Dreamcast gamers will be used to fast-paced arcade racing rather than the PC's tendency to bog players down in all sorts of racing technicalities… or at least that's what the console "fan boy's" would have you think. Plenty of inter-platform rivalries abound in pre-race chat rooms with PC and Mac users no doubt berating their fellow "unsophisticated" Dreamcast gamers for lack of keyboard (even though a DC keyboard is available) and the Dreamcast gamers slagging off their fellow "snobbish" PC gamers for arguing about system specs (but then again 4x4 Evo will run on a P166 and 3D Card, allegedly).

The Road Ahead Track locations are varied and you can expect to be cruising through the hot climes of Arizona, the freezing plains of the Arctic and for the home sick, closer to home locations. Dirt tracks that cross over in the middle are also in the mix, the one in the beta proving most interesting with those lagging behind and those ahead in the race crashing spectacularly, sending trucks flying causing general mayhem and destruction, which left others to happily trundle on by and win the race.

There will be 16 tracks in total with possibly a couple more making it before going gold. All tracks have their own difficulty setting, recognisable design and each has its own unique music score to go along with it. All map locations previously mentioned will appear in PC, Mac and Dreamcast versions and will be interesting to see how gamers on different platforms approach the track with their form of control.

Knowing the tracks themselves is paramount to your success in races, we're not just talking about knowing where to brake on the corners or where the best place to take over is; 4x4 Evo puts a new slant on things, it is possible to drive almost anywhere you like to finish the race, alternate roads, hills, pathways and even train tracks present themselves for your reckless driving antics, but of course there is a catch. In each course you have to go through checkpoints, these are in place so the race is actually kept going in the same direction and players don't cut across to the finish!

4x4 Evo is a fresh new gaming experience that will hopefully inspire other developers to take new steps in the genres they specialise in. This is worth waiting for and fortunately, the wait will not be long. An end of year release is planned and the 4th quarter of 2000 is approaching. 4x4 Evo's popularity in the beta should give some idea of how successful the final boxed version should be, which is very.

***Update: 4x4 Evolution has just gone gold, main production is underway and it should start appearing on shop shelves very soon.

Developer: Terminal Reality
Website: http://www.4x4evolution.com
Release Date: Fall 2000

by Chris "Archaon" Wagg

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