Trials 2 Second Edition

By: Derek Yu

On: April 24th, 2008

Oh, man, this game is fun! Trials 2 Second Edition is a physics-based motorbike game that’s reminiscent of the classic Elasto Mania. The series began with two Flash games, Trial Bike (and variants) and Trials 2. Trials 2 SE, however, is a downloadable commercial title with really nice 3d graphics and many more options (although the 2d gameplay remains more or less unchanged).

The goal of each track is to make your way from one end to the other. In between, you’ll be jumping gaps, popping wheelies, doing loop-de-loops… and probably smashing your poor rider into every surface along the way. Have you ever fallen face-first into a tire fire? I’ll bet even Travis Pastrana hasn’t.

Thankfully, this is another game where losing can be as entertaining as winning (hurray for 3d ragdoll physics!). Also, checkpoints are placed liberally, and restarting is as easy as hitting a button. Trials 2 Second Edition is surprisingly frustration free.

The full version of the game is $19.90 USD, and gives you 40 tracks, 3 game modes, 25 achievements, and the ability to maintain a profile and compete with other players for online ranking. One of the coolest features of T2SE is that, when comparing scores, you can click an icon next to a player’s name to either watch a replay of their best run (complete with key presses), or to race with their “ghost.” You can also create and join teams and compete as or within a group. (Which reminds me, team “TigerSauce” is looking for members! The password is herebeowls.)

So yeah, damn fun game. Video after the jump!

(Source: Kieron Gillen, via Rock, Paper, Shotgun)

Posted in Action, Highly Recommended, Physics, Sim, Videos, Windows | Tags: Redlynx

Simon

Woot! First comment!

This game looks amazing. I love games about physics. And I love games where I get to drive cool little vehicles. This looks more exciting than a pair of pants full of geckoes! Will download demo soon.
nullerator

I’ve clocked up some 15 hours with this game now, and it’s been a blast. One of the most enjoyable games I’ve bought this year, tbh. Even though it can be awfully frustrating at times…
http://literalbarrage.org/blog Doug Stewart

What about X-Moto?

http://xmoto.tuxfamily.org/

Looks like a (very nice-looking) 3D version of it…
OrR

I’m still waiting for the PC version of Bike or Die…
Jest

Is it just me or does this look just like Elastomania but with good graphics?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmPSLAQmbCM
PHeMoX

Lol, Super Mario … but on a bike? Wow.

I don’t quite like Trials 2 SE so much, the physics are a tad too sensitive for my likings. I guess I’m not good enough at it. :p
Jest

I like how I read the whole thing but somehow missed the part where it says “reminiscent of the classic Elasto Mania.”. Disregard previous comment.

Also the game does look quite fun. =)
Lapan

I’ve tried the demo and i must say i really liked it, like PHeMoX said the physics/controls are a bit hard to get used to but over all a good piece of entertainment.

One thing that bugs me though is that the checkpoints are a bit too close together, granted it makes it a bit less frustrating but since it doesn’t matter if you are in control of the bike or not when you pass them it feels a bit cheap.
raigan

hmm.. won’t run with my geforce4ti.

it may be an older-ish card, but it seems pretty stupid that I can run Doom3 but not some indie games!
Derek

Raigan, Doom 3 came out like 4 years ago!
Zaphos

It doesn’t really seem that surprising when an indie game has less support for older computers … after all, downscaling to older hardware takes work! Especially if you don’t have that many test machines and don’t even necessarily know which features are only on which cards … that sort of stuff seems just obnoxious to bother with.
PHeMoX

Actually, the whole checkpoint system surprised me. It’s not a ‘fault’ when you fail before the first checkpoint, after that every reset or crash counts, even if you successfully ‘reach’ the next checkpoint. I probably would have been way more frustrated with this game if it weren’t for the checkpoints though.

There are some pretty unbeatable highscores too. In terms of time I have come close to those scores, however I usually had at least 1 fault and passing certain obstacles on the tracks seem to be more a matter of chance than skill (I’m talking about the tracks where every object can move/react to physics).
xerus

I used to play the simple little web game for hours and hours. It was a lot of fun to do the infinite back flip of doom where your bike started rotating backwards so fast that it collapsed in on itself and then became some sort of UFO and spun faster and faster… I don’t think you can do this in the 3d version though :(
bateleur

It baffles me how someone with the skills to put together a beautiful-looking 3D game like this complete with physics could then decide to implement a game barely improved from a ubiquitous free web game.

Then again, it also baffles me why anyone would want to play it and people clearly do.

Baffling. :-/
Derek

‘Curz it’s funnnnnn…
xerus

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it?
nullerator

Lapan: Well, the goal isn’t simply to complete a track – it’s to complete it without dying and as fast as humanly possible. So the checkpoints become a valuable aid when you’re trying to learn how to tackle the different tracks, but when you’re going for the high scores, you really can’t afford to use them.
Trotim

Elastomania and X-Moto both aren’t that great… I still can’t see why people play it >_<
Lapan

nullerator: well the current checkpoint system is kinda counterproductive to that goal, say you are jumping from checkpoint A – B but crash. Most of the time you make it far enough to spawn at checkpoint B but without the ability (short of resetting the whole track) to actually practice the A – B jump you had trouble with.

All in all its a minor gripe with an otherwize fun game.
DocDark

Looks AWESOME! *buying*
http://battlecity.looble.com Deceth

Game looks great! Very nice graphics. When I started the video, a car alarm went off in the parking lot behind my place. Ohhh the irony ;)
PHeMoX

These kind of games definitely tend to be a lot of fun. I also like the fact that it displays the amount of broken bones, lol. Tends to be a lot here.
raigan

Still, Doom3-level hardware is far from ubiquitous. I don’t know, it just seems like.. if your game needs a better gfx card than Doom3, you’re sort of limiting your audience to the absolute hardcore.
MrRoboto

What’s happening with team TigerSauce? There’s only two members! C’mon already!