Jeremy McGrath’s Offroad Review

Jeremy McGrath’s Offroad looks and plays a lot like the PlayStation 3 launch title Motorstorm. I don’t know if that says a lot about Motorstorm or this game, but it is obvious where the inspiration came from. Those may be the only similarities.

Jeremy McGrath’s Offroad is a download-only title for the PS3 and Xbox 360. The game offers two offline modes and online multi-player across a measly six tracks. Events include regular straight-up races and ones that are similar to a time trial. In the regular race you always start at the back of the pack and have to work your way up. There are not any qualifying events like the F1 series or other more serious racing titles, but this is more of an arcade-style game so that is to be expected.

The upgrade system is very basic. Experience is earned from passing racers and winning events. The experience points can then be used to upgrade the vehicle’s handling, top speed, acceleration or braking up to five times. While you can choose from different body types, the customization ends about there.

The physics in this game are wonky at best. I saw a truck flip front to rear at least a dozen times in the air after hitting a bump in the road. This is not the only eyebrow-raising experience that I encountered. The vehicles themselves consistently look as if they are gliding on the track rather than driving on dirt or in mud. I understand that this is a downloadable game but the visual flaws are glaring. WipeOut is a download several years old and that game looks amazing.

Since Jeremy McGrath’s Offroad is already a bargain price you might as well just buy yourself a cheap used copy of MotorStorm or Burnout Paradise. It does not offer anything new or interesting, while the glitches and cheap presentation are hard to reconcile. The only thing more frustrating than the glitches may be Jeremy McGrath annoyingly popping up during load menus to give you race tips in low quality audio. Look elsewhere for a decent racing game.