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MX vs. ATV Reflex

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MX vs. ATV Reflex
Developer(s)Rainbow Studios
Tantalus Media (handhelds)
Publisher(s)THQ
SeriesMX vs. ATV
Platform(s)Nintendo DS, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable, Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows
Release
  • NA: December 1, 2009
  • AU: December 17, 2009
  • EU: February 5, 2010
Microsoft Windows
  • WW: November 26, 2010
Genre(s)Racing
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

MX vs. ATV Reflex is a 2009 off-road racing video game developed by Rainbow Studios and published by THQ. It is the third game in the MX vs. ATV series, available on Microsoft Windows and all seventh-generation consoles except the Wii. It is also the last game in the series to be available on handheld consoles.

The Microsoft Windows and home console version received generally favorable reviews from critics for most of its gameplay, innovative "Rider Reflex" controls and realistic terrain deformation, but its occasionally chaotic nature (deemed unforgiving towards more casual players), career mode and graphics were criticized. It is often considered to be the best game in the series by fans. Reception for the handheld console versions, however, was generally unfavorable.

Gameplay

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The core focus of the game allows for the player to race motocross and supercross on motocross bikes or ATVs. The game also includes events such as omnicross, free ride, champion sport track, waypoint racing, and freestyle motocross.[1]

Although the game is part of the MX vs. ATV series, Reflex was built from the ground up featuring a new control scheme and physics engine. The new control scheme is labeled "reflex" which utilizes both analog sticks. The left analog controls the handlebars while the right analog stick controls the rider's body movement. The reflex system allows for unprecedented control and manipulation by allowing the player to 'ride' the motorcycle and other vehicles as they actually would. Tricks have been simplified from the previous games as the player only needs to hold the modifier button and use the right stick to make different combinations and flips. Certain potential wipeout situations may also present the player an opportunity to pass a quick-time event to actually avoid such wipeout via a "wreck avoidance" system.[1]

Also new to Reflex is real-time terrain deformation. Terrain deformation allows any of the different vehicles to literally carve into the earth creating ruts, berms, braking bumps and acceleration bumps as they actually do in real life. These ruts, berms and bumps are dynamic and constantly changing throughout the course of the race adding for an extra sense of realism.

Online mode on consoles and PC consists of public and private rooms. These rooms are dedicated to specific event types (i.e. supercross) and host up to twelve players at a single time. A player's "motocard" keeps record of the player's progress through online events which earns them experience points that go towards the player's level. Mini games such as snake and tag are played online as well. The console and PC versions also support offline, 2-player split screen multiplayer, while the Nintendo DS version also supports local wireless multiplayer between up to four players.

Development

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Rainbow Studios art director Ian Wood said in an interview with SPOnG that the development team decided against making a Wii version of Reflex, but did not provide a clear reason why. He hinted that the developers chose to skip it to focus efforts on designing Reflex's new physics and terrain deforming system,[2] key features that were better suited for the more powerful PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and personal computers. Tantalus Media, which developed the handheld versions of the previous game, MX vs. ATV Untamed, was invited once again to develop handheld versions for Reflex. This would be the last time in the series that Rainbow Studios would allow another company to collaborate on a MX vs. ATV game. Starting with MX vs. ATV Alive, subsequent sequels would be developed singlehandedly by Rainbow Studios.

Reception

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The Xbox 360 version received "generally favorable reviews", while the PlayStation 3 version received "average" reviews, just one point shy of "favorable", according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[18][20] A large portion of praise had gone towards both the new control scheme as well as the terrain deformation. Many acknowledged the game's successful separation of the rider from the machine with the rider reflex dual-analog control.

Dakota Grabowski of GameZone said: "A wonderful foundation has been set and it's now time for Rainbow Studios to expand on what they have set up with their next iterations. The future is bright and fans should be rejoicing".[9] Austin Light of GameSpot said of the PS3 and X360 versions: "Unfortunately, things don't always work correctly in MX vs. ATV Reflex. Kinks in the physics system can lead to some unpredictable, chaotic rides". Light also said that "Reflex is not a particularly good looking game on either system, with blurry, low-res textures that are distracting in the open world tracks".[6][7] IT Reviews acknowledged that "MX vs ATV isn't about pelting around with the throttle constantly revving to the max, rather the successful rider gets into the rhythm of the jumps. This is novel, and feels realistic". However, the reviewer complained about aspects of the single player game, including CPU riders who are "borderline psychopathic", truck driving that is "far too easily mastered" and a campaign mode which is "rather unimaginative and flat" on an overall level.[21]

