Splashdown for PlayStation 2

Splashdown: Rides Gone Wild

Rainbow Studios created quality dirt racers with its Motocross Madness and ATV Offroad Fury games. Now it seeks similar success in the water with Splashdown. Featuring four licensed Sea-Doo watercrafts, nine playable characters, and 18 environments, the game packs plenty of features. Add in exquisite graphics, precise physics, tight controls, and challenging gameplay, and you've got one of the best jet-ski games on the market. The game's water effects are simply astounding. This is among the most realistic water ever seen in a video game. Furthermore, it behaves in such a lifelike manner that you'll marvel at how accurately it reacts to movement. The detailed and lush environments are located in a variety of regions and cities, including Nice, Seoul, Tokyo, Venice, Loch Ness, Mission Bay, the Nile River, and the Bering Strait. While the controls are very responsive, it does take some time to get used to the game's challenges and master its more than 30 tricks. Musically, the game is a bit derivative, attempting to emulate the soundtracks found in other extreme-sports games. And while the game offers some variety in the its training, career, arcade, and versus modes, it's disappointing that the multiplayer option only supports two players. Splashdown is not a perfect game, but it is an excellent title that offers plenty of replay value if you have the patience to get past its initial learning curve. Compared to the competition-- specifically Wave Rally and the GameCube- exclusive Wave Race: Blue Storm--this game offers a superior experience with better graphics and deeper gameplay. --Raymond M. Padilla Pros: Beautiful water Excellent control and physics Plenty of levels Cons: Somewhat steep learning curve Multiplayer only supports two players Limited selection of vehicles