Rental Fodder

Author's Rating:

Pros: So much potential

Cons: Too much potential

Author's Review
I'll start by saying Road Rash 64 is really a fun game, but I'm disappointed. truly. Having heard of this title from the PC realm, I snatched it up as soon as I saw it on the N64 rental racks of the local movie store. Yes, I know it's been out for over a year now, which shows you how often I browse the N64 rental racks of the local movie store.

But I digress...

As we well know from the numerous other epinions already noted, this game is all about violent motorcycle racing through various city and country locales. Race other gangs, win cash for better bikes, and beat the opponents into submission by any means possible. I like that. N64 games are predominantly wholesome, colorful, peaceful affairs meant for the young 'uns. Sometimes daddy needs a change of pace from countless hours of Mario Kart, and whacking people with a vitual lead pipe fits the bill nicely.

I like this game for its' decent graphics (even without an Expansion Pack), simple control, and original idea. Street courses are reasonably laid out for high speed maneuvering, and bike control can be mastered in a very short time. The goal of winning a race for the cash gives the incentive to press on. I can't wait to see what new goodies can be purchased as a reward for my hard racing. The economic aspect of this is always more motivating to me than the ability to add my initials into the record books (well, like Mario Kart).

However, there are some things about this game I just don't understand. Let's start with the money thing. First you choose a basic bike type according to your preference for acceleration vs. handling vs. durability. Then, you race your little heart out for at least 6 or 8 races (depending on how many attempts each one requires) per level, building up you cash balance with every top-3 showing, and finally you have enough to purchase some new goodies. What are they? four more bikes which are exactly the same as the originals, except that all three attributes are a bit higher than before. Alright, so you pick a new bike (probably the same one you had before since it got you to the prize, right?) and do the whole thing over again. The prize on level 3? four more of the same bikes, but with more of each attribute.
Ok, I'll live with that for now. What gets me about this is that every single one of your opponents also has a new souped-up bike like you. How is this possible? You only get paid for a good finish in a race, but the computer opponents seem to get paid no matter what.
So now you have no distinct advantage over anybody.
That aside, you should be allowed to buy upgrades by components, not the whole package. This adds re-playability by offering more strategies.

Another thing...you are invited to join a gang after winning level 1 if you are willing to shell out $100 for the privilege. Ok, sounds like fun. But what happens? You still race basically solo. There are other riders who seem to be wearing team uniforms, although I never had enough time to observe their own interactions going 150 mph on a twisty road. Those that appear to be in my gang, however, don't hesitate to bash my head in with a baseball bat at any opportunity. Some teammates. I'm not quite sure if there are any advantages to joining the gang whatsoever (unless there is some significance at later stages of the game that I didn't get to).

A double-edged sword...accident recuperation. Few things are more frustrating in a racing game than to be perfectly executing some tricky moves for almost an entire track, only to blow it all by clipping a skinny log or pole. After a really nice crash effect, this game gets you back on your bike, and in the game, immediately. I was able to win tough races even after 2 or 3 really nasty crashes, since the game puts you back in right at the rear of the pack.
On the other hand, I may be within a few hundred yards of the finish while mercilessly clubbing and kicking the other front-runners into crashing, only to come in 2nd because the other guy recovered so quickly. In fact, nobody is ever out of contention unless they get caught by a motorcycle cop.

One more gripe...the weapons. It's fun to be able to pick from a number of different hand weapons (chain, bat, spiked club, hammer, etc) but there doesn't seem to be any difference in the effects of any of these. 3 or 4 good whacks of anything seems to do the job. Let's get some more variation there.

But enough griping. This is a fun game to try. But, as the title of this suggests, a good 5-day rental from Blockbuster will do you just fine. I wouldn't purchase it unless I found it in a bargain bin somewhere. As a rental, I rate this a 4. As a purchase, I rate this a 2.

Happy clubbing!