By contrast, the handheld versions received "generally unfavorable reviews" according to Metacritic.[17][19] Chris Roper of IGN criticized the controls and presentation.[10][12]

References

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  1. ^ a b GameSpot staff (July 31, 2009). "MX vs. ATV Reflex: Freestyle, Deep Grooves, and David Lee". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Retrieved September 22, 2020.
  2. ^ Johnson, Mark (May 15, 2009). "Interviews// MX vs ATV Reflex (Page 3)". SPOnG. Retrieved June 19, 2020.
  3. ^ a b Grimm, Michael (December 4, 2009). "MX vs. ATV Reflex Review (PS3, XBOX 360)". 1Up.com. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on June 15, 2016. Retrieved September 23, 2020.
  4. ^ a b Kato, Matthew (January 2010). "MX vs. ATV Reflex (PS3, X360)". Game Informer. No. 201. GameStop. p. 94. Archived from the original on December 3, 2009. Retrieved September 23, 2020.
  5. ^ a b Costantino, Jesse (December 9, 2009). "MX vs. ATV Reflex Review (PS3, X360)". GameRevolution. CraveOnline. Archived from the original on September 19, 2015. Retrieved September 23, 2020.
  6. ^ a b Light, Austin (December 7, 2009). "MX vs. ATV Reflex Review (PS3)". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on October 1, 2020. Retrieved September 23, 2020.
  7. ^ a b Light, Austin (December 7, 2009). "MX vs. ATV Reflex Review (X360)". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on October 11, 2020. Retrieved September 23, 2020.
  8. ^ GameTrailers (May 26, 2016). "MX vs ATV Reflex Review (PS3)". YouTube. Archived from the original on 2021-12-20. Retrieved September 23, 2020.
  9. ^ a b c Grabowski, Dakota (December 4, 2009). "MX vs. ATV Reflex - PS3 [360] - Review". GameZone. Archived from the original on December 13, 2009. Retrieved September 23, 2020.
  10. ^ a b Roper, Chris (December 11, 2009). "MX vs. ATV Reflex Review (NDS)". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on June 22, 2020. Retrieved June 19, 2020.
  11. ^ a b Roper, Chris (December 2, 2009). "MX vs. ATV Reflex Review (PS3, X360)". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on November 26, 2021. Retrieved September 23, 2020.
  12. ^ a b Roper, Chris (December 9, 2009). "MX vs. ATV Review (PSP)". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on June 22, 2020. Retrieved June 19, 2020.
  13. ^ Hayward, Andrew (December 5, 2009). "MX vs. ATV Reflex". Official Xbox Magazine. Future US. Archived from the original on December 8, 2009. Retrieved September 23, 2020.
  14. ^ "Review: MX vs. ATV Reflex (PS3)". PlayStation: The Official Magazine. No. 28. Future plc. January 2010. p. 86.
  15. ^ a b Orry, Tom (February 16, 2010). "MX vs. ATV Reflex Review (PS3, X360)". VideoGamer.com. Resero Network. Archived from the original on April 17, 2021. Retrieved September 23, 2020.
  16. ^ Mr. Pinkerton (February 2010). "MX Vs ATV Reflex (360)". Teletext GameCentral. Teletext Ltd. Archived from the original on February 10, 2010. Retrieved September 23, 2020.
  17. ^ a b "MX vs. ATV Reflex for DS Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on June 10, 2020. Retrieved September 23, 2020.
  18. ^ a b "MX vs. ATV Reflex for PlayStation 3 Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on January 10, 2020. Retrieved September 23, 2020.
  19. ^ a b "MX vs. ATV Reflex for PSP Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on July 2, 2017. Retrieved September 23, 2020.
  20. ^ a b "MX vs. ATV Reflex for Xbox 360 Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on February 25, 2010. Retrieved September 23, 2020.
  21. ^ "THQ - MX vs ATV: Reflex review (X360)". IT Reviews. Net Communities Ltd. February 15, 2010. Archived from the original on June 11, 2011. Retrieved August 18, 2012.
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