year's tracks are gone (wouldn't it be great if there is a code to open 
them...  I wish...)

-Chuck King