MX vs ATV Legends

amazon MX vs ATV Legends reviews

Introduction

“MX vs ATV Legends,” developed by Rainbow Studios and published by THQ Nordic, is the latest installment in the long-running “MX vs ATV” franchise. This series has always been a go-to for fans of off-road racing, blending motocross (MX) and all-terrain vehicle (ATV) racing into a high-octane, adrenaline-pumping experience. “MX vs ATV Legends” attempts to carry forward this legacy with new features, improved gameplay mechanics, and a more expansive world. However, like many games that strive to push the envelope, it has its share of triumphs and pitfalls.

Graphics and Visuals

Visually, “MX vs ATV Legends” delivers a mixed experience. The game features expansive environments, from dense forests to arid deserts, each with a unique aesthetic that adds to the immersion. The tracks are well-designed, offering a variety of terrains that challenge players’ skills in different ways. The vehicles, whether it’s dirt bikes, ATVs, or UTVs (Utility Task Vehicles), are detailed and visually appealing, with realistic mud splatters, dust trails, and damage effects that enhance the overall realism.

However, the game falls short in some areas, particularly with character models and certain environmental textures, which can appear dated and lack the polish seen in other contemporary racing titles. The lighting and weather effects also feel somewhat underwhelming, with rain and fog effects that do not quite live up to expectations. Despite these shortcomings, the game manages to capture the chaotic, high-energy nature of off-road racing, even if it doesn’t always do so with the most cutting-edge visuals.

Gameplay and Mechanics

The core gameplay of “MX vs ATV Legends” is where it shines the brightest. The physics engine has seen significant improvements, offering more realistic handling and a greater sense of weight and momentum. This is especially noticeable when riding dirt bikes, where players can feel the bike’s suspension responding to jumps, bumps, and landings. The controls are tight and responsive, giving players the ability to pull off tricks, drifts, and precise maneuvers with ease.

One of the standout features of “MX vs ATV Legends” is the Career Mode. Here, players can chart their own path to becoming an off-road racing legend. The mode offers a variety of challenges, races, and events that test players’ skills across different vehicle types. The progression system is rewarding, with unlockable vehicles, customization options, and upgrades that add depth to the experience. However, the Career Mode can feel somewhat repetitive over time, as the events and objectives start to blur together after a while.

The game also includes a robust multiplayer mode, allowing players to race against others online. The multiplayer experience is generally smooth, with little to no lag, and the matchmaking system does a decent job of pairing players of similar skill levels. The addition of cross-play across different platforms is a welcome feature, broadening the player base and ensuring that finding a match is quick and easy.

When it comes to racing games, the first thing that comes to mind is probably street car racing games, or sports car races like F1 or GT.

This is not too difficult to understand, because the games of the above style make up the majority of the racing genre.

Because of this, off-road racing games, such as the MX vs ATV franchise, have become “rare”.

Developed by Rainbow Studios and published by THQ Nordic, MX vs ATV is a series of off-road racing games where players use three main types of vehicles: Motorcross, ATV and UTV.

On June 28, the latest installment of the series, MX vs ATV Legends, was released. The game was released on the Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4 and PC systems.

Despite being a relatively long-lived franchise (since 2005), MX vs ATV Legends is the first game that I am exposed to. Therefore, in this article, we will only evaluate the game based on what it offers, not what has improved compared to the previous part.

MX vs ATV Legends gives us three racing vehicles: Motocross (off-road motorcycle), ATV (4-wheel off-road motorcycle) and UTV (a type of off-road vehicle).

However, I found that Motocross is the vehicle with the most investment in mechanisms.

When sitting on the saddle, we can squeeze the clutch to accelerate, lean forward or backward (to launch the car off the slope and land most effectively), lean to the sides while cornering to keep speed.

These mechanics can be confusing for those who are new to moto racing. However, after a few levels of play, they have brought a more immersive car control feeling, even if only using the handle.

Getting used to them is really necessary, that’s because the game’s physics system is relatively demanding. If you do not know how to land properly or lean too much when cornering, falling or losing speed is inevitable.

Besides, the game’s AIs are more than capable of surpassing the player if we don’t control the car most effectively, even at medium difficulty.

ATV and UTV, while not as deep as Motocross, still provide a pretty fun racing experience, with the car flying phase after each high slope or drift on the sand. However, it can be seen that the focus of the game is still the Motos.

My opinion about MX vs ATV Legends, it’s a game… sketchy.

The first is in the interface of the game. The menus of the game are designed in a simple way and almost no illustrations are used.

The game’s menus did not give the writer a feeling of excitement before each race, but instead a tasteless and boring.

If compared with GRID Legends – the closest racing game that I reviews – then it can be seen that GRID has performed the interface much better.

The music of MX vs ATV Legends comes from many genres such as Rock, Punk, Metal, and although they are good, there are many songs that make I feel … out of place when played in a race.

Besides, at the default sound mixing level, the music will… overwhelm the car engine sound. This makes me feel that the experience of playing MX vs ATV Legends will be better when the music is muted.

Speaking of engine sounds, I don’t understand why, but the sound of the car engine sounds very weak, completely unlike what the writer would expect to hear from cars built for racing.

The next problem is the car models that the game offers.

MX vs ATV Legends offers us a wide variety of models for all three racing modes that we can buy and upgrade.

However, for some reason, this car has no difference in specifications, despite the significant difference in price, or the fact that they are fitted with different engines, like 250cc, or 450cc.

In general, the existence of different models only serves as a new “skin” (appearance), and that is a real pity, because the writer believes that MX vs ATV Legends can diversify the gameplay. If the cars have differences in parameters, strengths and weaknesses.

Then there is the open world of MX vs ATV Legends, a world so empty and lifeless.

Instead of the spacious and diverse landscape of the Forza Horizon series, the open world of MX vs ATV Legends is just a… farm (quite large) with a few shadows.

And in fact, the open world is not necessary, because the races in MX vs ATV Legends take place in closed, professional racetracks, not the streets like Forza Horizon.

Another problem, is the “performance” mechanism when racing Motocross.

More specifically, at the tutorial stage, the game mentioned that we can “flip” in the air if “fly” high enough.

This is quite a challenge for the player, as we will have to remember which ramp is high enough on the map to be able to perform this technique.

When we do, our reward is… nothing! MX vs ATV Legends does not provide any incentive for players to risk their safety to do this.

It would be better if MX vs ATV Legends offered rewards when performing aerial techniques, such as increasing the number of fans, and when the number of fans is high enough, to can be purchased new cars.

Finally, there is a technical error related to the game’s Manual Transmission.

Although not a person with too much experience in the field of racing games, I believes that having played racing games is having to use Manual Transmission.

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MX vs ATV Legends for PlayStation 4: Buy it now

MX vs ATv Legends – PlayStation 5: Buy it now

Conclusion

“MX vs ATV Legends” is a game that caters to both hardcore fans of the series and newcomers alike. It offers a solid off-road racing experience with a well-executed physics engine, extensive customization options, and a career mode that provides hours of content. However, it’s held back by its visual inconsistencies, repetitive elements, and lingering technical issues. For fans of the genre, “MX vs ATV Legends” is a worthwhile addition to their library, but it may not be the definitive off-road racing game that some were hoping for. With continued support and updates, it has the potential to become a standout title in the genre, but as it stands, it’s a good, but not great, entry in the “MX vs ATV” franchise.