RedLynx heard the cries of fans, dishing out a batch of new content for Trials Evolution. Origin of Pain puts you on Paine Island, host to 24 new tracks and two new skill games.
Thankfully, these new tracks don’t recycle environments — they’re set in entirely new areas that are even more varied than the full game’s, taking you from a carnival to a Lost-like plane crash to crumbling ancient ruins in a matter of minutes. One course even sends you riding through space via Stargate-style portals, which really shows the larger scale of the new tracks.
Of the two new skill games, Uphill Struggle — where you climb increasingly steep obstacles to the highest point — is the only one that really matters. Adrenaline Cannon, which challenges you to hit a target when fired out of a cannon, seems to rely on lucky timing rather than actual skill.
Perhaps the biggest change is the addition of a BMX bike, which gives you a new way to attack courses. Sadly, you can’t ride it in the main game, but it’s still a welcome addition, as it controls drastically different than the other bikes and looks totally ridiculous with the rider constantly pedaling.
It’ll take you just an hour or two to get through most of the new tracks, but don’t worry: the three extreme ones are absolutely brutal. You can just imagine the developers’ maniacal laughter while building them.
PUBLISHER: Ubisoft • DEVELOPER: RedLynx • ESRB: Everyone 10+ • MULTIPLAYER: 4 on same screen or over Xbox Live • ACHIEVEMENTS: Slow but steady • COST: 400 Microsoft Points ($5) • RELEASE DATE: October 5, 2012
+ 24 tracks is a great value for $5.
+ BMX bike is a welcome addition and controls differently than anything else in the game.
– Only two new skill games (one of which feels pretty inconsequential).
? Why can’t we use the BMX bike on Trials Evolution’s original courses?
