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Developer: 2XL
Publisher: THQ
Release Date: Sept. 22, 2008
Systems: PS3 (reviewed), Xbox 360
ESRB Rating: E
Official Web site
0:00 Frankly, a racing game with the words "Edge of Control" in the title doesn't really inspire confidence. That said, they sent me the game, so I'm more than happy to try it out.
0:01 Photorealistic rally cars tear across the desert amidst some generic heavy metal. Oh, wait, this is a high-definition video intro. No wonder the cars look so good. Why don't more games have live video in their intros? Are they afraid the game won't look as good in comparison?
0:02 By default, the sound options have the engine volume set all the way up and the in-game music nearly all the way down. Yeah ... let's reverse that...
0:03 There are 10 -- count 'em,
10 -- preset control options. No option to totally customize the controls, though. The existence of a "Request Repair" button is a little worrisome.
0:04 Traction options are "Full," "Partial" and "Off." So, if I turn off traction, will it be like driving on ice?
0:05 Off to the "Baja Career." The difficulties are Easy and Hard. Hmm. Easy sounds too easy, but I'm afraid Hard will be too hard. If only there were something in between ... something ... Medium...
0:06 I go with Easy and it's "Welcome to Baja." A famous off-road racer (whose name I miss) talks about the game structure. I'll start in 80-hp VW class, but by the end I'll be driving 800-hp trucks. I can earn credits for better vehicles and upgrades by winning races or selling out and taking advertising. If my advertising panels fall off during the race, the sponsors won't pay me. Harsh!
0:08 "So let's head to the garage where you can purchase your very first Baja bug. From there, it's off to the races. Good luck!" I have five choices of car, all of which seem to differ only in looks. I pick a nice, compact red one with a sweet racing stripe. In the garage, I can repaint it, making my initial choice seem kind of pointless.
0:10 There are a ridiculous number of purchasable upgrades. I can improve my Intake, Ignition, Fuel System, Cams and Valves, Engine Block, Exhaust ... and that's just under the "Engine" heading (there are six more). I purchase some cheap engine upgrades that increase my horsepower.
0:11 Not only that, I can tune everything from the "Front Upper Bounce" to the "Brake Bias" and "High-Load Downshift RPM." If I were a gearhead I'd probably be in heaven. As it is, I'll leave everything as default, thanks.
0:12 OK, let's race! I join the BF Goodrich Legends league, which comprises three races in Nevada and two places I've never heard of. The loading screen informs me that some opposing cars will let me pass if I honk the horn behind them. How gracious!
0:15 Compared to that intro video, everything does look pretty bad. In fact, the game looks more late PS2-level than mid-PS3-level, so far. The course and cars are a bit too smooth and unreal. The frame rate is disturbingly low, too ... or maybe it's just my car that's sluggish. Compared to the likes of
MotorStorm, it's just plain unimpressive.