When it comes to fulfilling your need for a “dirty” racing game with mud kicking up in the air and high-speed thrills, we already have a number of options available, including THQ’s MX Vs. ATV Reflex (a nice prelude to the follow-up coming next year) and Black Rock Studios’ unforgettable thrill ride Pure. But leave it to a team coming out of left field, Techland (the developers behind the Call of Juarez) games to shake things up with the wild and crazy Nail’d. Originality isn’t really this game’s strongest suit, as it follows the basics when it comes to racing thrills. You’re behind the handlebars of your dirt vehicle of choice, hitting the open trail with the goal of scoring first place wins. And unlike Pure, there isn’t an elaborate trick system. In fact, the fanciest thing you can really do in the game is perform a wheelie – providing you can stick it long enough without getting into a high-impact collision.
That said, there are still more than enough thrills here to give some bang for the buck. The key asset lies in the track design. Instead of just going around the same horizontal layout as other racing games, Nail’d gets very much vertical. You’ll be running up slopes, down mountainsides and jumping across Grand Canyon-style gaps, all while maintaining the highest speed possible. The stunts in this game would make Evel Kneivel crap his pants, though we’re pretty sure someone like Travis Pastrana could (ahem) nail it in his sleep. What’s cool about Nail’d is the acceptance of just going with what works. The game doesn’t add any frills like other racing games, like being able to tweak your bike’s performance. It doesn’t really need them, as the action in itself is quite fun. You won’t get enough of careening around high-speed turns and narrowly avoiding a crash into a rock wall (though there are times the collision detection catches you off-guard – we crashed into a rock pebble pile unexpectedly).
Also, you can steer your bike in mid-air, a cool new asset that lets you guide your bike out of harm’s way – if you’re fast enough to avoid the threat, that is. Along with a strong single player component loaded with campaign races and stunt challenges (which is mostly pointless, since you can’t perform stunts), Nail’d also features Xbox Live support for online races. 14 players can take part in an event, and they’re a lot of fun. Furthermore, new copies of the game also come with downloadable content, providing access to three new tracks and a bomb-timer Detonator mode for even more explosive fun. You can also customize your bike and rider, though you shouldn’t expect anything in the same depth as, say, Gran Turismo 5. These are above average settings at best. Still, the girl riders are hot. Even though Nail’d won’t win any awards for its presentation, it definitely looks the part. The visuals move at a frivolous pace, whether you’re flying hundreds of feet in the air or cruising around on a dirt track. It never slows down, and the riders themselves react accordingly to what’s happening on track, and don’t hesitate to celebrate once they cross the finish line.
More track variety would’ve been nice, but the ones provided here will keep you on your toes – especially the underground subway tunnels, complete with approaching trains. Ouch. As for the soundtrack, it’s hard alternative rock stuff, complete with a little “Duality” by Slipknot for good measure. You can play your own soundtrack through the Microsoft media player, but you’ll be missing out on some good tunes if you do. The sound effects are minor, but the engine noises the bikes produce are realistic enough. Disney Interactive Studios’ Pure is still the front-pack leader when it comes to dirt-racing greatness in video games, but if there were room for a close second place candidate, Nail’d easily takes that spot. What the game lacks in complexity, it makes up for with thrill-a-minute racing action and a slick presentation. Don’t be afraid to get Nail’d.
