Released as an XBox launch title nearly a year ago, the port of 4x4 EVO 2 is making its appearance on the GameCube.  This version features five new vehicles and four exclusive tracks that weren’t in the XBox version.  The game also features four modes of play and a very deep career mode.  However, the game’s many flaws significantly outweigh the innovative ideas introduced.  4x4 EVO 2 features a few good ideas, which are ultimately nullified by several major flaws.

Okay, let’s start with the good.  4x4 EVO 2 features four types of gameplay: Quick Race, Time Attack, Career and Free Roam.  Quick Race allows you to jump into the game and start up a race, Free Roam allows you to unreservedly drive through a track and so on.  The Career mode is definitely the most engaging of the bunch, featuring an almost Gran Turismo level of detail.  Dozens of vehicles by nearly every major car company are available for purchase, as well as many parts to customize them.  On top of that, you aren’t limited to merely racing in order to get money.  The career mode also features non-racing missions that you can go on.  They range from being an Emergency Relief Driver at an Alaskan Village to being a Field Assistant for a Tijuana Museum.  This mode adds a new level of purpose other than trying to beat other trucks in a race.

And now, on to the bad stuff.  First, and most notably, the graphics.  The game manages to keep a fairly constant frame rate and a far draw in distance, but the course textures are extremely murky and washed out.  The vehicle models are bland and lack detail, and the game as a whole lacks visual flair.

The physics engine is also a very sore spot, as the vehicles feel rigid and unnatural.  Plus, the trucks tend to bounce off objects when you hit them, which tends to be frustrating when you hit a small rock and bounce a few feet back.  Also, the AI is very uninspired and tends to keep in a pack without faltering. 

The sound effects are pretty average, consisting of engine noises and the occasional rustling of bushes and gravel when you drive through them.  The soundtrack consists of throwaway techno that gets old really quick.

4x4 EVO 2 is a sub-par racing game that tries to introduce some rather novel ideas into the racing genre, but in the end falls short.  GameCube owners who simply must have an off-road racing game on their Cube should seriously consider renting 4x4 EVO 2 before they buy it.           

Gameplay: 6
The poor AI and lousy physics engine make the game unnecessarily frustrating, and the tracks are average at best.

Graphics: 5.5 
Murky textures and flat vehicle models put the game’s graphics on the same level as a mediocre Dreamcast game.

Sound: 5.5
The sound effects consist of the standard engine noises, while the techno soundtrack is very redundant.

Difficulty: Medium

Concept: 7 
The game attempts to introduce a few innovative concepts and utilizes a deep career mode, but the other modes are relatively boring.

Multiplayer: 6.5

The two player mode is pretty typical for a racing game, although a four player mode would have been nice.

Overall: 5.5
4x4 EVO 2 is a below average racing game with several major flaws.  Although it tries to introduce a few original elements into the racing genre, the lack of polish and poor execution ultimately make the game fall short.