A PS3 and 360 game based on the Baja 1000 race, which lasts more than a day and generally isn’t very popular on television
Baja 1000 (xbox360&playstation3) Environment screenshot
THQ's Baja is trying to be the Gran Turismo of off-road racers: it's less about arcade-style insanity (a la Motorstorm) and more about the actual experience of bouncing oneself down desert paths in a car that's a venerable exoskeleton of rollbars and suspension shafts. But given the wild style of the Baja 1000 races, this isn't a game that exactly screams "simulation," either. Developer 2XL Games wants to push the off-road racing genre forward, even if it's just a little bit.
Baja 1000 (xbox360&playstation3) game sceershot
Although there’s a lot of brown, orange and yellow making up the terrain you’ll be driving over, Baja is a good-looking game – not least when hooked up to three displays for the entire ‘wraparound’ view (requiring three networked consoles). The vehicles – of which there are eight classes, from 4x4s and buggies to bikes – knock chunks off each other in close proximity, and this damage gradually mounts and causes slowdown – which can be fixed up by calling in a helicopter for a quick repair stop.
Baja 1000 (xbox360&playstation3) game sceershot
The Baja 1000 is a yearly race that takes place along the Gulf of California in Mexico. Participants include trucks, buggies, motorcycles (the usual winner) and ATVs. The virtual iteration of the popular race allows players to hop around 95 different tracks across numerous sweltering locations. With upgradeable parts, over 100 destructible pieces of equipment per vehicle and the perils of the rough desert terrain to deal with, Baja from 2XL Games and THQ hopes to bring the depth and competitive spirit of Gran Turismo to the dirty and grimy world of Mexican rally racing.
Baja 1000 (xbox360&playstation3) game screenshot
Baja is also a little more serious in its vehicle selection. This is a purely four-wheeled game with buggies, jeeps and pickups; nothing as small as a bike or ATV. The vehicle tiers go up to the "trophy trucks" -- pickups worth up to several million dollars that are expertly built and tuned for cutting across the desert. But of course, it will take time to earn the in-game cash for one of those monsters
Baja 1000 (xbox360&playstation3) game screenshot
In Baja, players will conquer more than 100 square miles of the toughest terrain Mother Nature has to offer, including the steepest mountains, thickest mud and deepest canyons ever created. With more than 40 vehicles in eight classes, including Trophy Trucks, 4x4s and buggies, Baja features a full array of upgradeable options with hundreds of authentic parts that affect each vehicle’s performance. Players will put their off-road machines to the test in near-vertical Hill Climb challenges, head-to-head Open Class races, circuit races and the ultimate off-road endurance challenge: the Baja. Baja’s open worlds extend thousands of miles across all landscapes in races that can last up to four hours. The game’s revolutionary vehicle physics deliver unprecedented life-like handling, and a support management system allows gamers to monitor and repair realistic vehicle damage as fenders fly, tires are blown, suspension is stressed and engines overheat. Baja will support four-player split screen multiplayer capability, 12-player online and LAN as well as multiple-screen panoramic view.
Baja 1000 (xbox360&playstation3) game screenshot
But the Baja 1000 isn't the only mode in Baja. As you might expect, there are the standard circuit and rally race modes, but there are also some pretty unique modes here as well. One such mode is the hill climb mode, which challenges you to scale a steep and demanding course with both the fastest time and the least amount of damage.
Baja 1000 (xbox360&playstation3) game screenshot
As far as vehicles are concerned, Baja is a four-wheel only affair. This is a little interesting, just because the Baja 1000 does allow motocross bikes, but IT can't really hate on this decision too much, simply because the goal is probably to sacrifice this tiny bit of realism in order to provide a more balanced gameplay experience. You will have a wide variety of trucks, dune buggies, and 4x4s to choose from, each with their own supercharged stats. And unlike a lot of other off-road games, Baja will actually let you customize your chosen vehicle.
Baja 1000 (xbox360&playstation3) Environment screenshot
At its max, Baja only features about 300 miles (or four hours) of the complete Baja 1000 race. You can race the whole thing if you're daring enough, or select smaller, piecemeal races to hone your skills. Frankly, you'll need the practice before taking on the big race: Baja's physics system has been long refined, building on what the key members of 2XL made in previous work on the ATV Offroad Fury games. As you swing across corners or peel out from a stop, the physics animate the suspension independent of the car's body, so you get wheels and axles that bob and tilt as they do in real life.
Baja 1000 (xbox360&playstation3) game screenshot
As with any rally racing game, your main competition in Baja aren't just the opposing cars on the dirt-filled track. Instead, the course itself presents much of the challenge as you make your way across the rough terrain. Speed, while essential to victory, needs to be kept in check to maintain control. Hit one bump or take the wrong angle into a hairpin turn and you could very easily send your truck or buggy off the edge and plummeting hundreds of feet down.
Baja 1000 (xbox360&playstation3) game screenshot
Tracks in Baja look like they're going to be extremely intense. The tracks were designed with the Baja 1000 in mind and feature some crazy looking turns and some punishing terrain. And since this is an off-road title, don't think your Forza-honed race lines will help you. This game will be all about speed and reflex, and the track designs look to only enhance these factors.
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