Trialling the Fusion

I first got into trials way back when it first came to Xbox live arcade. It was gathering some hype and after downloading the demo I saw why. On the surface Trials is a very simple motorbike 2D racing game. You race on non-standard terrain courses using the few controls the game has to offer; accelerate, reverse and changing way you are leaning on the bike. The game adds some strategy as going full out top speed often gets you knocked off your bike, and not leaning the correct way also results in the bike getting tipped over. Sometimes to achieve the best times and the elusive gold medal for the track it is better to go over a jump slower to achieve the perfect landing. I was hooked all the way from the easy beginner tracks to the extreme tracks that would take me hours to complete as I patiently had to get past obscene obstacles using many attempts to get to the next checkpoint. The game also offered skill challenges which ranged from sensible ones like completing a track without leaning to ridiculous ones like trying to break as many bones in your characters body. Trials was a simple game but ridiculously addictive. After this game I then got the sequel Trials Evolution gold edition on steam which included all the Xbox tracks and more. This newer version had tracks which were more race like and less filled with obstacles at first but gradually got harder. As the first game took place entirely in some insane warehouse it was refreshing that this game added outside tracks as well as the 2D racetracks curving around the environment to add some more perspective. After these two great games how could Trials Fusion be even better?

In short Trials Fusion is just the most refined version of the game. Starting with the campaign in which you complete locations, with you being able to unlock the later ones as you gain more medals. In each location you get a variety of courses, skill challenges and driving tests that are designed to gradually give you the skills you need to tackle the more difficult courses. I felt that this game was the best at the three of instructing you in the various techniques that you would need. My bunny hops had never been so high and I felt that on the harder courses there was a lot less trial and error and therefore a lot less deaths for my biker. Visually the game is stunning and very varied as the tracks range from something you would see in Indiana Jones to the futuristic theme of the game. The futuristic tracks with a lot of neon blue and orange coupled with the AI telling you various jokes made the levels feel a lot like racing through a portal testing area. This game offers changing scenery. Sometimes you are racing and a block falls down or a pathway is put in your way suddenly. At first this can be confusing but as the game is designed so you play the tracks time after time to get faster times and achieve gold medals this is not so much of a problem. A welcome addition is both the quad bike which is slower but a lot more powerful and adds some variety to the motorbike tracks and the FMX levels where the goal is to complete as many tricks as possible. Trials Fusion has a lot of replay value also as each track contains challenges that will make you play them again and again not to get gold but to explore and complete the tracks in interesting ways.

Overall Trials Fusion is an excellent game. It is a game that can be picked up for 10 minutes or 10 hours at a time depending on how long you want to play. It offers fun motorbike racing with lots for beginners but also a challenge for more seasoned players and lots to complete for people who want 100%.