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Infogrames has been on a roll as of late, showing off very good games at exceptionally low prices. Test Drive Le Mans and Looney Toons Space Race come to mind, and now Xtreme Sports follows closely behind. While not as top notch as the before mentioned games, it still is worth the 30 dollars to purchase if you like any of these events. Graphics are the game's strongest point. Showing off some of the best lighting the Dreamcast can dish out. The use of glaring sunlight instead of lens flare was a wise choice as this game shines for the effort. Some stages show off a dusk effect that is simply beautiful. Player models leave a lot to be desired, along with the number of player choices. If one thing is to be noticed about the models, they wear the correct gear for each event. No skimpy clothes for downhill snowboarding here. Textures for each level are nice, but some jerkiness can be noticed on highly detailed areas. Animations and clipping also could have been smoother. All in all Xtreme Sports is very nice to look at, it's just some things could have come off nicer with a little time.
Sounds are okay, but nothing astonishing. Each event's vehicle or transportation device sounds genuine. Snow crunches underneath snowboards, ATV's engines are realistic, and the chain rattling sounds from your BMX is done to the tee. Unfortunately no other sounds really stand out in this game, especially the music. Player control is a bit on the "iffy" side. Some events control wonderfully, while other like garbage. I particularly liked the snowboard event. Too bad they didn't concentrate on that engine, as with some options, it could give the mighty SSX a run for its money. Other events can be a bit slippery, and I still don't get what is so exciting about playing a bungee jumping event? All in all, over half the events control good to great, while the others can be forgotten. The game itself has a lot to offer for it's low price. A fair amount of events, tracks and riders just are not enough to keep one interested for long. One idea is very cool, utilizing multiple events for one track. For example: you start off ATV-ing, jump onto a hang glider, and finally snowboard your way to the finish. Great idea. The game does offer some good thrills and hours of fun, but just may get repetitious before it's all said and done. Rent it first to see if you dig it or not…I did, maybe it's for you too.
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