- Huge environments just get bigger
- Tons of replayability
- Solid roster of tricks and combos
- Good fun
- RPG element that makes sense
- High-res and colorful graphics
- Some good two-player fun
- Cat-like reflexes not included
- Some control issues
- Soundtrack a little too “extreme”
- No create-a-skater option
- Can be quite a learning curve
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Aggressive Inline
Score: 9.5 /10
Aggressive Inline (AI) does practically
everything right. It has some of the biggest levels ever seen in an
extreme sports game, a huge assortment of moves, replayability out the
wazoo, a definite attitude and tons of fun for everyone – much like Mr.
Potatohead in that respect. So why doesn’t it score a perfect 10? I’ll
save that for later.
AI is most comparable to the Tony Hawk series: There are huge
environments to explore on wheel-based self-locomotion and a list of
objectives to fulfill. That’s where the similarities end.
The differences make AI far more than a Tony Hawk clone. For one, AI has
an RPG element to it. Instead of just being awarded points for
successful trick strings and combos, your on-screen character acquires
experience points to whatever skill is
used. For example, grinding everything with
an edge increases your grinding ability (essentially your balance). The
mantra, “Practice, practice, practice” has never been so applicable and
it feels more natural than trading in points to increase your skills.
(Also more natural is the way some objectives are handed out – by
talking to pedestrians.) Another difference is the lack of clock. Having
no time
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limit certainly takes some of the pressure off but it in no way inhibits
enjoyment. Besides which, some levels are so massive you’d be
hard-pressed to make it from one side to the other under any kind of
time limit. Instead of the clock, your continuation is tied to an
adrenaline or "juice" meter, which drains slowly and is replenished by
performing (successful) tricks. And since you should be performing
tricks all the way along it’s not likely you’ll ever get booted from a
level for a drained meter. (On top of that, you can actually increase
the meter’s capacity – it just means it takes a little longer to be
powered-up, granting access to super-moves.) Performing the tricks has
never been so equally difficult and easy at the same time.
I say the control is easy because those familiar with the extreme sports
genre should be right at home. The tutorial mode does its job by taking
you step by step through all the basics. Grinding, grabs, manuals, the
cess move, flips, skitching, vaults, grabbing and flipping around poles…
the list goes on. And all these moves can be strung together for huge
point totals. Plus, there’s a handy button to help you land potentially
disastrous miscalculations. However, those just setting out will
probably have a tough go of it. My advice, keep plugging away at it. The
rewards are worth it.
Most of the difficulty arises from the speed and dense environments. The
skaters all move at a faster-than-life speed and some gamers will be
turned off by the twitch-like reflexes required to perform some tricks.
Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy smoothly animated games, and AI meets the
bill but it moves so smooth and fast even if you possess the reflexes
it’s not likely you’ll be able to maintain the frenetic pace (and
concentration) to keep up with the copious ramps, rails and inclines
(and other objects) packed into each level. While some will glide around
racking up huge combo scores, the best I ever did was just over 50,000 –
any more than that I would crack under the pressure and would get
smucked by a car or land on my head thereby disintegrating my point
total.
The huge environments (with many interactive elements that make each
level bigger and ever-changing) benefit greatly from the current
hardware capabilities. There is always much going on in each level but
there’s never any screen stutter. Everything about AI oozes a certain
level of cartoon sensibility and it only compliments the action. The
oscillating boobs of Trixie are a little distracting, but overall the
character models are well done and adhere to the cartoon (i.e.
unrealistic) sensibility. The Xbox version probably has the best looking
graphics of the three platforms (AI is also available for PS2 and
GameCube), with the added bonus of an extra level. The extra level is
just as packed as the other levels – it doesn’t feel tacked. And there
is the option to build your own levels for the truly enterprising
individual.
Depending on your tastes in music, you may love or hate the music – I
walked the middle ground. While it certainly lends itself to the
“extreme” motif, being more a talk radio guy, I turned the volume down
to a very subtle background level. At the default volume it’s too loud
and it managed to give me a headache. Music is accessible from the hard
drive and I highly recommend using your own tunes – especially if you’re
not as “hip” as the rest of the gaming world. However, the rest of the
audio is great – whether it be ghosts, the cursing of pedestrians, or
the constant sound of scraping skin on rough pavement (for me at any
rate).
Overall, Aggressive Inline is a good investment. It has tons of
replayability and lots of fun, even if it might take a while to grasp
the control and get used to the speed issue. Definitely recommended.
