4x4 Evolution

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We've all seen the commercials for sport utility vehicles, and wanted to be the one to drive the windy roads and rutted fields--our tires churning sheets of mud from the unpaved earth. For most of us, however, 4x4 Evolution is as close as we're going to get, which fortunately isn't too far off at all. Players start the game with 30 grand and a choice of vehicle, which includes just about all of the authentic SUV and pickup models that are available today, plus specialized models that are accessible only to the manufacturers' team drivers. 4x4 Evolution follows a format that's common to race games, in which the player is required to win races to accumulate funds to build a better rig. Driving presents a few difficulties that are not faced in normal on-street race games. For instance, even if your truck has an automatic transmission, you face the added challenge of toggling between high and low four-wheel drive, as you lurch over boulders and smash through trees, gates, and an occasional telephone pole. And there's a lot to conquer. The game's 16 courses run through salvage yards, down muddied country roads, and across desert dunes, arctic wastes, and pine-studded forests; each environment exquisitely rendered in three dimensions. As if this weren't enough, you can use the Dreamcast modem and SegaNet to play online with up to four other people. On the downside, 4x4 Evolution is afflicted by an annoying soundtrack, although you have the option of turning off the music. Slightly more incapacitating is a glitch that places an invisible wall in the path of your vehicle--although we only encountered this once in several hours of play, and it was resolved after restarting the race. --Benjamin Reese Pros: * Sixteen courses, chock-full of hidden shortcuts * Beautifully rendered graphics * Large variety of authentic four-by-four vehicles * Up to four can play via SegaNet Cons: * Annoyingly repetitive soundtrack * Occasional "invisible wall" glitch