OVERPASS

Quotation forthcoming.

BigBen Interactive brings us this unconventional proposal of driving simulators where we will get behind the wheel of some of the most powerful ATVs and UTVs in the market to try to overcome obstacles that are totally impossible at first sight, from huge muddy slopes with great unevenness to really impracticable paved areas.

While it lacks the charm of Trials, Overpass mostly manages to get that one-more-go feeling of trial and error right. It can be quite frustrating at times, and a little more feedback for the player to use wouldn’t have gone amiss, but if you’re after a challenging racer there’s plenty to enjoy here.

Overpass is different, and we like that. Yes, it’s hard and challenging, but it’s not like other racing games –you’re not supposed to be able to win the first time you race. It’s a shame that technically is very flawed and can get repetitive, but its core is solid.

Overpass is a racing game that defies the genre, as it’s not what you would consider a true racing game. It is more of an off-road, slow paced driving game where you need to discover the best way to get from start to finish. It is one that will no doubt frustrate you often, and one where the sound may grate on your nerves, but the foundation of something special is here. I truly hope that this is not a one-off title, as a sequel to fix some of the annoyances would make this a game that driving fans must have, but as of right now, Overpass is an experiment that has many redeeming qualities, but the negative ones hold it back from being the great gaming experience it could be.

Overpass on Xbox One just about fills a spot in the racing genre without it ever really being a game for the racing fan. In fact, if you’re looking for all-out speed then I’d tell you to stay as far away as possible. This is instead a precision motorsport brawler that pits you against the clock and tells you to get on with it - faults and all. While the Career is reasonable fun, working well across the obstacle courses, the sheer hellish nature of some of the hill climb events knock this off-roading beast down a notch or two, quite possibly causing far too much frustration and annoyance for anyone outside of the ‘scene’.

The time and effort needed to get good at this game is just not worth the price of trudging through hours of annoying tedium.

If Overpass‘ events were a bit shorter, if you felt like you had more of a connection with your vehicle, if you didn’t get stuck so often, then it would actually be a decent game. As it stands, however, it’s rarely fun. Playing Overpass just made me angry, and I don’t like being angry. It’s like banging your head against a brick wall, repeatedly. It’s frustrating beyond belief. Why would you want to pay to introduce that feeling into your life?