The peerage of MX vs. ATV Untamed is... without peer. Consider the lineage that includes other similar and classic titles under the Rainbow Studios flag: Motocross Madness, ATV Offroad Fury, MX Unleashed... If you've enjoyed some or all of these, you will come to MX vs. ATV Untamed with some high expectations and you most likely won't be disappointed. The only disappointment might come from seeing more of the same, but gamers in this genre don't expect their favorite Racer to suddenly be turned into a RPG or the like. We come to these titles for solid racing and as much realism as possible.

This is a great advance over some of the earlier titles because it allows for more free-roaming action. The environments are awesome and it was a smart move to allow gamers to crawl all over them. This serves a practical purpose once you realize there are hidden items in each level. Hard to find, yes... but in finding them you'll open up several special areas within the game. It's like the special packages hidden throughout Grand Theft Auto, but much harder to find. As you might expect, there are lots of extreme elements in the landscape, including plenty of fortuitously placed objects in the landscape just waiting for a crafty rider with the huevos needed to go after big air. During races, the action is fast-paced and the sound of other riders approaching, taking the lead, and falling behind is all part of the sonic backdrop. Music plays a big role in the game and everything here is heavy, head-banging fare. The lack of variety in the tunes wears thin unless your taste doesn't range very wide. Mine does, so the option to play tunes saved on my PSP would have been a big plus.

Little touches in the design of MX vs. ATV Untamed mean a lot to fans of previous similar titles. A wide range of racing environments and the corresponding scenery keeps things fresh. If you get bored on bikes, you can switch to trucks. There are some named riders and plenty of customization possible once you start scoring big on the tracks. Costumes, designs for your bikes, it all makes for a slightly higher watermark for off-road two- and four-wheel racing on PSP.

MX vs. ATV Untamed drops you into the action straight away, and you watch the other racers roar off into the distance. No, this isn't a race yet. It's the X-Cross Tour Mode and it really is the leaping-off point for all the racing action in the game. The only other way to play is with a few friends over a wireless connection. Multiplayer is a copycat mode, strangely. Strange also that there isn't a true online play option, since this would greatly increase the replay value of MX vs. ATV Untamed. When you connect with friends, you'll have a choice to race in all the standard single-player events with a few variations. The Golden Helmet race in multiplayer is unique, somewhat like a racing version of "Capture the Flag" except that a rider holds the helmet until bumped by another player. If you have the helmet, you score extra points on tricks and the player with the most points wins it all. Another variation worth mentioning is Own The Track where you'll ride through special gates; if you pull the right trick and land without ditching, you'll "own" the gate. The player with the most gates at the end of the allotted time is proclaimed the winner.

Solo modes include a variation on Own The Track called Flag Challenge. You'll race around on your own going after flags placed in some tricky places around the level. Much advised that you explore and become familiar with the level before launching a Flag Challenge race... Traditional racing, Time Attack, and the Waypoint Race mode is most like what traditional off-road games have offered. MX vs. ATV Untamed offers more in the form of some neat modes that focus on pulling tricks. You can either play against the clock or for points, but the bottom line is that he (or she) with the most tricks wins. It matters what tricks you pull, since you're going for maximum points. The additional modes include a pink-slip race to earn new rides. You first have to race against the new machine and win; you then get a chance to race on the new machine and keep it if you win. Not the easiest thing to do... Achievements are a big deal now, and MX vs. ATV Untamed doesn't skimp. There are all sorts of stunts and variations you'll unlock as you work through the game, so many so that there's an entire section in which to view them, along with a collection of your best scores. It's the complete package but it doesn't add much beyond a feel that the entire racing world is yours to explore and perhaps a few more special racing modes. The racing is tight, and there are plenty of ways to get down with your friends in Ad-Hoc Mode, but the omission of true online is a real drag.

The fine tradition of fiendishly difficult A.I. opponents continues in MX vs. ATV Untamed. The single-player action might be more fun if you weren't being handed your ass covered with dirt every other lap around the track. On the bright side, you'll become incredibly good by playing the CPU and stand a good chance of handing your friends their asses covered in dirt. The problem with this hard A.I. is that it doesn't always make sense. Races where you are cutting corners and hugging the hills and still seeing opponents zipping by you... it's invigorating at first and then it becomes demoralizing. The A.I. in this series (MX and ATV specifically) has never been well-balanced, from my perspective. Setting the racers to play too hard is probably a byproduct of the tracks being relatively simple. Unlike road-racing games with complicated, long tracks and obstructions, MX vs. ATV Untamed has a lot of dirt and not much else. Making tricks and tough competitors a big focus in the game helps prevent the learning curve from flattening out completely. Fans will enjoy getting more of the same and they'll enjoy all the particulars of control, nailing tricks, and exploring race environments in search of hidden items.

The controls do a nice job of simulating the racing experience on these rugged tracks. Preloading has long been a feature that separated the novice racers from the pros. Pulling down the analog stick and popping it up as you leave a jump will give your racer maximum air. This is great for timing how you land (hint: you want to land on the back of the hill, not the front) and giving you control during races where spending too much time in the air is a disadvantage. Learning the topography of the tracks is every bit as important as learning the curves. Smart racers will work the curves well, but also pay close attention to the small nuances on the track. In some of the races that take you across wide stretches of country, you'll notice that the steering controls really vary from one type of vehicle to another. The cycles are great starting out, since they turn on a dime and give you pinpoint controls for braking and acceleration. ATVs are slightly less maneuverable, but far more responsive in the power department. Trucks are the most powerful, but suffer from an inability to corner well or change direction quickly. The monster trucks are the pinnacle of poor control, but still fun to drive, for the novelty value if nothing else.

Fans of this series will gravitate toward MX vs. ATV Untamed and they won't be disappointed, but they also won't find anything incredibly fresh. The stock gameplay that has served us well for years is here. It is disappointing to not find online gameplay in a title that would be so awesome against a panel of gamers from across the world. If you have three friends with a hankering for off-road racing, you'll enjoy your time with them and have more fun than racing against the CPU opponents. The variety of modes is decent in both multiplayer and single-player action, but multiplayer takes the edge since you'll feel like you have a more realistic slate of competitors. In the final analysis, there aren't that many places to get new dirt on your virtual MX or ATV, so we'll be glad to race around the tracks in MX vs. ATV Untamed until something better comes along. Knowing Rainbow Studios' release record, we won't have to wait for long. MX vs. ATV Untamed vs. AVP, anyone? Now that would be something!!