By Kieron Gillen on March 26th, 2008 at 12:47 pm.
We like this sort of thing. Redlynx wrote to us to provide review code of their recent bike-stunt-thing, Trials 2: Second Edition. We haven’t had a chance to play it yet, but we wanted to bring it to your attention quickly as it looks somewhat neat and are a little annoyed we missed it (As Jim just put it “There are so many videogames!”. If only there was some kind of PC games blog that keeps track of all the best PC stuff for us to parasitise off. Man!). We’re always sucker for a Kick-Start-esque obstacle-course trial-thing game. And slogans like the one we use as the title popping up during their trailer before a montage of spine-disintegrating collisions is a sure way into our heart. Or, at least our website.
You can download the – ahem – trial version, which is about eighteen and a half Imperial Peggles in size. If it takes your fancy, you can unlock it with a code you pay money for. Go team capitalism!
Here’s a trailer off youtube. It’s not the one with the THIS IS WHY THEY INVENTED HELMETS slogan, mores the pity, but still urges you to fly without wings. Which is bad advice. Trust me. You will only hurt yourself.
All the other official videos on their site can be seen here. There’s also player-uploaded videos for you to see here, which is always nice.
I end this post disappointed I never worked out a way to make the Trial-bike-riding/Trial-version gag work. Fail.
This looks intriguing.
/downloads
report
Is it me or does this look really pretty?
Oh and im sure i saw a mention of helmets in the trailer…
report
Holy shit that youtube video looks sweet – did you see the way the flames from the barrel dissipated :D
report
We have RedLynxTrials channel with all the videos there:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yY7usXt1F0A
(including the THIS IS WHY THEY INVENTED HELMETS)
report
That was fun :D
report
I’ve always been a big fan of the THPS series of games, but they seem to have got a bit stale as of late on the PC. This looks like it will fill the gap for addictive and fun, extreme sports on the pc, can’t wait to download and buy when I get home :D
report
OMG, this looks really cool. Like Across (love), only with modern graphics. I’m definitely downloading this, but the website seems to be having problems now…
report
Wasn’t this a little flashgame from a few years ago?
Edit: Yes it was, made by the same company. This looks like a 3D remake, although it still appears to have the same gameplay, being a 2D bike platformer and all.
http://www.miniclip.com/games/trial-bike-pro/en/
report
Looks like a fun game, downloading the demo now :)
Any of you ever played a somewhat similar indie game called Across? It’s pretty old now and was 2D, but it was a lot of fun. You could also create your own levels, if I recall correctly.
report
This is awesome.
report
/echoes
Having so much fun with this, just putting my driver through the most painful crashes possible :D
report
It’s very fun and polished. For the first ten or so minutes I couldn’t stop laughing at all the various ways I knocked my rider ‘unconscious’ (though I doubt very much he’ll be waking up from my crashes :D). The graphics are really nice, especially the fluid, realistic animation & physics.
My only problem has been getting used to the controls, it’s a bit difficult to get the rider to do exactly what you want but I guess it’s just a matter of practice. I’ve ‘completed’ all the demo levels except ‘dynamic’ so far, but not had a perfect run yet :D
I had a problem exciting the game too, it must open up a new executable that has Comodo upset because I had to fling my computer in and out of sleep mode to kill the processes to get out of the game. Have to turn Comodo off temporarily when playing I guess.
Be even cooler if we could have levels with the x-axis to control as well but I digress… definitely worth a look.
report
Yes, this is the best what you can do with fast hands and bright brains
kovaheikki
report
I can never get bored of this game! It is a hidden gem and I wish it gets the renown it deserves.
report
Whoa.
Take a look at some of the replays (you can play replays when you’re at the highscore board). Some of the ones I looked at was crazy. The top players’ control of the bike is pretty mindblowing
The replays even shows when they press the different keys, so it’s possible to learn something from them.
Fun little game, this :)
report
Wow, superb fun this.
report
I loved that game! The full name was Action SuperCross, and it was later renamed something like Elasto Mania.
Oh sweet, you can still get it: http://www.elastomania.com/
report
Ahh, yes, that’s the name I was looking for. Could only remember Across :) Will have to download the demo and try that one as well. Has probably been something like 7 years since I last played it
report
It’s a really old-skool game idea – try the Kick Start link in the story. Good to see modern updates though.
KG
report
Looks like a mobile game I once tested… my eyes never recovered
http://www.iplay.com/game.do?gameid=301
The engine was actually based on a molecular physics simulation engine which always made me laugh.
report
Kieron: If you want to go even further back, you can check Stunt Bike: http://www.lemon64.com/?game_id=2517 . Same basic concept.
Having said that, this game is almost exactly like Across/Elastomania, only with modern graphics, a couple of cool new features and slightly less insane tracks. And that is of course a good thing. :-)
report
Yeah, it’s a REALLY old concept. Annoyingly, I can’t actually remember who did it first.
KG
report
I just took 6 minutes to finish a level that most of the leaderboard appear to have completed in around 35 seconds.
Tis great.
report
oh i wish this game was available for steam, no serial, no worries and archivements i think i am going to get it anyway
report
What the hell is a “peggle”.
report
The Peggle is the RPS unit of filesize measurement, also this videogame.
report
I never thought I’d see the day… ;)
report
Uh, for some reason my Stunt Bike-link went to the wrong game. Here’s the one I wanted to link to:
http://www.lemon64.com/games/details.php?ID=3885
Essentially it’s Manic Miner with a bike. Sort of.
report
After playing with the full version for a few hours i think This game deserves to be known. I hope eurogamer reviews it. Its like crack on wheels!!!
It feels very trackmania to me <3 <3 <3
report
I’m a wee bit late to the party here, but fans of Accross and Elastomania may be interested in X-Moto. Link leads to the Wikipedia page, btw.
report