Downhill Domination

Sports are an ever-popular source for gaming, and Downhill Domination delivers in that genre with a downhill mountain biking game. Despite the simple sounding premise, the 2003 game is packed with features to make it entertaining to a broad number of people.

While the graphics definitely show the age of this game, the rest of it is surprisingly still impressive even two decades later.

Vast Tracks to Race On

The downhill tracks on Downhill Domination are enormous. You may start traveling through packed ice at the top of the mountain and race all the way down into the forest below. The courses are easily double the size of even more modern games like Descenders. Each track also has multiple different trails going down you can try to get a safer or faster run. These include shortcuts and secret trails. It’s possible to run the track a dozen times and still find something new to do.

This means huge replayability for the game, since there are also 27 different tracks to play on.

Several Game Modes

On top of the vast and unique tracks to run on, the game also offers 3 different modes to play on. This includes Free Ride, which lets you simply go down the track in a relaxed manner without attention to time, and without competitors. This is a good one if you just want to get to know a track and explore it.

Technical Downhill is for those looking for a challenge, with lots of obstacles to challenge you. You’ll have to meet all of these challenges successfully to complete this course. Finally, there is Moto Cross. Moto Cross features wider courses and is more about jumping and air time than technical skills.

Between these three modes and the 27 tracks, players can expect hours of fresh and original gameplay before they’ve seen it all in the game.

Upgrades Available

On top of the amazing tracks and unique modes to play in, players can also upgrade their bikes throughout the game. This includes both bike upgrades to make them handle better or ride faster, but also weapon attacks.

Yes, attacking other players is both possible and desirable in the game. Players can not only hit opponents with their bikes, but later upgrades allow them to hit other players with bottles. This isn’t just over the top gameplay. In the final levels of the game, attacks may actually be necessary to complete the game.

Even after all these years, this is probably the best downhill biking game you will ever play. The game has the right mix of everything, from track size and obstacles to avoid, to upgradability and even combat. The game manages to create an almost arcade style feel with the high speed, high stakes gaming it provides.

Pros:

• Vast tracks with tons to do
• Upgradable bikes
• Plenty of game

Cons:

• Graphics are not very good

In a world besieged by poor imitation extreme sports titles, Downhill Domination stands out as finally releasing gameplay that's different from the competition, even if only slightly so. Not, I repeat, not a rip off of the traditional Tony Hawk style gameplay, Downhill Domination combines the thrill of high speed racing with extreme sports biking and highflying stunt work. Presented in a deliciously palatable way, this might not be the best game for all sports fans, but it's well worth the purchase if you're looking for something outside the norm.

Gameplay itself is quite simply, relying on good stick work to control your character, which gets only slightly tougher when you throw in the stunt system. As is somewhat traditional, your shoulder buttons provide enough room for a variety of excellent tricks, which of course you can push to the max. I'm quite happy with the way the control worked out, as usually you've got a decent control over your character, and like a real bike, turning too hard can provoke a crash of the rather nasty sort. Powerups give you a variety of extra features, including progressively meaner attacks that you can use to disable the other riders. All in all, the fact that it's quick, easy, and only slightly related to its other racing cousins make this title really enjoyable. This might be overstating the fact, but I'd say this title most reminds me of SSX. It's part of the genre, but obviously not defined by it.

The graphics and audio are standard fare for a PS2 title, so much so in fact that I wouldn't advocate purchasing the game based on them. Instead, what I'd look at is the sheer volume of gameplay available to you. Downhill Domination has upgraded bikes, unique riders, and even unusual stunts you can pull off, but all of these pale in comparison to the fact that it has levels that are simply huge. I'd swear that I could let my character start down a track, go use the john, and by the time I get back, still have enough track left to catch up and beat the other players. Similar to the untracked course from SSX, you can also range far and wide over the course, following a variety of paths, finding little secrets in each one, like the Black Diamond path.

As all games must have, Downhill Domination does have a negative, given that it's not a perfect title. Quite difficult at first, with a learning curve that kept me frustrated a great deal of the time, this game definitely takes some patience to master. Add to this the fact that the bots are fairly well skilled themselves, and this isn't something that a newbie could just jump into and expect to kick ass at. Whether this is challenge or insanity is a decision I leave up to you.

Remarkably satisfied with this title, I'm going to consider this a game worth purchasing, with exception. It's got a few things that knock it down enough, but even if you're a casual fan of the extreme sports genre, I think that this game will offer what you're looking for.