Developed by G2M and published by WizardWorks, Harley Davidson: Race Across America is a motorcycle racing game, where the tracks you race on are actual U.S highways and roads that cross locations like Arizona and Colorado. Most of the locations feature lots of deserts and mountains and the highways and roads are very windy.
There are a few game modes for you to play, including a Tour mode, in which you race in all locations and highways on your route to cross the USA. There is also a Practice mode so you can season your racing skills before entering the real thing. Multi-player support is also available for over the Internet or LAN. You and up to 3 other friends can battle it out online to see who has the best racing skills.
When playing the game, you can alter options such as screen resolution, details and sound levels. Before races, you can also change your bike, which can be a classic or newer Harley-Davidson, your driver and the specs for the bike. You must also choose between software and hardware rendering, as there is 3dfx support so that you can take advantage of the game's graphic abilities, even though the graphics aren't that hot to begin with.
The game doesn't look that bad, but it is just very normal and standard looking for a game of this type. There are rolling desert landscapes, stretches of highway and plenty of other racers for you to clash with, but none of them look sharp. Each racer, however, has a different looking bike and the drivers themselves look unique. There are also other cars on the road that look fairly realistic. The game has all these good graphical objects, but still manages to not look like anything special.
When playing the game, you will have to stop at many gas stations along the way so that your race can continue, otherwise you'll be forced to travel at very slow speeds for the duration of the race. This feature is somewhat authentic, but also very annoying at the same time. You have to pit for gas about every 2 minutes, which is very agitating. The racers on the road aren't that intelligent either. They just end up letting you pass them, without much of a fight. The only challenge is to avoid on-coming cars and stay on the road, as you will slow down greatly in the dirt. The control doesn't help these situations either. When you happen to shift into the dirt, the sticky controls are delayed and you turn to late forcing you all over the place. Some tweaking was needed here to create decent controls for all players.
The other presentation aspects like music are very solid. The tracks are perfect for the atmosphere of the game, but unfortunately there aren't that many of them. Sound effects are very normal, consisting of droning engines and gas station bells. Voice samples are something that is absent from this game, too bad.
Overall, this is a game that could've used some patching in the graphical and control departments. Everything just looks so basic and plain, there isn't a lot of diversity. Also, if you were able to control your bike a bit better, things might've been more enjoyable. Still, there is some cool music and multi-player support. A very average effort from G2M.
Graphics: The visuals are very bland, with repetitive-looking areas, repeated landscapes, and no real excitement. The draw-in distance views are mediocre at best.
Sound: There is some decent riding music, but not very many sound tracks. Sound effects are also very standard, plus there is no voice.
Enjoyment: If you enjoy going down long stretches of straight road, racing against computer-controlled opponents with unfair advantages, and having to stop for gas every minute, you'll love it. Otherwise, sell this one for scrap.
Replay Value: Replay value consists of an online multiplayer mode and a secret bike to unlock. Gameplay is so uninspired, though, chances are slim you'll want to keep playing.
People who downloaded Harley-Davidson: Race Across America have also downloaded:
Harley Davidson: Road to Sturges, Hot Rod: Garage to Glory, Grand Prix Legends, Driver (a.k.a. Driver: You Are the Wheelman), Fly! 2, Microsoft Pinball Arcade, Pool Champion, Gearhead Garage
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